Summary of The Bull by Bhimnidhi Tiwari Class 12 English

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Main Summary

The Bull Play is set in the time when it was the late eighteenth century. Ranabahadur Shah, the grandson of Prithvi 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. 

One-act play "The Bull" has been written by Nepali poet and playwright Bhimnidhi Tiwari, who is widely regarded as one of the country's greatest writers. A satire of the feudal structure in the society at the time of the play (18th century). As a result of the death of King Rana Bahadur Shah's bull, Male, a bull doctor and two cowherds named Jitman and Gore are in a state of fear.

In 1854 B.S., the drama was staged in the month of Ashwin. Gore and Jitman, two cowherds, arrive to Laxminarayan's residence at the opening of the play in a state of terror. They've come to deliver the news of King Ranabahadur Shah's bull's death. Laxminarayan shivers as they tell their tale. They're all starting to become nervous about what the king may do to them. The monarch has the power to sentence them to death. Fear of being punished by having his hair shaved drives Laxminarayan crazy. As a penalty for speaking too loudly in front of the monarch, Laxminarayan had his lips burned once. That side of Laxminarayan's moustache never grows again.

They both say that the bull died because it didn't eat enough grass and couldn't eat fine rice and split-gram soup. When the bull has died, Laxminarayan instructs the cowherds to keep it quiet. They will suffer a severe punishment if they tell the king about the death of the bull.

Laxminarayan heads to the Basantpur palace to notify the king of the bull's deteriorating condition. Laxminarayan respectfully notifies the king that the bull is unwell, bowing his head in humility. He doesn't notify the king immediately that the bull has died.

He tells the king about the condition of the sick bull. He claims that the bull sir doesn't get up in the morning and eat his meal. He does not talk or move at all. He keeps his gaze fixed on the ground, his face expressionless. Laxminarayan begins complimenting the bull's beauty, gait, and bravery. He recommends taking the bull to the hill to fight climate change and repair its health.

When the king heard Laxminarayan's statements, he decided to go to Thulo Gauchara with a chariot caravan to inspect the bull's condition.

Cowherds Jitman and Gore, on the other hand, are awaiting the king's decision in the farm house with anxiously. They've considered fleeing for their lives, but they're afraid they'll be arrested once again and put to death. The king is getting closer. At Thulo Gauchar, Laxminarayan goes ahead of the caravan and instructs the cowherds to massage the bull's rear feet and wave a fan at him. They do as such. He even tells the king that they've been taking care of the bull since midnight.

On the other hand, the bull is truly dead on the mattress. There isn't even a gasp. It isn't doing any of those things, either. Its ears and tail have both fallen. However, for reasons of fear, neither the cowherds nor Laxminarayan can pronounce it dead. The bull, according to King Ranabahadur Shah, has died.

Upon hearing the king's statement, Jitman breaks down in tears and tells that he has been orphaned because the bull's death left him all alone. The King gives him a 400 rupee tip and orders him to keep silent.

Gore bursts into tears as well. He claims that the bull is more important to him than his mother, father, wife, and kids. He says he'll either go with the bull or hang himself. Upon hearing this, the monarch gives him a gratuity of 500 rupees. 

For the first time, Laxminarayan begins to cry and pretends to be in pain. Angry with him, the King assigns the task of burying and honouring the dead bull to him, along with other duties. Finally, Gore and Jitman express their joy at still being alive.

One can clearly see the feudal system of that time in this drama, "The Bull," which exposes the oppression and dehumanisation of the common man. Animals owned by feudal lords were more deserving of respect than those of the common people. Dehumanization of common people by feudal lords; slavery of Lords/Kings; and subjugation/dominance of women are all topics that come up in this play.

The Bull Play : Word Meanings

avid (adj.): passionate, obsessive, keen

bichari (n.): a legal officer in the court

baje (n.): (In Nepal) a grandfather; a Brahman, out of respect, is also called baje (grandpa) regardless of age 

pathi (n.): a unit of measuring grains, a pot to measure grains (one pathi is approximately equal to3.2 kg.)

dharni (n.) : a unit of measuring weight (one dharni is approximately equal to 2.5 kg)

ana (n.): twenty five paisa, one fourth of a rupee

swosti (n.): a way of greeting, especially made by the subjects to their masters and mistresses in the feudal Hindu society 

convoy (n.): a procession of horses or vehicles

wethers (n.): castrated male goats

palanquin (n.): (in the Asian countries like Nepal) a covered litter for one passenger, consisting of a large box carried on two horizontal poles by four or six bearers 

chakari (n.): a service rendered to a person of higher rank with an expectation of receiving favour, an effort to appeal to a person of high ran by demonstrating one’s poverty or distress, sycophancy 

carrion (n.): the dead body of an animal or a human being