Class 12 English Vistas – Chapter 2: The Tiger King by Kalki
1. What is the central theme of “The Tiger King”?
Answer:
The story is a satire on the arrogance of power. It mocks blind pride, superstition, and the irony of fate, showing how even kings can’t escape destiny.
2. Why was the king called “The Tiger King”?
Answer:
He earned the title after killing many tigers to defy a prophecy about his death. Ironically, his obsession with this led to his downfall.
3. What did the astrologers predict about the king’s death?
Answer:
They predicted the king would die due to a tiger. He mocked the prophecy but spent his life trying to eliminate the threat by killing tigers.
4. How did the king react to the prophecy?
Answer:
He was furious and declared he’d kill all tigers in his kingdom. His pride made him challenge fate instead of accepting it humbly.
5. How did the king misuse his power?
Answer:
He imposed tiger-hunting bans for others, married for convenience (to hunt more tigers), and punished officers to fulfill his obsession—highlighting his misuse of royal authority.
6. What irony lies in the king’s death?
Answer:
Despite killing 99 tigers, he dies because of a wooden tiger’s splinter. The prophecy still comes true in an unexpected, humorous way—mocking his efforts.
7. How does the story criticize superstitions?
Answer:
The king both mocks and follows superstitions. His actions show the irrationality of blindly believing in predictions while claiming to be rational and scientific.
8. Why did the king marry a girl from a different state?
Answer:
He chose a princess from a state with a large tiger population, purely to fulfill his need to kill more tigers—not for love or alliance.
9. What role does humor play in the story?
Answer:
Humor, irony, and exaggeration are used to satirize monarchy, power misuse, and superstition, making serious social commentary entertaining and thought-provoking.
10. Why was the hundredth tiger important?
Answer:
The king believed killing the hundredth tiger would end the prophecy. Ironically, the tiger survived, and he still met his fated death unknowingly.
11. What was the significance of the wooden tiger?
Answer:
It was an innocent toy that caused a fatal infection to the king. It symbolized fate’s subtle but powerful ways of fulfilling destiny.
12. How did the hunters cover up the failed kill?
Answer:
Fearing royal anger, the hunters shot the unconscious tiger after the king missed and declared it dead—showing fear and dishonesty in the king’s court.
13. What lesson does the story teach about pride?
Answer:
It shows that excessive pride and attempts to control fate often lead to downfall. The king’s ego blinded him to reality, leading to a tragicomic end.
14. How is the title “The Tiger King” ironic?
Answer:
Though he tried to master fate by killing tigers, he dies because of one—indirectly. The title mocks his futile struggle against destiny.
15. How does Kalki use satire in the story?
Answer:
He mocks kingship, British rule, astrologers, and superstitions. Through exaggerated characters and absurd situations, he cleverly criticizes the flaws of society and power.
16. How does the story portray the king’s character?
Answer:
He is arrogant, irrational, and obsessed. Despite being brave, his actions are driven by ego and fear, making him both comical and tragic.
17. What role does destiny play in the story?
Answer:
Destiny overrules all efforts of the king. His attempts to escape death prove useless. The story emphasizes that fate is inevitable and often ironic.
18. Why did the king ban tiger hunting by others?
Answer:
He wanted to reserve all tigers for himself to reach his target of 100 kills, showing his selfishness and misuse of royal privilege.
19. How did the king’s death serve poetic justice?
Answer:
His obsession led to a ridiculous yet fatal end. The very thing he tried to avoid—a tiger—killed him, fulfilling the prophecy in a symbolic way.
20. What message does “The Tiger King” convey?
Answer:
It warns against pride, blind superstition, and misusing power. It shows that no one, not even a king, can outsmart fate or avoid the consequences of their actions.