CHAPTER-5
AUNT JENNIFER’S TIGERS
ADRIENNE RICH
ADRIENNE RICH’S
BIOGRAPHY
o
Born: May 16, 1929, in
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
o
Education: Graduated from Radcliffe
College in 1951.
o
Early Talent: Published her first
poetry collection A Change of
World (1951) at the age of 22.
o
Marriage: Married Alfred Conrad in
1953; had three sons.
o
Major Themes: Feminism, women’s rights,
identity, politics, and social justice.
o
Famous Works:
·
Diving into the Wreck
·
Snapshots of a Daughter-in-Law
·
The Fact of a Doorframe
·
A Change of World
o
Shift in Writing: In the 1960s–70s, she
became a strong feminist voice and her writing became more political.
o
Death: Passed away on March 27,
2012, in Santa Cruz, California.
o
Legacy: Remembered as one of the
most influential feminist poets of the 20th century.
AUNT JENNIFER’S TIGERS SUMMARY
“Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” is a poem by
Adrienne Rich that shows the difference between Aunt Jennifer’s inner world and
her real life.
Aunt Jennifer creates beautiful embroidery of tigers. These tigers are
fearless, strong, confident, and free. They move proudly and are not afraid of
anything.
But Aunt Jennifer herself is the opposite. She is weak, frightened, and
burdened by the difficulties of her marriage. The poem shows that her husband’s
authority and responsibilities make her life heavy and stressful. Even her
wedding ring feels like a great weight on her hands.
In the end, the poet says that even after Aunt Jennifer dies, the fear and
pressure she lived under will be remembered. But the tigers she created will
remain bold and fearless forever.
AUNT JENNIFER’S TIGERS EXPLANATION
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 (ENGLISH): In
the first stanza, the poet describes the tigers that Aunt Jennifer has created
on her embroidery. These tigers are jumping and moving proudly across the
screen. They are bright like topaz (a yellow gemstone) and live in a green
forest. The tigers are fearless; they are not scared of the men standing under
the tree. They walk with confidence and royal behaviour, as if they know their
strength.
EXPLANATION (HINDI): पहले stanza में poet उन tigers का वर्णन करती हैं जिन्हें Aunt Jennifer ने अपनी embroidery में बनाया है। ये tigers स्क्रीन पर इधर-उधर शान से कूदते-फिरते दिखते हैं। उनका रंग topaz यानी पीले रत्न जैसा चमकीला है और वे एक हरे जंगल की दुनिया के निवासी लगते
हैं। वे पेड़ के नीचे खड़े मर्दों से बिल्कुल नहीं डरते। वे पूरी हिम्मत और
राजसी अंदाज़ (royal
behaviour) के साथ चलते हैं, जैसे उन्हें अपनी ताकत का
पूरा भरोसा हो।
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 (ENGLISH): In
the second stanza, the poet shows Aunt Jennifer’s real life. Her fingers shake
while she works with the wool. Even the small ivory needle feels heavy and
difficult for her to pull. This shows that Aunt Jennifer is weak, nervous, and
burdened. The wedding ring of Uncle feels extremely heavy, symbolizing the
pressure and domination she faces in her marriage.
EXPLANATION (HINDI): दूसरे stanza में
poet Aunt
Jennifer की असली जिंदगी दिखाती
हैं। उसकी उंगलियाँ wool चलाते समय काँपती हैं। छोटा-सा ivory needle भी उसके लिए भारी और खींचने में मुश्किल लगता है।
इससे पता चलता है कि Aunt Jennifer कमज़ोर, डरी हुई और बोझ तले दबी हुई है। Uncle की
wedding ring भी उस पर बहुत भारी लगती
है, जो उसकी शादी में पड़ी जिम्मेदारियों और दबाव (domination) का symbol है।
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 (ENGLISH): In the last stanza, the poet says
that even after Aunt Jennifer dies, her hands will still show the fear and
struggles she faced all her life. She was controlled and dominated by many
hardships. But the tigers she created will remain the same—proud, free,
confident, and unafraid. Her art will continue to show the strength and freedom
that she herself could not enjoy.
EXPLANATION (HINDI): अंतिम stanza में
poet बताती हैं कि Aunt Jennifer के मर जाने के बाद भी उसकी हाथों में वह डर और संघर्ष के निशान रहेंगे जिनसे वह पूरी
जिंदगी गुज़री। वह हमेशा परेशानियों और दबाव के नीचे रही। लेकिन उसके द्वारा बनाए
गए tigers वैसे ही बने रहेंगे—गर्वीले, आज़ाद,
आत्मविश्वासी और निडर। उसकी कला (art) वही ताकत और आज़ादी दिखाती रहेगी जिसे Aunt Jennifer अपनी असल जिंदगी में महसूस न कर सकी।
AUNT JENNIFER’S TIGERS SHORT QUESTION
1.
How can we say that marriage was a compromise for Aunt Jennifer?
Support your response with two justifications. (Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers)
Answer: Marriage
was a compromise for Aunt Jennifer because she lived under heavy pressure and
fear. First, even the small needle felt difficult for her to use, showing her
nervousness. Second, Uncle’s wedding ring seemed very heavy to her, symbolising
the burden of her married life.
2.
How might the message of the poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ be
different, if the following last four lines were omitted?
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.
Answer: If the
last four lines were removed, the poem would lose its strong message about Aunt
Jennifer’s lifelong suffering and the contrast between her life and her art. We
would not understand that her fears continued till death, while her tigers
remained forever free and confident.
3.
Would you say that the poem ends on a note of hope? Justify your
opinion.
Answer: Yes, the
poem ends on a note of hope. Although Aunt Jennifer suffers throughout her
life, her tigers remain free, bold and confident. They symbolize the strength
and freedom she always wished for. Her art lives on, showing that her spirit
could not be completely defeated.
4.
‘What knitting was to Aunt Jennifer; poetry was for Adrienne Rich’.
Do you agree? Comment with reference to the poem ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’.
Answer: Yes,
knitting for Aunt Jennifer and poetry for Adrienne Rich served the same
purpose. Both used art to express feelings they could not show openly. Aunt
Jennifer stitched fearless tigers to escape her fear, and Rich wrote poetry to
speak against oppression and support women’s freedom.
5.
What does Aunt Jennifer symbolize in the poem 'Aunt Jennifer's
Tigers'?
Answer: Aunt
Jennifer symbolizes the suffering and oppression many women face in a
male-dominated society. She represents women who live with fear, pressure and
lack of freedom. Her weak, trembling hands and the heavy wedding ring show how
marriage and responsibilities have controlled her life.
6.
Why does Adrienne Rich describe the tigers as 'chivalric' in the
poem 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers'?
Answer: Adrienne Rich describes
the tigers as chivalric because they move with confidence, dignity and
royal behaviour. They are brave, protective and fearless, just like noble
knights. By calling them chivalric, the poet shows the strong and free spirit that
Aunt Jennifer wishes for but cannot experience in her own life.
7.
Explain the significance of the 'denizens pacing in sleek certainty'
in the poem 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers'.
Answer: The ‘denizens
pacing in sleek certainty’ refers to the tigers moving confidently in their
forest home. Their smooth, fearless walk shows freedom and power. This is significant
because it contrasts with Aunt Jennifer’s fearful and troubled life,
highlighting the strength and independence she longs for but cannot live.
AUNT JENNIFER'S TIGERS LONG QUESTION
1.
In the poems ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ by Adrienne Rich and ‘A Thing
of Beauty’ by John Keats, how do the themes of beauty and art function as
mechanisms for coping with pain and suffering ? Discuss how each poet uses
imagery and symbolism to convey the power of art and beauty in transcending
life’s hardships.
Answer: In both
poems, art and beauty act as powerful ways to escape pain and suffering. In Aunt
Jennifer’s Tigers, Adrienne Rich shows how Aunt Jennifer uses her
embroidery to create a world very different from her difficult married life.
The tigers she stitches are bright, fearless and confident—everything she
herself is unable to be. Through this imagery, Rich uses the tigers as symbols
of freedom and courage, helping Aunt Jennifer cope mentally with the pressure
and fear she experiences. Her art becomes her safe space, where she can express
her hidden desires.
In contrast, John Keats in A Thing of Beauty
describes beauty as a source of constant joy and healing. Through images of
nature—flowers, streams, trees and the sun—he shows how beauty removes the
darkness of life and gives peace to the human mind. For Keats, beauty is not
only physical but also spiritual; it creates hope even in sadness.
Thus, both poems show that art and beauty help humans rise above suffering and
offer emotional strength.
2.
Imagine that Aunt Jennifer read the poem that Adrienne Rich wrote
about her. After much contemplation, she decided to write a letter to her
husband expressing her feelings and thoughts. Write the letter as Aunt
Jennifer.
Answer: Dear
Husband,
I am writing this letter after reading a poem that
made me reflect deeply on our life together. For many years, I have lived
quietly, hiding my feelings and fears. I never found the courage to tell you
how heavy the responsibilities of our marriage often felt for me. Even the
simple act of sewing sometimes became difficult because my hands were tired,
not just by work, but by worry and pressure.
The tigers I create in my embroidery are everything I wish I could be—free,
confident and unafraid. Through them, I express the strength I do not show in
daily life. They are my escape from the silence and fear that I have carried
within me.
I write to you today hoping that you will try to understand me better. I long
for a relationship where I am treated with respect, gentleness and support. I
hope we can build a life where I no longer have to hide my true feelings.
Yours sincerely,
Aunt Jennifer
AUNT JENNIFER’S TIGERS EXTRACT BASED
QUESTION
EXTRACT-1
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
i.
What does
the phrase ‘terrified hands’ suggest about Aunt’s life? 1
ii.
Complete
the following suitably.
The tigers’ proud and playful movements reflect ______. 1
iii.
Examine
briefly how the tigers in the panel contrast with Aunt’s life experiences. 1
iv.
Fill in
the blank with the correct option from those given in the brackets.
The phrase ‘still ringed’ refers to both the literal ______ (shape of the
embroidery panel / wedding band on her finger) and the figurative ‘ring’ of
constraints and ordeals imposed by her marriage.
v.
If a student
were to interpret the word ‘prancing’ in a real-world context, which of the
following would it best represent? 1
a) An employee working under the pressure of deadlines.
b) A soldier standing firm and ready for battle at the frontier.
c) A child playing freely in a park, unburdened by responsibilities.
d) A bird trapped in a cage, longing to be free and fly high.
vi.
What does
the poet imply about the art in the line ‘The tigers in the panel that she made
will go on prancing’?
a) Art is a timeless expression that outlives its creator, continuing to embody
their spirit and desires.
b) The tigers symbolise Aunt Jennifer’s fleeting empowerment, which will fade
over time.
c) The panel is a temporary escape for Aunt Jennifer, offering solace only
during her lifetime.
d) The permanence of the tigers in the panel contrasts with the transient
nature of Aunt Jennifer’s struggles.
EXTRACT-2
Aunt
Jennifer's finger 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.
i.
How would
you describe Aunt Jennifer based on the above extract?
a) oppressed
b) malnourished
c) aging
d) diseased
ii.
Uncle’s
wedding band sits heavily on Aunt Jennifer’s hand because
a) it is an expensive and heavy ring.
b) she was married against her will.
c) she feels burdened in her marriage.
d) their relationship is lacking in love.
iii.
Which of
the following is an example of an alliteration?
a) finger fluttering through the wool
b) upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand
c) ivory needle hard to pull
d) massive weight of Uncle's wedding band
iv.
What
difficulty does Aunt Jennifer face while doing her embroidery?
v.
The
phrase “the massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band” suggests the heavy ______
Aunt Jennifer feels in her marriage.
a) joy
b) responsibility
c) freedom
d) burden
vi.
The word
“fluttering” in the extract means:
a) pulling strongly
b) trembling or shaking lightly
c) stopping suddenly
d) moving confidently
ANSWER
EXTRACT-
i.
The
phrase ‘terrified hands’ shows that Aunt Jennifer lived a life full of fear,
pressure, and domination. Her hands were always controlled by responsibilities
and her husband’s authority, leaving her scared and powerless.
ii.
The
tigers’ proud and playful movements reflect confidence, freedom, and a fearless
spirit.
iii.
The
tigers are strong, bold, and free, while Aunt Jennifer’s life is full of fear
and restrictions. This contrast shows how her art expresses the courage she
herself never enjoyed.
iv.
wedding
band on her finger
v.
c)
A child playing freely in a park, unburdened by responsibilities.
vi.
a)
Art is a timeless expression that outlives its creator, continuing to embody
their spirit and desires.
EXTRACT-2
i.
a
ii.
c
iii.
a
iv.
She
finds it hard to pull the ivory needle because of fear and burden.
v.
D
vi.
b
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