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Elective English—IV

Notes interweaved with a subversion of social and moral norms and the propensity of the intelligentsia
to politicize everything. Deliberately breaking off, dismantling the fictional edifice and
introducing the author’s own figure in the middle of a story about kings and princesses are
strategic narrative decisions that anticipate the meta-fictional writing of today.
Tagore, as evident in these three examples, had experimented freely and openly with narrative
and structure of short stories in the late nineteenth century but the world is unaware of his
pioneering efforts in this genre. It is the existence of traces of a superbly postmodern consciousness
that does not try to offer facile simplistic solutions to insoluble problems and puzzles in the
human experience of ‘being and nothingness’ that posits Tagore as our contemporary.

10.6.2 Analysis

In this story Once there was a King; Rabindranath Tagore begins with some amusing sentences
about the dull, matter of fact character of modern scientific people, who cannot enjoy a fairy
story without asking “Is it true?” The Poet implies that there are deeper truths than modern
science has yet discovered. The ending of the present story will show this more clearly.
Sovereign truth - There is a play upon the word “sovereign” which can mean “kingly” and also
“supreme.”
Exacting - There is further play here with the words “exact” and “exacting.” “Exact” means
precise and “exacting” means making others precise.

Legendary haze - The ancient legends are very obscure, just like an object seen through a mist.
Knowledge - Mere book knowledge,—knowledge of outside things.
Truth - Inner truth such as comes from the heart of man and cannot be reasoned or disputed.

Half past seven - The time when his tutor was due.
No other need - As if God would continue the rain merely to keep his tutor away!
If not - Though it might not have been caused by his prayers, still for some reason the rain did
continue.
Nor did my teacher - Supply the words “give up.”
Punishment to fit the crime - An amusing reference to the doctrine of karma, which states that
each deed will have its due reward or punishment.
As me - Strictly speaking it should be “I” not “me” but he is writing not too strictly.
I hope no child - The author here amusingly pretends that the child’s way of getting out of his
lessons was too shocking for young boys in the junior school to read about.
I will marry my daughter to him. The verb to “marry” in English can be used in two senses:—
(1) To wed some one: to take in marriage.
(2) To get someone wedded: to give in marriage.
The later sense is used here.

In the dawn of some indefinite time - In some past existence long ago.
If my grandmother were an author - Here Rabindranath returns to his mocking humour.
A modern author, he says, would be obliged to explain all sorts of details in the story.

Hue and cry - This is a phrase used for the noise and bustle that is made when people are
searching for a thief.

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