Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers (Reference to context)

Bright topaz denizens of a world of green.

They do not fear the men beneath the tree;
They pace in sleek chivalric certainty

a) Who does ‘They’ refer to?

‘They’ refers to the tigers that Aunt Jennifer has knit on the panel.

b) Why are ‘They’ not afraid of men?

The tigers are not afraid of men because Aunt Jennifer has created them as gallant and fearless
creatures who are not afraid of anyone.

c) What is the meaning of ‘sleek’?

The meaning of ‘sleek’ is ‘elegant’.

d) Who is the poet?

The name of the poet is Adrienne Rich.

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

a) Why are the tigers called Aunt Jennifer’s tigers?

The tigers are called Aunt Jennifer’s tigers as they were being created by Aunt Jennifer. She
embroidered them on a tapestry.

b) How are they described here?

The tigers have been described here as bright yellow creatures living in the forest. They are bold,
fearless and they move across the screen with confidence

c) How are they different from Aunt Jennifer?

The tigers are different from Aunt Jennifer as they are shown as symbols of strength, fearlessness
and confidence. Aunt Jennifer has been described as a timid female who is burdened with marital
responsibilities and she is lacking in confidence.

d) What does the word, ‘chivalric’ mean?

The world ‘chivalric’ means ‘gallant’ or ‘brave’.

e) How do the words, ‘denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ add to our understanding of Aunt Jennifer’s tigers?
‘Denizens’ means that the tigers inhabit a green world where they are free from any restrictions.
‘Chivalric’ means that they are brave and courageous.

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.

a) What is Aunt Jennifer doing with her wool?

Aunt Jennifer is embroidering beautiful images of tigers by using wool.

b) Why does she find it difficult to pull her ivory needle?

She finds it difficult to pull her ivory needle as she is terrorised and traumatised by the constraints of
her married life.

c) What does ‘wedding band’ stand for?

The wedding band represents her martial bond and responsibilities. However, she feels burdened by
them as she is not able to free herself from the oppressive relationship.

d) Describe the irony in the third line.

The irony in the third line is that her marriage, instead of proving blissful has overburdened her with
responsibilities. Her wedding band symbolises her bondage to her husband and his overpowering
nature.

When Aunt is dead, her terrible 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

a) Who is the aunt mentioned here?

The aunt mentioned here is Aunt Jennifer, the protagonist of Adrienne Rich’s poem ‘Aunt Jennifer’s
Tigers’.

b) Why is she “ringed with ordeals”?

The ‘ring’ here refers to her wedding band or ring, which has brought with it a host of family
responsibilities. She feels so surrounded (i.e., ringed) by her marital constraints that it seems like an
ordeal to her.

c) What is the difference between her and the tigers?

Aunt Jennifer is quite weak and submissive, whereas the tigers are strong, bold and powerful. She is
bound by the constraints of her married life, while the tigers are free to move about in the green
woods.

d) Why has Aunt Jennifer created the tigers so different from her own character?
The tigers created by Aunt Jennifer are an expression of her desire to free herself from the
constraints of her married life. She aspires to be bold and fearless like her tigers.

Short Answer Questions - 3 Marks Questions (30 – 40 Words)

What picture of male chauvinism (tyranny) do we find in the poem ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’?
In the poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’, Aunt Jennifer was oppressed by her husband. She was confined
within the four walls of her husband’s house and was not free to do what she wished. She was also
overburdened by her marital responsibilities.

Aunt Jennifer’s efforts to get rid of her fear proved to be futile. Comment.
Although Aunt Jennifer tried her best to conquer her fear, she continued to be traumatised and
oppressed by her husband. Her act of embroidering fearless tigers, prancing across the screen could
only give her a temporary release to her pent-up feelings of liberation.

What is suggested by the phrase, ‘massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band’?

The weight that lies heavily on Aunt Jennifer’s hand is the wedding band, which symbolises the harsh
and difficult experiences of her married life. It is associated with her husband as he has traumatised
her.

Why does Aunt Jennifer create animals that are so different from her own character?
In creating animals that are different from her own character, Aunt Jennifer found a means of living
an alternate life that is denied to her, a life that is proud, free and fearless.
Through this difference, the poet suggests Aunt Jennifer’s suppressed desire to become bold and
fearless, and free from oppression.

What are the difficulties that Aunt Jennifer faced in her life?
Aunt Jennifer was probably a victim of oppression at the hands of the patriarchal society. She was
subjugated by her husband and was not free to do what she wished. She was in no position to end
her relationship and liberate herself from her unhappy marriage.

How are Aunt Jennifer’s tigers different from her?

Aunt Jennifer’s tigers present a sharp contrast to her. While the Aunt is weak, meek, submissive and
bound by restrictions, the tigers are strong, fearless, confident and free to move wherever they
wish.

How does Aunt Jennifer express her bitterness and anger against male dominance?
Aunt Jennifer expresses her bitterness and anger against male dominance silently through her art.
She creates tigers on her tapestry; animals that are unafraid of men and are symbolic of bravery,
fearlessness and strength.

Why has Aunt Jennifer made ‘prancing proud and unafraid’ tigers?
Aunt Jennifer lived a fearful and restricted life. She expressed her desire of being free, unafraid and
proud by knitting tigers that were ‘prancing, proud and unafraid’.

What will happen to Aunt Jennifer’s tigers when she is dead?

The tigers created by Aunt Jennifer would live forever. They will keep on prancing proud and
unafraid even after her death.

What do the symbols, ‘tigers’, ‘fingers’ and ‘ring’ stand for in the poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’?
The ‘tigers’ are symbols of bravery and courage and also of Aunt Jennifer’s desire for freedom. The
‘fingers’ are symbol of fear experienced by Aunt Jennifer and ‘ring’ symbolises an oppressive and
binding marriage.