AUNT JENNIFER’S TIGERS
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
- The poet is talking about a lady whom she addresses as aunt, Jennifer.
- She is embroidering a piece of cloth. It could be a table cloth or a wall hanging.
- The pattern shows tigers who are moving and jumping around all over the fabric.
- They are bright yellow in colour like the colour of the topaz stone (use of metaphor).
- The dense green forest background is their home.
- They are the proud and fearless citizens of the forest.
- Here is a contrast between Aunt Jennifer and her tigers. The tigers are fearless but this lady, who is embroidering them is not so.
- The tigers look elegant, shining and full of the gentleman’s grace.
The poet is describing a lady whom she addresses as Aunt Jennifer. She says that Aunt Jennifer is doing embroidery on a piece of cloth which could be a table cloth or a wall hanging. She has designed it with beautiful tigers which are running fearlessly in the green forest. She has described their beauty by comparing them with a precious yellow stone known as topaz. She says that they appear bright yellow in the green backdrop of the forest. They are fearless and they are not affected by the presence of men. Here we can sense the contrast of behavior between the tigers and aunt, though the tigers designed by her are fearless but she herself is afraid of her husband. Further, the poet says that the tigers are proud and fearless citizens of the forests. They are very shiny and elegant.
SECOND STANZA
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
- The lady’s fingers are trembling with the fear of her husband.
- She is pursuing her hobby in her free time but probably, she is still afraid of her husband who could scold her.
- Her fingers are so tired of working endlessly all her life
- The needle is also heavy for her to pull out of the cloth.
- The words ‘uncle’s wedding band’ as the band was bought by her husband, it is his till today.
- The lady is dependent on her husband .
- She is still burdened by the weight of the ring. ‘weight’ means the encirclement or trapping that has fallen upon her by getting married to him, she has been burdened by the obligations of married life, has become the man’s property.
- She has been living a demanding life due to which she has worn out in her old age.
Here the poet describes the fear of Aunt Jennifer towards her husband. She says that while she is doing embroidery, her fingers are quivering (shaking) with fear of her husband. Her husband doesn’t approve of her hobby of embroidery. Therefore, she trembles while she is embroidering the piece of cloth. It has become difficult for her to pull her needle up and down. Then she describes the wedding ring which was given by uncle to Aunt Jennifer on their wedding day. She says that it is a kind of burden for her to wear this ring. She has been tortured by her husband so much that the wedding ring which could have been a beautiful gift for her seems like a burden to her. She has faced so many difficulties in her married life that the little ring is described as a heavy band on her trembling fingers. This means that the ring is associated with some bad experiences in the form of torture she has faced because of her husband’s dominating behaviour.
THIRD STANZA
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
- Her wish to live a free, fearless life is indicated by her choice of design – tigers.
- It shows her innermost desire of being strong, fearless which has been overpowered by her husband.
- Probably, her ordeal will end upon her death.
- Her frightened, shaking fingers will be put to rest.
- But still, even after death, the ring shall remain on her hand, i.e. her husband’s rule over her is not yet over!
- After her death, her desire of freedom and fearlessness shall remain alive in these tigers which she has embroidered.
The poet says that one can easily sense aunt’s desire for freedom and fearlessness through her design of tigers. Further she says that it is not possible for aunt to achieve this freedom during her lifetime. She will attain it only after her death but here also the irony of her life is that still, she will be tied up with shackles in the form of her husband’s wedding ring. The ring was the sole proof of the tortures which she had faced from her husband. On the other hand, there are the tigers designed by Aunt Jennifer which will always depict her desire of living a fearless life by jumping proudly and bravely on the piece of cloth.
How do ‘denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ add to our understanding of the tiger’s attitudes?
The word ‘denizens’ means that they are proud of their home, they feel safe there and have a feeling of belonging attached to it.
The word ‘chivalric’ shows that they have a majestic and worthy position like knights.
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?
Her hands are fluttering probably because she is scared of her husband who could come anytime and scold her for sitting idle and wasting her time doing embroidery. She finds the needle so hard to pull because her fingers are tired of working endlessly all through her life.
What is suggested by the image ‘massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band’?
‘Massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band’ suggest symbolically, that the bindings and obligations of her marriage are so much that they have put a lot of burden and stress on her.
Of what or of whom is Aunt Jennifer terrified with in the third stanza?
She is terrified of her husband.
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?
The ‘ordeals’ are
- Obeying her husband’s orders.
- Fear of men.
- Giving in to his dominance and fulfilling his commands.
‘Ringed’ indicates entrapment. As the ring encircles the finger, similarly, her husband has encircled her in his clutches. Her body and soul are both trapped, struggling for freedom and fearlessness.
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?
- I think that aunt Jennifer’s intense desire for freedom and fearlessness came out through her creativity.
- This is the time when she is with herself, and then, her innermost feelings are expressed, here her medium of expression is the embroidery.
- Through this difference it is shown that the lady is not what she is. Her circumstances have made her so but even she has a desire to live life with respect and pride.
Interpret the symbols found in this poem.
- ‘denizens of a world of green’ means inhabitants of the forest.
- ‘massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band’ means the burden of marital obligations.
- ‘Sits heavily upon Aunt’ means has laid a lot of stress on her.
- ‘ringed with ordeals’ means to get entrapped in hardships and sufferings.
Do you sympathize with Aunt Jennifer. What is the attitude of the speaker towards Aunt Jennifer?
Yes, I sympathize with Aunt Jennifer. The speaker is also sympathetic towards her and hates dominating men.
Question 1.
Describe the tigers created by Aunt Jennifer. (Delhi 2009)
Answer:
The poet describes Aunt Jennifer’s tigers as ‘bright topaz denizens’ of the forest. They are fearless and ferocious in sharp contrast to their creator, Aunt Jennifer’s nervousness and timidity. Gallant and confident, they are sure of their purpose and move ahead undeterred by any kind of hindrance or obstruction.
Question 2.
Why did Aunt Jennifer choose to embroider tigers on the panel? (All India 2009)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer chose to embroider tigers on the panel because of the nature of the tigers. They symbolise strength and splendour which was in sharp contrast to her own meek nature. The massive weight of the wedding band that sits heavily on her finger symbolises the ordeals and hardships of her married life so she creates tigers as they are a striking contrast to the frail, meek old lady who created them.
Question 3.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2010)
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.
How are aunt Jennifer’s tigers described?
Why are they described as denizens of a world of green?
Why are they not afraid of the men?
Answer:
1. Aunt Jennifer’s tigers are described as powerful, strong and fearless.
2. The tigers are inhabitants of the dense green forests so they are described as dwellers of a world of green.
3. Their courage and fearlessness gives them a confidence due to which they are not afraid of men.
Question 4.
What will happen to Aunt Jennifer’s tigers when she is dead? (All India 2010)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers will survive even after she is dead. She has created the tigers in a panel out of wool. These objects of art are immortal. They will continue prancing, proudly and fearlessly. To express her desire for freedom she had created the chivalrous tigers who will survive long after her death but her own longing for freedom will remain unfulfilled.
Question 5.
How has Aunt Jennifer created her tigers? What traits of tigers do they reveal? (All India 2010)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer has created shining topaz yellow- coloured tigers who are denizens of a dense, green forest. They are fierce, unafraid and fearless and pace in ‘sleek’ and ‘chivalric’ certainty.
Question 6.
Why are Aunt Jennifer’s hands fluttering through her wool? (Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer is a victim of gender oppression at the hands of her husband. She lives a life of total domination and constant fear. So she feels nervous and terrified that the hands shake and flutter through her wool as she sits down to knit.
Question 7.
Describe the contrast between Aunt Jennifer ‘ and her creation, the tigers. (Comptt. All India 2010)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer is totally victimised and suffers from oppression by her male counterpart. So she creates an alternate world of freedom in her art. The tigers she creates go on prancing menacingly, exhibiting their pride and fearlessness of any social group or gender conflicts.
Question 8.
How do ‘denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ add to our understanding of the tigers’ attitude? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
‘Denizens’ means that the tigers inhabit a green world. They live in the forests where they are free from constraints. ‘Chivalric’ means they are brave and fearless creatures. This helps us to understand that bravery and fearlessness are the basic nature of the tigers.
Question 9.
Why do you think Aunt Jennifer created animals that are so different from her own character? (All India 2011)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers possessed all the qualities that Aunt Jennifer did not have. The tigers were free, fearless, confident and proud whereas Aunt Jennifer was meek, submissive and without any identity. She was a rather indecisive woman unlike the confident tigers she had created.
Question 10.
What do the symbols, ‘tigers’, ‘fingers’ and ‘ring’ stand for in the poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’? (Comptt. Delhi 2011)
Answer:
The ‘tigers’ are symbols of bravery and courage and also of Aunt Jennifer’s desire for freedom. The ‘fingers’ are symbolic of the nervousness and fear experienced by Aunt Jennifer and the ‘ring’ symbolises a binding marriage that is full of oppression and curtails one’s freedom.
Question 11.
Describe the tigers created by Aunt Jennifer. (Comptt. All India 2011)
Answer:
The poet describes Aunt Jennifer’s tigers as ‘bright topaz denizens’ of the forest. They are fearless and ferocious in sharp contrast to their creator, Aunt Jennifer’s nervousness and timidity. Gallant and confident, they are sure of their purpose and move ahead undeterred by any kind of hindrance or obstruction.
Question 12.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. All India 2012)
Bright topaz denizens of a world of green.
They do not fear the men beneath the tree;
They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.
Who are ‘They’? Where are ‘They’?
Why are They’ not afraid of men?
Answer:
1. ‘They’ refers to the tigers that Aunt Jennifer has knitted on the panel. They are prancing jerkily in the forest (across a screen).
2. The tigers are not afraid of men because they are gallant and fearless creatures who are undeterred by any obstacles or hindrances and thus are not afraid of the men.
Question 13.
Why did Aunt Jennifer choose to embroider tigers on the panel? (Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer chose to embroider tigers on the panel because of the nature of the tigers. They symbolise strength and splendour which was in sharp contrast to her own meek nature. The massive weight of the wedding band that sits heavily on her finger symbolises the ordeals and hardships of her married life so she creates tigers as they are a striking contrast to the frail, meek old lady who created them.
Question 14.
How do the words, “denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ add to our understanding of Aunt Jennifer’s tigers? (All India 2012)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer chose to embroider tigers on the panel because of the nature of the tigers. They symbolise strength and splendour which was sharp contrast to her own meek nature. The massive weight of the wedding band that sits heavily on her finger symbolises the ordeals and hardships of her married life so she creates tigers as they are a striking contrast to the frail, meek old lady who created them.
Question 15.
What kind of married life did Aunt Jennifer lead? (Comptt. Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s wedding band lies heavily on her hand. It reminds her of her unhappy married life. It is symbolic of male authority and power of her husband who had suppressed her and made her a nervous wreck. He had dominated over her for so long that she had lost her identity.
Question 16.
What will happen to Aunt Jennifer’s tigers when she is dead? (Delhi 2013)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers will survive even after she is dead. She has created the tigers in a panel out of wool. These objects of art are immortal. They will continue prancing, proudly and fearlessly. To express her desire for freedom she had created the chivalrous tigers who will survive long after her death but her own longing for freedom will remain unfulfilled.
Question 17.
What lies heavily on Aunt Jennifer’s hand? How is it associated with her husband? (All India 2013)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s wedding band lies heavily on her hand. It reminds her of her unhappy married life. It is symbolic of male authority and power of her husband who had suppressed her and made her a nervous wreck. He had dominated over her for so long that she had lost her identity.
Question 18.
Why has Aunt Jennifer made ‘prancing, proud and unafraid’ tigers? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer chose to embroider tigers on the panel because of the nature of the tigers. They symbolise strength and splendour which was sharp contrast to her own meek nature. The massive weight of the wedding band that sits heavily on her finger symbolises the ordeals and hardships of her married life so she creates tigers as they are a striking contrast to the frail, meek old lady who created them.
Question 19.
What is the meaning of the phrase, ‘massive weight of uncle’s wedding band’? (Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s wedding band lies heavily on her fingers as she has been a victim of gender oppression at the hands of her husband. She has been so physically and mentally trapped for so many years that she lives in a perpetual state of mental fear which she has never been able to overcome.
Question 20.
What are the difficulties that aunt Jennifer faced in her life? (Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer faced great hardships in her married life. She led a terrifying and oppressed life wherein she had never been free but a helpless victim of male chauvinism. Dominated and terrorised by her husband, Aunt Jennifer struggled for an existence within the deep conflicts of slavery.
Question 21.
How are Aunt Jennifer’s tigers different from her? (All India 2014)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers possessed all the qualities that Aunt Jennifer did not have. The tigers were free, fearless, confident and proud whereas Aunt Jennifer was meek, submissive and without any identity. She was a rather indecisive woman unlike the confident tigers she had created.
Question 22.
How does Aunt Jennifer express her bitter-ness and anger against male dominance? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
To express her bitterness and anger against male dominance, Aunt Jennifer chooses to embroider tigers on the panel. The nature of tigers symbolizes strength, fearlessness and splendour which is in sharp contrast to her own meek nature because of which she has suffered endlessly.
Question 23.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. Delhi 2015)
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.
Why are the tigers called ‘Aunt Jennifer’s tigers’?
What does the phrase,’ a world of green’ mean?
How are the tigers different from their creator?
Why are the tigers not afraid of the men beneath the trees?
Answer:
1. The tigers are called ‘Aunt Jennifer’s tigers’ because they are her creation. She has knitted (embroidered) the tigers on a screen.
2. The phrase ‘a world of green’ means ‘the green forest to which the tigers belong.’
3. The tigers are brave, chivalric, confident and strong unlike their creator who is weak, timid, frightened and meek.
4. The tigers are brave and fearless by nature. They are ferocious wild beasts so they are not afraid of the men beneath the trees.
Question 24.
What is suggested by the phrase, ‘massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band’? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s wedding band lies heavily on her fingers as she has been a victim of gender oppression at the hands of her husband. She has been so physically and mentally trapped for so many years that she lives in a perpetual state of mental fear which she has never been able to overcome.
Question 25.
Why does Aunt Jennifer create animals that are so different from her own character? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers possessed all the qualities that Aunt Jennifer did not have. The tigers were free, fearless, confident and proud whereas Aunt Jennifer was meek, submissive and without any identity. She was a rather indecisive woman unlike the confident tigers she had created.
Question 26.
Aunt Jennifer’s efforts to get rid of her fear proved to be futile. Comment. (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer has been a victim of oppression by the overbearing dominance of her husband. Completely terrorised by her husband she struggled for an existence and was so victimised that even after her death she will not be able to liberate her mind and spirit from the fear of male-dominance.
Question 27.
What picture of male chauvinism (tyranny) do we find in the poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’? (All India 2016)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer faced great hardships in her married life. She led a terrifying and oppressed life wherein she had never been free but a helpless victim of male chauvinism. Dominated and terrorised by her husband, Aunt Jennifer struggled for an existence within the deep conflicts of slavery.
Question 28.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. Delhi 2016)
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.
Name the poem and the poet.
What was the aunt’s ordeal?
Why did she ‘make’ tigers?
How were the tigers different from her?
Answer:
1. The poem is ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ by Adrienne Rich.
2. The aunt’s ordeal was that she was dominated by her husband and was denied freedom.
3. Aunt Jennifer made tigers to give expression to her desire for freedom.
4. Aunt Jennifer was meek and submissive whereas the tigers she embroidered were strong and courageous.
Question 29.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :(Comptt. All India 2016)
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.
Name the poem and the poet.
What is Aunt Jennifer doing with the wool?
Why are her fingers fluttering?
What does ‘wedding band’ mean?
Answer:
1. The poem is ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ by Adrienne Rich.
2. Aunt Jennifer is embroidering tigers on a canvas with wool.
3. She has been tormented and dominated by her husband all her life, so her fingers are fluttering due to nervousness.
4. ‘Wedding band’ means a wedding ring.
Question 30.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2017)
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.
Why are the tigers called Aunt Jennifer’s tigers?
How are they described here?
How are they different from Aunt Jennifer?
What does the word ‘chivalric’ mean?
Answer:
1. The tigers are called Aunt Jennifer’s tigers because they have been created by her, she has embroidered a panel of prancing tigers.
2. They are described here as yellowish brown (topaz) coloured inhabitants of the jungle. They are fearless, ferocious and brave creatures.
3. Aunt Jennifer is a timid and terrified old woman whose nature is in stark contrast to the fearless and chivalrous tigers she has created.
4. The word ‘chivalric’ means ‘brave’/ respectful towards women.
Question 31.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (All India 2017 )
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.
What is Aunt Jennifer doing with her wool?
Why does she find it difficult to pull her ivory needle?
What does ‘wedding band’ stand for ?
Describe the irony in the third line.
Answer:
1. Aunt Jennifer is embroidering the tigers on a panel with her wool.
2. Suppressed under male domination, Aunt Jennifer has become a nervous wreck. As a result, her fingers flutter and she finds it difficult to pull her ivory needle.
3. ‘Wedding band’ is a symbol of male authority and power. The band symbolizes her unhappy marriage, her husband and the patriarchal society that limits the freedom of women.
4. Even though Aunt Jennifer wears the wedding band, it is ironical that the poet describes it as belonging to uncle.
Question 32.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. Delhi 2017)
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.
What is Aunt Jennifer’s mood?
Why are her fingers fluttering?
What is Uncle’s wedding band?
Why is it heavy?
Answer:
1. Aunt Jennifer is in a state of anxiety and nervousness.
2. Aunt Jennifer’s fingers are fluttering as she is nervous because of her husband.
3. Uncle’s wedding band is the wedding ring that Aunt Jennifer wears in one of her fingers.
4. It is metaphorically heavy because it is a symbol of her subjugation and oppression by her husband.
Question 33.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. All India 2017)
‘Bright topaz denizens of a world of green.
They do not fear the men beneath the tree;
They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.’
Who are ‘bright topaz denizens’?
Where do you find them?
Why are ‘they’ not afraid of the men?
What does the word ‘sleek’ mean?
Answer:
1. The tigers embroidered on the panel by Aunt Jennifer are referred to as ‘bright topaz denizens’.
2. They are found in the jungle, the world of green on a screen.
3. They are fearless and bold creatures so they are not afraid of the men.
4. The word ‘sleek’ means ‘elegant’ or ‘glossy’.
Woodpeckers 