How do ‘denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ add to our understanding of the tigers’ attitude ?
Tigers are the denizens of a world of green. They love to live in their natural habitat which is the forest. They are brave and warlike. They are not afraid of human beings.
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 seems to have grown very old and weak. That is why her hands are fluttering through her wool. She is finding it hard to pull the needle because her weak hands are trembling.
What lies heavily on Aunt Jennifer’s hand ? How is it associated with her husband ?
The massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band lies heavily on Aunt Jennifer’s hand. She is tied to the daily chores of Uncle’s home. She has no liberty or will of her own.
What is suggested by the image ‘massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band’ ?
Aunt Jennifer’s marriage put on her massive weight of expectation and workload. With her marriage, she lost all of her former freedom. Now she was tied to the daily chores of Uncle’s home. She had no liberty or will of her own.
Of what or whom is Aunt Jennifer terrified in the third stanza ?
Aunt Jennifer is terrified of the hard chores she has been performing so far in her life. She is afraid that she will have to do the same ones even after her death.
What are the ‘ordeals’ Aunt Jennifer is surrounded by ? Why is it significant that the poet uses the word ‘ringed’ ? What are the different meanings of ‘ringed’ in the poem ?
Aunt Jennifer’s ordeals are the ordeals of keeping her husband happy. She can do nothing against the wishes of her husband. The word ‘ringed’ conveys the idea that Aunt Jennifer can never get out of her slavish routine.
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 ?
Perhaps Aunt Jennifer created through the tigers in order to represent her silent revolt against her husband's authoritative attitude and harsh nature. She wished to be free and strong like the prancing tigers.
Interpret the symbols found in this poem.
(Or)
How do symbols in the poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’, help us understand her plight ?
The two main symbols used in the poem are the tigers and the screen. Tigers represent the creative energy of woman. The screen represents the range on which that creative energy works. Thus tigers are symbols of men produced by woman. The screen is a symbol of the woman’s life on which men prance about.
Do you sympathise with Aunt Jennifer ? What is the attitude of the speaker towards Aunt Jennifer ?
Aunt Jennifer wins all our sympathy. She works tirelessly to create her tigers. The tigers prance across the screen fearlessly. The speaker feels great sympathy for Aunt Jennifer. She says that while Aunt Jennifer will be lying dead in her grave, her tigers will still go on prancing proud and unafraid.
Describe the tigers created by Aunt Jennifer. (Or) How does the poet define Aunt Jennifer’s tigers ?
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers are of bright yellow colour. They are denizens of a world of green. They have no fear of the men under the tree. They are prancing across the screen proudly and fearlessly.
How is Aunt Jennifer doing her work with the wool ?
Aunt Jennifer’s fingers are fluttering through the wool. She finds it hard to pull her ivory needle out of the wool. The massive weight of Uncle’s hold sits heavy on her. Now she has become too old and weak to move her hand even.
What kind of ordeals is Aunt Jennifer surrounded by ?
Aunt Jennifer is surrounded by ordeals that are the common fate of all married women. They spend all their life in doing household chores from morning till evening. They produce children and bring them up with loving care. They have to put up with all the bullying of their husbands.
Why did Aunt Jennifer choose to embroider tigers on the panel ?
Aunt Jennifer has suffered all her life because of male dominance. She has been meek and submissive. She embroiders fierce tigers in order to represent her silent revolt against her husband's authoritative attitude and harsh nature. She wished to be free and strong like the prancing tigers.
What will happen to Aunt Jennifer’s tigers when she is dead ?
Nothing will happen to Aunt Jennifer’s tigers when she is dead. They will continue prancing about as usual.
How has Aunt Jennifer created her tigers ? What traits of tigers do her tigers reveal ?
Aunt Jennifer has created tigers through the art of her embroidery. The tigers are full of life and energy. They have no fear of men.
Why does Aunt Jennifer create animals that are so different from her own character ?
Aunt Jennifer has been meek and submissive all her life. She embroiders fierce tigers in order to represent her silent revolt against her husband's authoritative attitude and harsh nature. She wished to be free and strong like the prancing tigers.
Aunt Jennifer’s efforts to get rid of her fear proved to be futile. Comment.
Aunt Jennifer has passed all her life in the fear of her husband. This fear has not left her even now when she has become very old. In her fear, she can’t even pull the ivory needle with which she is embroidering. The massive weight of uncle’s wedding band sits heavily upon her hand.
What picture of male chauvinism (tyranny) do we find in the poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ ?
The poet says : ‘The massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand’. This shows what a terror and torture Aunt Jennifer’s husband must have been to her all his life.
How are Aunt Jennifer’s tigers different from her ?
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers are fearless. They go about in a fierce manner. There is courage, bravery and certainty in their looks. On the contrary, Aunt Jennifer is scared of her husband. She is meek and submissive.
How are Aunt Jennifer and the tigers created by her different from each other in their attitudes ?
Aunt Jennifer and the tigers created by her are different from each other in their attitudes. The tigers are brave and warlike. They are not afraid of men. On the contrary, Aunt Jennifer is very afraid of her cruel husband. She thinks her daily chores will not leave her even when she is dead.
How does the poet use the image of ‘fingers fluttering through the wool’ to highlight Aunt Jennifer’s victimisation ?
Aunt Jennifer’s fingers are fluttering through the wool. She finds it hard to pull her ivory needle out of the wool. The massive weight of Uncle’s hold sits heavy on her. Now she has become too old and weak to move her hand even. Aunt Jennifer’s ‘fluttering fingers’ reveal her victimisation.
What does the poet bring out in the poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ ?
(Or
What is the main theme of the poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ ?
In this poem, the poet brings out the common story of almost all married women through the story of Aunt Jennifer. All married women spend all their life in doing household chores from morning till evening, produce children and bring them up with loving care, put up with all the bullying of their husbands and then at last pass into their graves with no regard from anyone. Aunt Jennifer is a typical housewife. She embroiders some tigers in wool on a screen. The tigers are lovely to look at. They seem to be prancing across the screen. Some men are standing under a tree. But the tigers don’t seem to be afraid of them. They look very chivalric, sleek and brave. But Aunt Jennifer herself has become very old. She can hardly pull the ivory needle out of the wool. Uncle has dominated her so cruelly all her life that now she thinks those ordeals to be part of her life. The poet imagines that even when Aunt Jennifer dies, there will be no peace for her. Even in her grave she will be thinking of her daily chores. The tigers on her panel will go on prancing as usual, but the poor Aunt Jennifer will be lying lifeless in her grave. This poem also depicts the picture of male chauvinism. Women give birth to men but those very men dominate and tyrannise over them all their life.
