The king in the story is foolish and superstitious. After the astrologer foretells his death due to the hundredth tiger, he single-mindedly starts killing the tigers in order to disprove the prophesy. His authoritarianism have no bounds. He used his money and power to kill innocent tigers. Besides his subjects knows to bear the brunt of his mindless pursuit. He would double the tax if he found no tigers in an area or exempt the people of the area where he did find a tiger. Thus his arbitrary and tyrannical ways put the fear of death in all. In the end when he is sure to have achieved his target, he dies due to a tiger albeit a wooden one. In employing this dramatic irony the writer effectively delivers poetic justice.