Aunt Jennifer's Tigers is a compelling poem by Adrienne Rich that is widely studied in the Class 12 English curriculum. This poem is known for its rich symbolism and powerful themes of feminism and personal freedom.
The poem centers around the character of Aunt Jennifer and her creation of a tapestry depicting tigers. These tigers are portrayed as strong and fearless, contrasting sharply with Aunt Jennifer's own life, which is suggested to be constrained and oppressed. This contrast becomes a central theme of the poem, highlighting the struggle for personal expression and the escape from societal pressures.
For students in Class 12, Aunt Jennifer's Tigers offers a range of study materials to aid in understanding and analysis. Aunt Jennifer's Tigers Class 12 resources provide in-depth explanations and contextual information, helping students grasp the poem's themes and literary techniques.
CHAPTER 6: AUNT JENNIFER'S TIGERS
Summary of aunt Jennifer's tigers
-by Adrienne Rich
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."
Explanation: Aunt Jennifer's tigers prance and move across a screen or panel.
The poet describes them as bright-coloured like the shining golden-yellow jewel
topaz free inhabitants of the green forests, and are not scared of the men
standing under the tree. These tigers move about with grace, elegance and
confidence. Aunt Jennifer's tigers are not real or living tigers. They are
images created by her on tapestry. Aunt Jennifer, who is held captive by the
oppressive hand of a patriarchal society, creates in her art an alternate world
of freedom. The tigers represent her dreams, her desire to be free from
constant fear and oppression that govern her life These majestic and fearless
tigers also present a sharp contrast to Aunt Jennifer herself, who is bound by
the constraints of married life.
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."
Explanation: In the second stanza, Aunt Jennifer appears
to be creating beautiful images of the tigers by using wool. But she finds it
quite hard to pull even the ivory needle. She is so terrorized and tortured
that she is unable to carry the weight of the wool. Her fingers flutter. The
uncle's wedding band seems heavy on her hand. It suggests that she feels
burdened with her marital responsibilities.
Through this stanza, the poet wants to convey
the fact that a woman throughout her lifetime works to glorify the tiger',
i.e., her husband, but she feels so much subjugated that the marital bond
becomes a burden on her. This is also the reality of Aunt Jennifer's life.
Stanza- 3
"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."
Explanation: The final
stanza reveals a sad truth. The poet says that even death will not be able to
release Aunt Jennifer from the trauma she had to undergo during her lifetime.
Her life will be a story of her ordeals and the oppression that she was
subjected to. However, the tigers created by her will be eternal. They will
always be proud and unafraid." Here we get a glimpse of an oft-quoted
conventional theme in poetry that art endures beyond human life.
Perhaps the poet wants to say that the women themselves are
creating these tigers. They need to break their shackles and be unafraid like
the tigers themselves. One more thing that can be inferred from the poem is
that Aunt Jennifer, who for long has borne the miseries she was subjected to,
now longs for freedom from dominance and male chauvinism.
NCERT SOLUTIONS FOR CLASS 12 ENGLISH POEM 5
Questions (Page No. 104)
(Think It Out)
Aunt jennifer's
tigers question answers
Question
1. How do ‘denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ add to our understanding of the tiger’s
attitudes?
Answer: Like
the beasts of prey, the denizens of the forest are the tigers. They lead their
lives far from the human settlements and are known as ‘chivalric’. This
highlights the honourable and majestic position they occupy in the animal
world. So, the usage of words ‘chivalric’ and ‘denizens’ adds to our knowledge
of the attitude of the tiger.
Question 2.
How do ‘denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ add to our understanding of the tiger’s
attitudes?
Answer: Like
the beasts of prey, the denizens of the forest are the tigers. They lead their
lives far from the human settlements and are known as ‘chivalric’. This
highlights the honourable and majestic position they occupy in the animal
world. So, the usage of words ‘chivalric’ and ‘denizens’ adds to our knowledge
of the attitude of the tiger.
Question 3.
What is suggested by the image ‘massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band’?
Answer: The
image of ‘massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band’ suggests the weight of the
tough and harsh experience of married life of Aunt Jennifer. The image is
suggestive and the wedding band is symbolic. It indicates the marriage bond
which is unbreakable between the wife and the husband.
Question 4.
Of what or of whom is Aunt Jennifer terrified with in the third stanza?
Answer: The
poet refers to the ‘terrified hands’ of Aunt Jennifer” in the third stanza. The
unhappy memories which are old remain fresh in her mind. During her married
life, she has gone through many horrible times and tests. These ordeals
suppressed and crushed her, the effect of which is still visible. She is stuck
with the ordeals which dominated her life.
Question 5.
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?
Answer: The
marriage experiences are addressed by the poet in the middle of constrictions.
The word ‘ringed’ suggests that her unhappy married life or vicious grip is
still holding her tightly. The word ‘ringed’ is used in two ways. First way is
the conventional use where the ring symbolises the sacred bond of marriage. The
second way is the figurative use of ‘ringed’ which means surrounded or
encircled.
Question 6.
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?
Answer: The
tigers are ‘prancing’. In ‘sleek chivalric certainty’ they pace and ‘do not
fear’ the men under the tree. So, they are the symbols of beauty, fierceness
and strength. On the other side, Aunt Jennifer is terrified and weak. Her hands
are finding it hard to pull the needle through the wool. The huge weight of her
wedding band is heavy on her hands. Her terrified hands are still ringed by the
ordeals of her married life. The intensity is heightened by the contrast.
Question 7.
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?
Answer: The
tigers are ‘prancing’. In ‘sleek chivalric certainty’ they pace and ‘do not
fear’ the men under the tree. So, they are the symbols of beauty, fierceness
and strength. On the other side, Aunt Jennifer is terrified and weak. Her hands
are finding it hard to pull the needle through the wool. The huge weight of her
wedding band is heavy on her hands. Her terrified hands are still ringed by the
ordeals of her married life. The intensity is heightened by the contrast.
Question 8.
Do you sympathise with Aunt Jennifer? What is the attitude of the speaker
towards Aunt Jennifer?
Answer: Yes,
we sympathise with Aunt Jennifer as she has gone through ordeals and hardships
during her married life. The speaker’s attitude towards Aunt Jeniffer is
sympathetic. Many suggestive symbols and images are given by the poet to
present a lady who has gone through terrifying and unpleasant periods and
painful experiences during her married life.
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