AUNT JENNIFER’S TIGERS -ADRIENNE RICH (FLAMINGO)

An Analysis
This is a poem that concerns itself mainly with a woman struggling to accept the indignities
of her daily life while being insatiably focused on attaining some sense of immortality once
that life ends. Aunt Jennifer must find a way to deal with her unhappy and submissive station
in life, and she does so by embroidering exciting and memorable works of art. Embroidery is
her escape and in this case she’s escaping to a jungle where wild animals rule the land and
never show fear. The tigers created by Aunt Jennifer are beasts demanding respect from even
their predators. This demand for respect is something that Aunt Jennifer is incapable of doing
for herself so she deals with her problems by escaping from them. This escape into her art is
shown vividly in the opening stanza of the poem where the imagery is vibrant and alive and
shows what Aunt Jennifer is capable of doing; it also provides a glimpse into Aunt Jennifer’s
subconscious in its portrayal of animals who don’t allow themselves to be victimized by
anyone. The tigers are literally prancing across the screen. The image of something prancing
immediately brings to mind a being that is confident and self-assured and happy; all things
that Aunt Jennifer is not. That the tigers sense no fear of the predatory hunters is key. The
assumption here is that Aunt Jennifer is afraid of her own predator: her husband.
Aunt Jennifer is doing what she can to cope with an unhappy lifestyle and this melancholy is
made apparent in the second stanza of the poem, which deals in ambiguous images of rapidity
and heaviness to symbolize the need to escape from the stagnancy of her marriage. Aunt
Jennifer’s fingers are “fluttering through her wool” (5) in the first line of the stanza and this
suggests that Aunt Jennifer is trying to sew as fast as her fingers will allow. Complex
questions arise from this simple description of Aunt Jennifer sewing. Why does she need to
create something so fast? Exactly what is she afraid of that would spur her on so? Perhaps her
fear is that she will not live long enough to finish the creation. Perhaps she fears she will be
interrupted in the middle of her work. She is trying to do it as fast as she can, but then begin
the images of weight, of carrying a burden. The fact that the “ivory needle is hard to pull” (6)
insinuates that she’s been sewing for a long time. In fact, sewing is probably what she does
most of the day when she’s not caring for her husband. The marriage to the speaker’s Uncle
is perhaps Aunt Jennifer’s greatest weight. After all, “The massive weight of Uncle’s
wedding band / Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand” (7-8). This bulk is probably more
emotional and mental than physical. It is doubtful that Aunt Jennifer’s wedding band itself
weighs down her hand so much that she can’t sew as fast as she’d like. The weight is
probably one in which her marriage didn’t turn out as she planned and she would probably
even like to escape.
The final stanza argues for the successful grasping of a sense of immortality so eagerly
sought by Aunt Jennifer. This final portion of the poem contains imagery that reflects back on
the first two stanzas and completes the three-tiered approach to the poem as a consideration
of the life-spirit of someone who has not led the life they wanted contrasted with the bid for a
satisfactory afterlife. The stanza begins with a look forward to when Aunt Jennifer will no
longer be alive and creating her artistic sewing pieces. The first line pointedly shows that
Aunt Jennifer had terrified hands which “will lie / Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered
by” (9-10). She is quite literally mastered by her husband. Such is the need for escape into
her art. The final two lines of the stanza-and the poem-reflect back on the very opening line.
The tigers are still in the panel that she made and they continue to prance, “proud and
unafraid (12). By the end of the poem, Aunt Jennifer has fulfilled her need and achieved her
own little sense of immortality. Her life was not in vain, she created something out of
nothing, something that will live on well after she is dead and buried.
This poem of three four-line stanzas imagines a relative whose hobby is needlework. Aunt
Jennifer reveals her dreams of a happier life in her needlework. From the titles given to the
adults, it seems as if the speaker is a child.
In the first stanza the relative, Aunt Jennifer, makes a panel with images of tigers parading
proudly across it. The tigers are free, unlike their maker. Her panel contains animals that are
happier and more confident than she is. There is a ‘certainty’ about them that their maker
lacks in her. They are assured and confident dwellers, ‘denizens’, of their green world.
‘Denizen’ suggests independent citizen which she is not.
She is instead a wife, weighed down by duties as we learn in the second stanza. Jennifer uses
sharp and contrasting colours, sharp yellow against a green background. Her tigers are as
bright as topaz, a yellow gem. Her picture contains an image of men under a tree, though the
proud tigers show no fear of the men. This is mentioned to show that they differ from
Jennifer, who lives in fear of her husband. The tigers remind the poet of knights, full of
courtesy and style. Chivalric men respected their women and acted kindly towards them.
Again, this seems to contrast with how ‘Uncle’ behaved towards her.
In the second stanza, the poet describes her nervous hands struggling to pull the wool with
her ivory needle. The word ‘fluttering’ suggests trembling. We get the impression of a frail
woman who finds it hard to pull the needle. It is interesting that if her needle is made of ivory
it may have come from an elephant’s tusk. Ivory is a bit like topaz, a precious material. The
poet humorously suggests that Aunt Jennifer’s fingers find it hard to hold the weight of her
wedding ring and then pull the needle at the same time. The wedding band is another
reference to 2
a precious substance, probably gold. By mentioning that it is ‘Uncle’s wedding band’, the
poet suggests that Uncle owns Jennifer too and that as a female she is the property of her
husband. The words ‘massive’ and ‘heavily’ suggest Aunt Jennifer lives a demanding sort of
life in which she has to attend to her husband’s needs and fulfil his commands. As a result
she is somewhat worn out in her old age.
In the third stanza, the poet predicts that, when Aunt Jennifer dies, her hands will look worn
from all her needlework as well as the hard time she has trying to please her husband. Aunt
Jennifer is ‘ringed’, trapped in her marriage and controlled like an animal. Her husband is her
master. Her artwork will live on after her as a reminder of the dreams she never fulfilled.
VALUES RAISED IN THE POEM: Respect for women, equality, equity, gender
sensitivity, empathy, feminism, value for art
STYLE
Form -This poem is a formal, structured lyric.
Structure - It contains three stanzas of four lines each
Language- Most of the words are short and simple everyday words. The sentences are simple
in structure and all take two lines.
Diction -The unusual word ‘denizens’ stands out and it shows how special the tigers are,
unlike how Aunt Jennifer feels about herself. The word ‘chivalric’ shows that the tigers are
proud and charming. It means they treat women with respect. The repetition of ‘prance’
[parade] is interesting and emphasises the happy, confident life of the tigers.
Punctuations- Full Stops and Commas Full stops are placed regularly at the end of every
second line. The poem is controlled, just like its subject, Aunt Jennifer.
Comparison - The tigers are compared to knights from the time of chivalry in the middle
ages.
Imagery - The main images are of Aunt Jennifer as a fearful wife and, secondly, the
magnificent tigers she creates in her panel. Images of precious substances run through the
poem: ‘topaz’, ‘ivory’ and the gold of ‘wedding band’.
Metonymy-( substituting a name of an attribute or feature for the name of the thing
itself) world of green for forest
Metaphor - The poet compares the yellow stripes of the tigers to a precious stone, topaz.
Contrast [difference] - The main contrasts are between nervous Aunt Jennifer and her
confident tigers. Another contrast is between the strong yellow and green colours. The words
‘prancing’ and ‘fluttering’ contrast as well.
Mood/Atmosphere - Fear is the main atmosphere in Aunt Jennifer’s life of ‘ordeals’ where
her fingers tremble and show terror. An air of freedom and confidence dominates the
atmosphere in her artistic creations. The men beneath the tree create an atmosphere of
mystery. The image of Aunt Jennifer’s corpse from the future is a bit eerie or creepy.
Hyperbole [Exaggeration] - The poet exaggerates the weight of her husband’s wedding ring
to make a point about how dominating he is.
Paradox [apparent contradiction] - Here a trembling and ‘mastered’ woman creates free
and confident creatures in her artistic endeavours. ‘Fluttering’ fingers produce something that
has ‘certainty’.
Tone - The tone appears to be positive and cheerful when the poet describes the tigers. See
the comment on sibilance below. The tone becomes sad and even creepy at times in
describing the life of Aunt Jennifer.
Repetition - The word ‘prance’ is repeated to emphasise the pride and freedom of the tigers.
‘Ringed’ echoes ‘wedding band’. There is repetition of various sounds as indicated in the
next few bullet points. .
Alliteration [repetition of consonant sounds at the start of nearby words] - e.g ‘p’ in
‘prancing proud’ emphasises the feeling of confidence expressed in the tigers’ movements.
Irony: It is ironical that Aunt Jennifer’s creations- the tigers will continue to pace and prance
freely, while Aunt herself will remain terrified even after death, ringed by the ordeals she was
controlled by in her married life.
Anaphora:. (using a pronoun or similar word instead of repeating a word used earlier)
“They” in line 3 and 4- for tiger
Personification- sits ( band is given a human form)
INTERPRETATION OF THE SYMBOLS
Wedding band– symbol of oppression in an unhappy marriage. Marriage is socially and
legally binding, making women silently accept their subjugation and male domination,
especially in a patriarchal society. Its weight refers to the burden of gender expectations.
Ringed means encircled or trapped, losing individuality and freedom.
a typical victim of male oppression in an unhappy marriage, who suffers loss of individuality,
dignity and personal freedom silently. She becomes dependent, fearful and frail.
Tigers– symbolize untamed free spirit. Here they are antithesis of their creator’s personality.
The use of colours implies that Aunt Jennifer’s tigers and their land are more vital and enjoy
a sense of freedom far greater than her. Yellow (bright topaz) connotes the sun and fierce
energy, while green reminds one of spring and vitality.
They pace and prance freely, proudly, fearless, confident and majestic in their bearing. 3
creative expression. The artwork expresses the Aunt’s suppressed desires and becomes her
escape from the oppressive reality of her life.(last stanza) – as opposed to Aunt Jennifer. It
shows that she has lost her identity completely, thus lost even her name.
‘Pace’ and ‘prance’ are action words. The rhyme mimics the movement of the tigers.
THINGS TO NOTE
1) Depiction of a woman trapped in the cultural constraints and responsibilities of marital life
and oppressive male dominance in a patriarchal society
2) Animal symbolism – the animals she sews represent Aunt Jennifer’s innermost desires to
be free, fearless, joyful, graceful, elegant, noble, powerful, assertive and confident.
3) Other symbols – Aunt (represents all women caught in poor marriages), wedding band (an
instrument symbolising constraints and ordeals of a bad marriage), men beneath the tree
(predators, the uncle who has mastered aunt Jennifer’s spirit), tigers (innermost desires of
Aunt Jennifer)
4) Poetic devices – Alliteration (fingers flutter), hyperbole (massive weight), personification
(ring sits heavily upon aunt’s hand, tigers – chivalric, denizens), visual imagery (bright topaz,
world of green, ivory needle, fluttering fingers, prance, pace, wedding band sits heavily),
synecdoche (terrified hands), pun (ringed)
5) Themes – ordeals of marriage in a patriarchal society, art as a means of expression and
escape.
STANZA 1. Aunt Jennifer’s tigers prance across a screen,
bright topaz denizens of a world of green,
They do not fear the men beneath the tree;
they pace in sleek chivalric certainty.
Meaning
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers – Tigers embroidered by a lady
Prance – Jump upward.
Screen – Panel; Canvas.
Topaz – A precious yellow stone.
Denizens – Animals that live in dens. Citizens Vs Denizens
World of green – Jungle
Men beneath the tree – Hunters. (Here, men)
Tree – Society. In the past women occupied the lower branches.
Pace – Move freely
Sleek – Elegant; Characteristic of feminine movement
Chivalric – Brave and submissive
Certainty – Confidence
Questions & Answers
Why are the tigers called ‘Aunt Jennifer’s tigers?’
The tigers are knitted by Aunt Jennifer and therefore they belong to Aunt Jennifer and they
behave fearlessly just as Aunt Jennifer had taught them. Moreover, they are different from
other tigers.
Where do the tigers prance to?
The tigers prance up to the higher branches of tress in a wild green forest that is drawn on a
panel or canvas.
What is topaz? How is it descriptive to the tiger?
Topaz is a kind of precious yellow stone. The yellow colour signifies the bright yellow fur of
the tiger. The feminine beauty of the tiger is well represented by the ornate topaz colour and
the black stripes running through it.
How are Aunt Jennifer and her tigers the indicators of the poet’s own life?
Adrienne Rich’s life and poems were dedicated to the freedom of the suppressed American
women. Aunt Jennifer is no one else than Adrienne Rich while her tigers are the new
generation of American women.
Who are they in these lines?
They are the tigers of Aunt Jennifer on the panels.
Why don’t they fear men beneath the tree?
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers are fearless and confident. They have chivalrous qualities and therefore
they do not fear men.
Explain, ‘sleek chivalric certainty.’ What makes the tigers pace in sleek chivalric certainty?
Sleek, chivalric and certainty are the three qualities of the tigers knitted by Aunt Jennifer.
Sleek indicates the elegance of their movement while chivalric and certainty are fearlessness
and confidence respectively. As the tigers have overcome the fear of men beneath the tree,
they pace in sleek chivalric certainty.
What do you mean by the certainty that the tigers possess? 4
The tigers used to fear the men. But once they were made by Aunt Jennifer, they learnt
courage. In their new birth these tigers feel at ease and confident. Now they do not have to
run away from anyone. They move slowly. They run ferociously.
STANZA 2. Aunt Jennifer’s fingers fluttering through her wool
Find even the ivory needle hard to pull.
The massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band
Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand.
Meaning
Flutter – Move delicately
Ivory needle – Shows the weightlessness of the needle.
Pull – You need to pull the needle while knitting.
Massive – Enormous; heavy.
Wedding band – Marriage ring, a symbol of love and care but for Aunt Jennifer it was a
symbol of slavery.
Sits – Remains
Heavily – Imposing.
Questions & Answers
Why do Aunt’s fingers flutter?
Aunt Jennifer is the victim of male domination. She loves to knit tigers for the realization of
her dreams. While she does so she finds it difficult to pull her light ivory needle due to the
weight of the marriage ring that her husband put in her finger years ago.
How does the poet use ‘wool’ and ‘ivory needle’ to reveal the weightlessness/ease of Aunt’s
knitting work?
Wool and ivory needle are very light to carry. They are so light that one doesn’t notice their
weight. The poet intends to create an atmosphere of complete weightlessness and ease
through these objects used for knitting.
Why is the Uncle’s wedding band massively heavy to Aunt Jennifer?
In fact a wedding band is very light, but for Aunt Jennifer it is a sign of her husband’s
dominance over her. It has become a burden for her that limits her freedom as a social being.
Why is the term ‘sits’ used instead of ‘remains?’
Sits here refers to domination over someone’s freedom. For Aunt Jennifer her husband’s
wedding ring was no sign of love or care. For her it was a sign of suppression and burden.
How does the poet draw the picture of male domination through ‘Uncle’s wedding band?’
Uncle’s wedding band for Aunt Jennifer was never a representation of love or matrimony.
The band symbolized bondage for her. Like a rope binds one, the wedding band bound her.
STANZA3. When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie
Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by.
The tigers in the panel that she made will go on
Prancing, proud and unafraid.
Meaning
When Aunt is dead – After Aunt’s death
Terrified hands – Aunt’s was afraid of her husband
Still – Dead; Even after her death
Ringed with – Bound; Wearing a ring
Ordeals – Struggles; hardship
Mastered by – Ruled by; controlled; practised
Questions & Answers
What will happen to Aunt Jennifer when she is dead?/ Will Aunt have freedom after her
death? Why?
When Aunt Jennifer dies she will still have no freedom even in her grave. No, Aunt Jennifer
will have no freedom even after her death. As a tradition she will have to wear her
matrimonial ring even in her grave. This ring bore the mark of her suppression under the
male domination.
Why are Aunt’s hands terrified?
Aunt Jennifer’s dream-work was to embroidery tigers in her panels. While she did this she
was reminded of a male dominated society. Thus, the pressure of her husband’s wedding
band left her hand terrified and shaking.
Explain, “the ordeals she was mastered by…” 5
The ordeals that Aunt Jennifer had been mastered by were her sufferings and difficulties that
she had to suffer under her husband and the burden that society had imposed upon her
because she was a woman and not break free from the shackles of matrimony bond.
How will male domination follow Aunt beyond her life?
Male domination used to haunt Aunt Jennifer throughout her life. When she wore her
husband’s wedding band on the day of marriage she became a slave of the male’s power.
Later on, even after her death, Aunt’s name will be engraved on her tombstone under her
husband’s name, but she will not have an identity of her own.
What will happen to Aunt Jennifer’s tigers after her death?
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers will survive proudly and bravely even after their creator’s death.
How can the tigers remain proud and unafraid even after the death of their creator?
Aunt Jennifer was the creator of the tigers in the panel. Even after her death these tigers will
live proud and unafraid with the cherished feelings that they are no more the slaves of men.
They feel proud of their newly achieved free status in the society and of their great liberator,
Aunt Jennifer. This also shows the permanency of art vis-a-vis human life.
How do these lines shed light on the success of Adrienne Rich in her attempts to liberate the
female species?
Aunt Jennifer is the poetic representation of Adrienne Rich. Aunt left a flock of tigers on her
panel to prance unafraid. Similarly the poet did by strengthening, empowering and awakening
a new generation of women to stand confident on their feet.
How are tigers symbolic of women?
Tiger is a feminine symbol. The bright yellow colour of topaz and the dark lines that adorn
their sleek fur give tigers beauty rather than grandeur or might. Moreover, their submissive
yet fearless attitude, even in front of their enemy, gives them the female maturity.
What does “prance” tell about the tigers’ ambitions?
Prance is an upward jump. In this poem, Aunt Jennifer’s tigers are jumping upward to the
higher branches which mean they are all ambitious and wish to reach the higher branches of
the tree, above the men who are beneath the tree, defying the old order.
Very Important
The tigers are symbols of liberated women of the society.
Wedding band/ring is the symbol of male domination/chauvinism.
Aunt Jennifer is the symbol of the struggling feminists such as the poet.
Embroidery is symbolic of the poet’s attempts to form a generation of free, liberated
womanhood.
The tree in the poem is symbolic of the social order where women used to occupy the lower
branches in the past.
Prancing/jumping upward is symbolic of woman’s rising in her new social status.
Poet has chosen tiger to describe women for the following reasons:
Tigers have decorative patterns like stripes, golden yellow colour all over their body.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Q. Describe Aunt Jennifer’s tigers. How are they different from her?
Aunt Jennifer’s embroidered tigers prance across a green screen. They are fearless. They are
not afraid of the man beneath the tree. They move elegantly with brave style and confidence
which is opposite to Aunt Jennifer’s character who is meek and finds difficult to pull the
ivory needle from the wool and on whom the responsibility of married life weighs heavily.
Q. Why do you think Aunt made the tigers that were proud and unafraid?
Ans. Aunt Jennifer wanted to have characteristics like the tigers and be fearless and
courageous; but was stifled by the institution of marriage due to her husband’s controlling
nature. To give an expression of freedom to her subdued self she embroidered the prancing
tigers that were proud and unafraid of men under the tree.
Q. How do ‘denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ add to our understanding the tiger’s attitude?
The tigers embroidered by Aunt Jennifer are free inhabitants of the vibrant green forests,
masters of their domain and movements. They are ‘chivalric’- i.e. noble and majestic, pacing
powerfully and confidently, fearless of the hunters. They stand in stark contrast to their frail
creator who is timid, fearful of her husband, confined and crushed in an oppressive marriage.
Q. Why do you think Aunt Jennifer’s hands are ‘fluttering through her wool’ in the
second stanza? Why is she finding the needle so hard to pull?
Aunt Jennifer struggles to express her dreams through needlework, but her fingers tremble
nervously as she tries to pull the light ivory needle because she fears her domineering
husband, which has made her physically and emotionally frail. She is weighed down by
uncle’s wedding band-a symbol of her suffocating marriage and the compulsions therein, in a
patriarchal society.
Q. What is suggested by the image ‘massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band’? (v. imp) 6
'Massive weight of Uncle's wedding' is a suggestive imagery. It is symbolic of the weight of
the harsh and difficult experiences of her married life. The wedding band represents the
unbreakable bond of marriage between the husband and the wife. Uncle’s wedding band is
heavy as it is a symbol of bondage, of being crushed in an unhappy marriage. It has kept her
encircled and trapped in a burdensome marriage in a patriarchal society- a relationship of
subjugation and domination. It has restricted her freedom and eroded her individuality.
Q. What are the ordeals Aunt Jennifer is surrounded by, why is it significant that the
poet uses the word ringed? What are the meanings of the word ringed in the poem?
Aunt Jennifer’s ordeals are those suffered by all women who face physical, mental or
emotional trauma at the hands of insensitive husbands in a patriarchal society, restricting a
woman’s personal liberty and dignity. The wedding ring has kept her ringed in i.e. trapped in
a gender role – a victim of male domination.
Aunt Jennifer is still mentally surrounded by the ordeals she faced during her married life.
The poem narrates the not so happy experience of married life. The word 'ringed' is
significant. It makes it clear that vicious grip of her unhappy married life is still holding her
tightly. The conventional use stands for the symbol of the sacred bond of marriage. The other
'figurative' use of the word is as 'encircled'.
Q. Why do you think Aunt Jennifer created animals that are so different from her own
character? What might the poet be suggesting through this difference?
The timid and fearful Aunt Jennifer creates an alternative world of free and fearless tigers to
express her longing for freedom, a medium of escape from her grim marriage. The ironical
contrast underscores a warning by the poet against acceptance of subjugation by women as it
crushes their dreams, individuality and a full life.
Q. Do you sympathize with Aunt Jennifer? What is the attitude of the speaker towards
her?
Aunt Jennifer’s plight as a victim of gender oppression in an unhappy marriage draws our
sympathy. However, the poet underscores that Aunt by accepting her suffering silently let her
life be completely mastered over by her husband and lost her personal freedom and
individuality. Her desires expressed in her art work will remain only a dream unless women
like her assert their equal status.
Q. How do 'denizens' and 'chivalric' add to our understanding of the tigers' attitudes?
(Imp.)
Tigers like all beasts of prey are the 'denizens' of the forest. They live far away from human
settlements. They are called 'chivalric'. This shows the majestic and honourable position that
they occupy in the world of animals. So the use of 'denizens' and 'chivalric' for tigers add to
our understanding of their attitude.
Q. Why do you think Aunt Jennifer created animals that are so different from her own
character ? What might the poet be suggesting, through this difference ? (Imp)
Aunt Jennifer's animals are so different from her own character. They are 'prancing'. They
pace in 'sleek chivalric certainty'. They are symbols of strength, fierceness and beauty. But
the massive weight of the wedding band sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer's hands. Her terrified
hands are still ringed by the ordeals that crushed her during her married life.
Q. Interpret the symbols found in this poem.
Adrienne Rich's 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers' is rich in symbolism. 'The massive weight of
wedding band' symbolises ordeals, hardships and worries of married life. 'Terrified hands',
and 'ringed with ordeals' also mean those unpleasant experiences. They cling to Aunt Jennifer
physically and mentally.
Q. Do you sympathies with Aunt Jennifer ? What is the attitude of the speaker towards
Aunt Jennifer?
Naturally, we sympathise with Aunt Jennifer. She faced many ordeals and hardships during
her married life. The attitude of the speaker towards Aunt Jennifer is equally sympathetic.
Through different symbols and suggestive images, the poet describes her burdensome
married life.
Q. How does the poet describe Aunt Jennifer's tigers ? (CBSE 2008)
The poet describes Aunt Jennifer's tigers as 'bright topaz denizens' of the forest. They are
fearless. They pace in 'sleek' chivalry.(explain further)
Q. What difficulty does Aunt Jennifer face while making her tigers and why?
Aunt Jennifer is making her tigers in the panel. She is using ivory needles and her fingers are
fluttering through her wool. She finds it hard to pull even the ivory needle. Actually, the
Weight of unhappy and unfortunate experiences of her married life sits heavy on her fingers.
Q. What is the weight that lies heavy on her hand and how is it associated with her
husband? (Imp)
Aunt Jennifer can't move even her fingers freely in the wool. Actually, she has some bitter
experiences of her past married life. The memories of her married life with her husband have
been quite unpleasant. The heavy weight of the wedding band sits heavily upon Aunt
Jennifer's hand. She finds it difficult even to pull the ivory needle easily with her weak
fingers.
Q. How will Aunt Jennifer's hands look when she is dead ?
When Aunt Jennifer is dead her hands will look still terrified. Perhaps they had experienced
so much hardships and troubles in the past that their effect has been imprinted on them. The
ordeals that crushed her in her married life had ringed her hands too.
Q. What will happen to Aunt Jennifer's tigers when she is dead ? (V. Imp.) 7
Aunt Jennifer's tigers will survive her. The tigers in the panel that she made with her hands
will still remain there. They will go on prancing, proud and unafraid. She will die but her
creations survive.
Q. Describe the poetic devices used in the poem.
Adrianne Rich's 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers' is rich in imagery and symbolism. The pace of the
tigers has been described by the effective use of alliteration—'sleek, chivalric certainty'. 'The
massive weight of wedding band' symbolises ordeals and hardships of Aunt' married life. The
metaphors 'Terrified hands' and 'ringed with ordeals' create the desired poetic effect.
Q. Aunt Jennifer's tigers are totally different from her own character. Highlight this
contrast. (Imp)
Aunt Jennifer's tigers are prancing over a screen. They look 'sleek and chivalric’. They are a
picture of strength, beauty and certainty. On the other hand, Aunt Jennifer is still mentally in
the grip of those ordeals and terrors that terrorized her during her married life. Her weak
'terrified' fingers find even the ivory needle hard to pull.
EXTRA QUESTIONS
Q. How do the two big symbols in the poem (the tigers and the wedding band) relate to the
issues of women and femininity?
Q. Do we know the gender of the tigers? Does it matter?
Q. Does Aunt J have any power in the poem?
Q. Does the poem blame Uncle for Aunt Jennifer's situation? Or does the poem blame the
patriarchy?
THEME BASED QUESTIONS
1. Marriage is unequal due to male domination/Inequality
2. The world of art is happier than the real world/Dream versus Reality