The Bull
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| Bhimnidhi Tiwari (1911-1973) |
About the author
· Tiwari is a well-known poet, story writer and dramatist from Nepal.
· an ardent social reformer, established Nepal Natak Sangh (Nepal Drama Society) in 1949.
· through this organization, he promoted the Nepali plays by staging plays and encouraging the Nepali writers to write plays.
· in order to sustain this organization, he also wrote plays like ‘Matoko Maya, Shilanyas and Sahansheela Sushila, among others
· Tiwari won Madan Puraskar for literature in 1970
Setting
The setting refers to the place and time or where and when the play takes place. The first scene takes place in Laxminarayan’s Yard and the time is Dawn. It is the month of Aswin, and the year is 1854 V. S. As it is early in the morning, birds are chirping in the trees. The red sun shines on the yard and the body of Laxminarayan. The second scene takes place in a courtyard of Basantapur palace in the same morning. The Scene III takes place at Thulo Gauchar in a cowshed in the same morning.
Characters
Laxminarayan
Laxminarayan is one of the main characters in the play. He is the man of around forty. His full name is Laxminarayan Dahal (Jaisi) who is addressed as ‘baje’ by the cowherds. Though he has seven wives, he is not happy. He is Subedar with Samarjug Company, bichari of the Ita Chapali court. Most importantly, he is the bull doctor who takes care of King Rana Bahadur Shah’s ‘Male’. He gets burnt his mouth for speaking in a loud voice. He is terrified for being shaved after the bull died. He saves himself being shaved and the lives of the cowherds by flattering the king and using the worst form of ‘chakari’. He doesn’t declare the death of the bull but assures the king that the bull needs to be taken to the hill for the effective treatment of him. He flatters the king by telling him that his name, fame, and deeds are worshipped all over the nation. He calls the bull as ‘Male Sir’. He makes Jitman to massage the bull and Gore waves him fan to save their lives.
Jitman
Jitman is a cowherd who is terrified after the death of the bull. He is threatened to be beheaded in case the bull dies. Knowing the king’s arrival in the cowshed, he starts massaging the hind legs of the bull. To save his own life, he keeps on crying and calls the bull ‘bull sir’. He pretends to regard the bull as his own father since he tells the dead bull that he has left making him an orphan. His act of wailing on the death of bull easily melts the heart of Ranabahadur. Though he is threatened to be beheaded, he receives a tip of four hundred rupees from the king.
Gore
Gore is a cowherd who is afraid of being beheaded after the death of the bull. Gore starts waving fan from the front of the dead bull after he knows that Ranabahadur is coming to see the bull. His effort to show chakari to the king’s bull is remarkable. He wails for the dead bull saying that he didn’t think of anything for the sake of the bull. He says that he has forgotten his mother, father, home, wife and children. He also says that he will either hang himself or will get buried with the bull for he can’t leave him. Finally, he waves the fan at himself and takes a deep breath saying, “Thanks God, we survived!’.
Rana Bahadur Shah
Rana Bahadur Shah was the grandson of Prithivi Narayan Shah. He was the king of Nepal in late eighteenth century. He is the man of 23 in this play. He was fond of rearing four-footed animals. Among the four-footed animals, too, he was especially avid about rearing bulls. He was the very person to start a custom of releasing a bull with a burnt mark every month at Pashupatinath Tempe. He was the one, who had maintained Thulo Gauchar (now airport). Among many bulls reared by him, a bull named ‘Male’ fell sick. he had threatened the bull doctor that if he would go to tell him that a bull died, he would get shaved. Listening to the idea of the bull doctor to take the bull to the hill for his effective treatment in the changed climate, he decides to see the bull himself to make sure whether the bull gets better after treating him in his own shed or he should be taken to the hill. Unfortunately, he finds that the bull has already died. As he is, in the play, open to flattery and entertains chakari, he punishes no one.
The Bull
The Bull’s name is ‘Male’ in the play. He is reared by the king, Ranabahadur Shah. He falls sick. In spite of care and treatment, he dies in his own shed at Thulo Gauchar. His death becomes so dangerous for the cowherds and his doctor that the king threatens the cowherds to be beheaded and the bull doctor to be shaved in case he dies. They don’t dare to declare his death. To avoid danger of being severely punished, Laxminarayan brings the idea of taking the bull to the hill for effective treatment. But the king himself comes to know he is dead.
What is the play about?
It was the late eighteenth century. Ranabahadur Shah, the grandson of Prithivi Narayan Shah, was the king of Nepal. Ranabahadur Shah was fond of bulls in his one act play “The Bull”, Bhimnidhi Tiwari dramatizes an incident related to Ranabahadur Shah’s craze for bulls to make a biting satire on the feudal system, which dehumanizes human beings to such an extent that their existence depends on their deferential treatment towards the four-footed animals like bulls.
Understanding the text
Answer the following questions.
a. Why have Gore and Jitman come to see Laxminarayan?
Gore and Jitman come to see Laxminarayan because the bull have just died. Laxminarayan is the bull doctor who is responsible for saving the life of the bull named ‘Male’. They have arrived there, running out of breath to inform Laxminarayan about the death of the bull. The cowherd, Jitman informs Laxminarayan that the bull died. The news of the death of the bull gives Laxminarayan a terrible shock. Responding to Laxminarayan, Jitman stretches body and his eyes have grown still since they have been threatened in case the bull died.
b. What, according to cowherds, is the reason behind the death of Male?
According to the cowherds, the reason behind the death of ‘Male’ is indigestion, i.e., pain caused by difficulty in digesting food. The natural food of cows or ox is grass. On the contrary, the bull ‘Male’ is given the fine rice and the lentil soup of split red soup. The food served to him is not digested by Male and therefore, he died. Male is given guavas, bananas, and sticks of sugarcane in snacks. The food items which have to be given to humans, have been given to Male. Thus, the Bull, ‘Male’ can’t digest and falls ill to death.
c. Why does Ranabahadur want to see the bull himself?
Ranabahadur wants to see the bull himself to make sure whether the bull gets better after treating him in his own cowshed at Thulo Gauchar or he should be taken to the hill. Laxminarayan is the bull doctor who asks the king for permission to take the bull to a high altitude for his treatment. He doesn’t blindly believe the bull doctor, so wants to see the bull himself. If the bull gets better there, he doesn’t want to give him trouble by taking him to the hill. To conclude, he wants to see the bull to know his real health condition.
d. Why does Laxminarayan run ahead of the convoy at Thulo Gauchar?
Laxminarayan runs ahead of the convoy at Thulo Gauchar to ask Jitman to start massaging the bull and Gore to start waving at him from the front. He runs to reach there before the king does to ask them to bow their head and to warn them not to utter the bull died from their mouth. In fact, he runs ahead of the convoy to tell the cowherds to perform the worst form of ‘chakari’ so that they can shave themselves. He asks them to be extra careful after the king arrives and utter the words of flattery.
Convoy = a group of vehicles of ships travelling together
e. Why do Gore and Jitman cry when the king declares that Male is dead?
Gore and Jitman cry when the king declare that Male is dead to save their own lives by showing their chakari to Male, the king’s bull. They are threatened by the king to be beheaded in case Male dies. Similarly, Laxminarayan is threatened to be shaved. They pretend that they are unknown about the bull’s death, and they are taking his motherly care. When the king declares that the bull is dead, they pretend to be hurt. To conclude, they cry primarily to save themselves and secondarily to get tips from the king.
f. How do we learn that the bull is dead?
We learn that the bull is dead when Gore and Jitman inform Laxminarayan that the bull has just died, and Gore says that his tail has gone loose. Reading the bull doctor’s reporting to the king, we know that it is no longer alive. He tells the king that the bull does not wake up until the sun is high in the sky, he doesn’t eat breakfast, he does not move or speak and sleeping as if he is relaxed. The king also says that the bull seems to have died. His ears have dropped down, and his tail has loosened. Then he declares that the bull has died.
g. How does the play make a satire on the feudal system?
The play makes a bitter satire on the feudal system in the sense it reveals the way the king mistreated men at that time. For the king, animals were more important than their people. The common people could be beheaded, shaved, and exploited in many ways. Another remarkable satire is that the kings were open to flattery, and they entertained chakari. Those who were good at practicing chakari and flattering the king could stay alive. This play reflects the miserable conditions of common people. The one who is good at performing chakari is oppressive to others. It is evident in when we observe the role of Laxminarayan Dahal who has exploited his wives.
h. Write down the plot of the play in a paragraph.
‘The Bull’ is a play by Bhimnidhi Tiwari written on the theme of how corrupt the rulers and the aristocrats were during the feudal system in Nepal. It makes a biting satire on that system that dehumanizes human beings to such an extent that their existence depends on their deferential treatment towards the four-footed animals like bulls. In the play, Ranabahadur Shah threatens the bull doctor, Laxminarayan that he will be shaved, and the cowherds will be beheaded in case the sick bull dies. Unfortunately, the bull dies but the bull doctor and the cowherds don’t dare to declare the bull’s death. Instead, the bull doctor brings the idea to take the bull to the hill for effective treatment in the changed climate. But his very idea is just to avoid the announced punishment to the cowherd and himself. After the king declares that Male is dead the bull doctor outsmarts him by practicing the worst form of chakari and flattering the king.
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 as portrayed in the play.
The late eighteenth-century Nepali society suffered the feudal system when people were less important than the four-footed animals like bulls. The rulers were corrupt and cruel. They enslaved common people. The king, Ranabahadur’s passion of rearing bulls at Thulo Gauchar reveals their luxurious life styles that exploited people like Jitman and Gore experienced in the play. The feudal system dehumanizes human beings to such an extent that their existence depends on their deferential treatment towards the four-footed animals like bulls.
In the late eighteenth-century Nepali society, common people were enslaved by the rulers. They could be killed, shaved, had their mouth burnt down or punished as per the rulers’ will. This scenario is evident when the king comes to know the bull named ‘Male’ is sick, and he threatens the bull doctor to be shaved and the cowherds to be beheaded in case the bull dies.
One of the marked features of feudal system is that the rulers were open to flattery and entertained chakari as Ranabahadur is outsmarted by Laxminarayan’s idea of massaging and waving at the bull by the cowherd, regarding the animal named ‘Male’ as their own father. Similarly, exploitation of women is another salient feature of feudalism. The condition of women at that time becomes crystal clear when the readers learn that Laxminarayan has seven wives and he always mistreat them by shouting at them, calling them with unusual names and humiliating them with swear words.
b. What does the relation between Laxminarayan, and his wives tell us about the society of that time? To what extent has the Nepali society changed since then?
The relation between Laxminarayan and his wives tell us about the reality of the society of that time. The society was not women friendly as they were mistreated and exploited badly. A man could marry as many women as they wanted. The women were deprived of the rights. They could be scolded, confined within the household works and made limited to the beings to satisfy men. This idea becomes crystal clear when we come to know that Laxminarayan, who has seven wives, is still unsatisfied and unhappy.
The Constitution of Nepal recognizes the equality of men and women and prohibits discrimination on the grounds of sex. In addition, the Constitution contains specific provisions aimed at promoting the rights and empowerment of women. The Constitution also establishes a National Women's Commission with the mandate to ensure the rights of women are protected and promoted, and to make recommendations to the government on policies and programs related to women.
Overall, the Constitution of Nepal seeks to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women. Not only legal provisions are made for equality between men women, the society’s practice and men’s attitude also have significantly changed. To conclude, women are empowered by the Laws, but the expected transformation is still waiting.
c. Shed light on the practice of chakari as portrayed in the play. Have you noticed this practice in your society?
The practice of chakari as portrayed in the play is a vivid example of evil practice that existed in the feudal system. Rulers of that time entertained chakari. People were compelled to choose chakari to get opportunity and even to save their lives. The bull doctor, Laxminarayan is prone to chakari. It is his idea to show the worst level chakari to Ranabahadur Shah and even to his dead bull to save himself from being shaved and the cowherds to be beheaded. One of the cowherd wails and regards the bull as his own father. He calls the bull ‘bull sir’ and Laxminarayan calls the bull ‘Male Sir’. Laxminarayan flatters the king considering him as the one whose name, fame and deeds are worshipped all over the nation. These are the vivid examples of chakari during the feudal age in Nepal.
The practice of chakari in our society can be noticed in various forms. People like Laxminarayan by their attitude, put the chakari into practice particularly to those who exercise political power and enjoy high status. The practice of chakari is noticed in bureaucracy, police, politics and almost every field and sector. People do chakari for better opportunities, promotion, and some sort of financial gain.
d. How does Laxminarayan outsmart Ranabahadur?
Laxminarayan outsmarts Ranabahadur by using a trick of flattery and practicing chakari. Ranabahadur is open to flattery and entertains chakari. Firstly, he flatters the king by stating that His Majesty’s name, fame, and deeds are worshipped all over the nation and exaggerating the bull’s beauty, style of walking and fighting. Secondly, he makes use of the worst form of chakari. For this, he makes the cowherds massage and waving fan, and asks them to wail showing highest level of melancholy. He calls the bull ‘Male Sir’ and makes the cowherds to do the same. He avoids danger of being shaved and beheaded by generating the idea of not declaring the death of the bull. Instead, he tells the king a lie by saying that ‘Male’ is seriously sick because the medicine administered does not work due to the lack of favourable climate. Therefore, he brings the idea of taking the bull to the hill where the medicine will work well. But he is doing all these things only to save the cowherd’s lives and for himself being shaved.
When the king comes to know that the bull is dead, he seems to be content by chakari they practiced as he offers Jitman a tip of four hundred rupees and asks Laxminarayan to console Gore. Jitman and Gore are crying inconsolably on the death of the bull. Ranabahadur asks them not to cry for the dead bull as they can do nothing for that.
Reference beyond the text
a. Write an essay in about 300 words on “The Nepali Society: Past, Present and Future”.
The Nepali society has undergone significant changes over the past few decades. In the past, the Nepali society was heavily influenced by traditional Hindu customs and values. The caste system was strictly followed and there was a clear hierarchy within the society. The role of women was largely confined to the household, and they were not afforded the same opportunities as men.
However, in recent times, the Nepali society has undergone a transformation. With the advent of modern education and the growth of a more liberal mindset, there has been a shift in traditional values. The caste system is no longer as rigid as it once was and there is a greater emphasis on equality. Women are now able to pursue education and careers and are playing a more active role in the society.
Despite these positive changes, the Nepali society still faces several challenges. Poverty and inequality continue to be major issues, with a significant portion of the population living in poverty. There is also a lack of infrastructure and access to basic amenities in many parts of the country. In addition, the country has a high rate of illiteracy, which hampers progress and development.
Looking to the future, it is important for the Nepali society to address these issues and work towards a more inclusive and equitable society. This can be achieved through better education and economic opportunities, as well as the promotion of social justice and equality. With the right policies and efforts, it is possible to build a brighter future for all members of the Nepali society.
b. In his “Satire 9”, Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux says:
But satire, ever moral, ever new
Delights the reader and instructs hem, too.
She, if good sense, refine her sterling page,
Oft shakes some rooted folly of the age.
Do you agree with the poet? Discuss the lines with reference to Bhimnidhi Tiwai’s play “The Bull”.
Yes, I agree with the poet. According to him, satire is ever moral and always remain new, meaning it doesn’t decay and decline. Satire used in the literature delights the readers and instructs them to be aware and to praise honesty. Satire shakes the foundation of evil practices of particular historical times by bringing them alive to the new generations.
Bhimnidhi Tiwari dramatizes an incident related to Ranabahadur Shah’s craze for bulls to make a biting satire on the feudal system, which dehumanizes human beings to such an extent that their existence depends on their deferential treatment towards the four-footed animals like bulls. It is about the late eighteenth century; it gives sense of present Nepalese society as there is pervasive practice of chakari and flattery. People who want to take advantage of make use of flattery and the worst form of chakari to satisfy those who are in power. The satire used in this play seems true even in present society. The play, on the one hand, seems humorous, but on the other hand, it instructs the rulers not to be so foolish and corrupt like Ranabahadur in the play. It also teaches those who enjoy practicing chakari that one should not be cunning like Laxminarayan. If someone enjoys doing chakari, he will be portrayed one day in the literature as it is done in the play ‘The Bull’.
