The Bull by Bhimnidhi Tiwari || Grade 12 || Compulsory English || Summary and Exercise

 

About the playwright
-Bhim Nidhi Tiwari (1911–1973) was a leading Nepali poet, novelist and playwright. -He was a well-known poet of the post-1950s era and was a firm believer in social reforms and wrote against smoking, drinking, and gambling.
-He published over 38 works.
-Awards:  Madan Puraskar, Prakhyan Trishakti Patta, Rajyabisekh Padak,  and Gyanpad Sewa
-Notable works: Dagbatti(दागबत्ती), Samajik kahani, Putali, Tarpan, Adarsha Jeevan, Bibaha, Barshiksa, Sahanshila Shushila, Yashawi Shava, and Yashash.

The Bull
- It is a one-act play(एकाङ्की).
-It is about the death of a bull of the king Ranabahadur Shah and panic condition of the bull doctor and cowherds(गोठालो) after that.
-It makes a satire on the then feudal(सामन्तवादी/सामन्ति society where ordinary human beings were dehumanized. Animals of the feudal lords deserved more respect than those ordinary people.
-Setting(Time and place): Ashwin, 1854 B.S.
        Yard, courtyard of Basantapur palace and cowshed at Thulo Gaucharan(now TIA)
-Themes: dehumanization of ordinary people by the feudal lords, Servitude(चाकरी) of the servants of Lords/kings

Characters:
1. King Ranabahadur Shah- he is 23 yrs old, he is fond of bulls, he has reared many bulls
2. Laxminarayan Dahal- a bichari(legal officer) and bull doctor of 40 years, he has 7 wives and still planning to marry another
3. Gore - a cowherd
4. Jitman- a cowherd
5. Male(माले)- the bull which has died

Summary:
"The Bull" is a one-act play written by a famous Nepali poet and dramatist Bhimnidhi Tiwari. The play makes a satire on the feudal (सामन्ती) system of the then society(18th century). The play revolves around the death of a bull (Male) of the king Ranabahadur Shah and panic condition of the bull doctor and cowherds(गोठालो) after that.

The play takes place in the month of Ashwin in 1854 B.S. The two cowherds Gore and Jitman come to the house of Laxminarayan to inform about the death of the bull of the king Ranabahadur Shah. Now, Laxmi, Jitman and Gore are worried about the possible punishment from the king. He can even give them the death penalty. Laxmi is afraid of being shaved(कपाल खौरिनु) as the punishment. His mouth once was burnt for speaking with loud voice and moustache doesn't grow in that side.
According to the cowherds, the bull died because it didn't get enough food (grass) and couldn't digest fine rice and soup of split gram(चना). Laxmi tells the cowherds not to tell "the bull has died". Else they will have terrible fate.
Then, Laxmi goes to the Basantpur palace to inform about the ill health of the bull. Laxmi bows down to the king with reverence(सम्मान) and informs him that the bull is ill. He doesn't directly tell that the full has died.
He says "the bull sir doesn't wake up and eat breakfast. He doesn't speak or move. He only stares with still eyes.....". Laxmi praises the beauty, walking style and valiant fight of the bull. He proposes the bull to be taken to the hill for climate change and heal(सन्चो हुनु) the health of the bull.
Then the king himself wants to chek the bull's condition and goes to the cowshed located at Thulo Gaucharan(pasture-land) with a convoy(सिपाहिको समूह) on the palanquin(पाल्की).

Jitman and Gore are waiting desperately at the cowshed to hear the decision of the king. They even think of escaping to save their life but they think they will be arrested again and killed. The king approaches there. Laxmi runs ahead of the convoy at Thulo Gauchar to tell the cowherds to massage the hind(back) feet of the bull and wave the fan at the bull. They do accordingly. Laxmi tells the king that they had been caring the bull since midnight.
The bull is in fact lying dead on the mattress. It is neither breathing nor eating anything. Its tail has loosened and ears have drooped (लत्रीएको) down. Yet, the cowherds and Laxmi cannot declare its death due to fear. King Ranabahadur Shah himself says the bull is dead.
After listening to the king, Jitman starts crying and says he has been an orphan after bull's  death. The King declares a tip of 400 rupees and tells to be quiet.
Gore also starts sobbing. He says he loves the bull more than his mother, father, wife and children. He says he will go with the bull or hang himself. The king declares the tip of 500 rupees. At last, Laxminarayan himself starts weeping and pretends to be in agony. The king scolds him and orders him to burry the bull and manage the funeral rites and give offerings to the priest himself. At last, Gore and Jitman express their happiness to be alive.

The play vividly portrays the then feudal(सामन्तवादी/सामन्ति society where ordinary human beings were dehumanized. Animals of the feudal lords deserved more respect than those ordinary people. It deals with the themes of dehumanization of ordinary people by the feudal lords, servitude(चाकरी) of the servants of Lords/kings, and subjugation of women.

Question-Answers
a. Why have Gore and Jitman come to see Laxminarayan?
Ans: The two cowherds Gore and Jitman come to see Laxminarayan to inform about the death of the bull(Male) of the king Ranabahadur Shah.

b. What, according to cowherds, is the reason behind the death of Male(माले)?
Ans: According to the cowherds, the bull died because it didn't get enough food (grass) and couldn't digest fine rice and soup of split gram(चना).

c. Why does Ranabahadur want to see the bull himself?
Ans: Ranabahadur wants to see the bull himself because he(Ranabahadur) wants to check the bull's condition and  doesn't want the bull to be taken to the hill if it gets cured/treated here(at Thulo Gaucharan, Kathmandu).

d. Why does Laxminarayan run ahead of the convoy at Thulo Gaucharan(ठूलो गौचरण)?
Ans:
Laxminarayan runs ahead of the convoy at Thulo Gauchar to tell the cowherds to massage the hind(back) feet of the bull and wave the fan at the bull to please the king Ranabahadur Shah. Otherwise, he would be angry and punish them. He wanted to show the king that they cared the bull very much.

e. Why do Gore and Jitman cry when the king declares that Male is dead?
Ans: When the king declares that the Male is dead, Gore and Jitman didn't actually cry. They were rather pretending to be crying to have mercy of the king upon them. They wanted to be spared(saved) from the punishment. Otherwise, the king might punish them and blame them for the death of the bull. They just pretended to have loved the bull.

f. How do we learn that the full is dead?
Ans: We learn that the bull has died when the king says "The bull does not breathe, his tail has loosened, ears have drooped(लत्रीएको) down, and doesn't eat anything either."

g. How does the play make a satire on the feudal system?
Ans:
The feudal system suppressed and dominated and dehumanized the ordinary people. The ordinary people's life was at the mercy and grace of their lords. To save their life, they hid the truth and pretended something else. Animals of the lord god more respect and facility than the common people. In this way, the play makes a satire on the feudal system.

h. Write down the plot of the play in a paragraph.
King Ranabahadur Shah was fond of bulls. He had reared many bulls. Once, the bull named Male died. Then, the cowherds and the bull doctor panicked because of the possible punishment from the king. They pretended to be sad and mourning(शोकाकुल) at the death of the bull. In fact, they were not sad at the death of the bull rather they were afraid of the possible punishment from the king. In order to save their life, they wept and pretended to be heartbroken in front of the king. The king gave them the tips seeing them crying. Finally, the cowherds were happy be alive. The play makes a satire of the feudal society of that time(18th Century).

Reference to the Context
a. Discuss the late eighteenth century Nepali society as portrayed in terms of the relation between the king and his subjects(रैती/जनता) as portrayed in the play.
Ans. In terms of the political context, there was a monarchy in the late  eighteenth century. The Shah dynasty was ruling in Nepal. There was no much freedom for the people like today. People lived under the subjugation(domination) of the king and his men. Ordinary people's condition was like that of animals like in the play "The Bull". 
Even if someone didn't do swasthi(स्वस्ती)( bowing down to the lords with respect) to the lords/kings, people were punished. There were no fundamental rights as we are enjoying today. Political awareness among the people was also very low. Women lived under the male domination. One could have as many wives as he wished like Laxminarayan in the play. Laxminarayan has 7 wives and still he is planning to marry another. Life of the people/subjects was at the mercy of the kings/lords.

b. What does the relation between Laxminarayan and his wives tell us about the society of that time? To what extent has Nepali society changed since then?

Ans: Laxminarayan is a bichari(legal officer) and bull doctor of the king Ranabahadur Shah. He is 40 years old. Having 7 wives, he is not satisfied and still he is planning to marry another. He calls his wives with derogatory(अपमानजनक) names such as flat-nosed(थेप्चो नाके), beautiful, butterfly, swallow(गौथली), ugly face, etc. He has given these names to them. From this, we can guess that women's condition was inferior and dominated. Polygamy(बहु बिवाह) was a common practice at that time. The main causes behind it were illiteracy, poverty, lack of awareness and feudal rule.
Today's society has much more changed/advanced compared to that. Women's awareness and literacy has increased significantly. They not confined within the four walls of the house. They have reached to the highest levels of the country such as the president, the chief justice, the speaker of national assembly, etc. Women have been given special rights and protection. Many NGOs and INGOs are advocating(वकालत गर्नु) their rights.
  
c. Shed light on the practice of chakari(चाकरी) as portrayed in the play. Have you noticed this practice in your society?

Ans:
Chakari was the common practice during king's rule. Common folks served and greeted the kings and their lords with great reverence(respect) even if they did want to do it from their heart. In this play, "The Bull" Laxminarayn and two cowherds are doing the chakari of the king Ranabahadur Shah. They themselves are sleeping on the straw in the cowshed, they are pretending(बाहना गर्नु) to love the bull and massage the bull's feet and wave(हम्किनु) the fan at the bull to please the king. They say bull sir even to the animal. It is quite ridiculous(हांस्यास्पद).
Even today, we can chakari in one or the other way. Mainly, people do the chakari of the political leaders. Specially, for the appointment in different posts, various people go to the high level political leaders and even bribe(घुस दिनु) them. Even at local levels, common people are found to be doiing chakari of their leaders to get their favour and get their things/works done.

d. How does Laxminarayan outsmart Ranabahaur Shah?
Ans: Laxminarayan is the bull doctor of the king Ranabahadur Shah. When the bull dies, Laxminarayan doesn't directly tell the death of the bull to the king because the king could be enraged/angry. He says the bull is ill. He orders the cowherds to massage and wave a fan at the bull to impress the king and save their life. The king thinks the bull died despite proper care and treatement just in front of him. In this way, Laxminarayan outsmarts the king Ranabahadur Shah.

e. Sketch(चरित्र चित्रण गर्नु) the character of Laxminarayan.
Ans: Laxminarayan Dahal is a 40 year-old  legal officer and bull doctor of the king Ranabadur Shah. He has 7 wives but he is not satisfied with them. He wants to marry another woman. When the bull of the king dies, he acts very smartly to save his and cowherds' lives from the king's punishment.
He doesn't directly tell the news of the bull's death to the king. He has well known how to do chakari of the king. So, he orders the cowherds to massage and wave fan at the dead bull to please the king. Due to his smart technique, their lives have been saved. In this way, we can say that Laxminarayan is capable enough to adjust, handle and act accordingly in the then context of servitude(चाकरी) and flattery(चापलुसी).