Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers
-Adreinne
Rich
Stanza 1:
Aunt
Jennifer’s tigers are the tigers that she is embroidering or creating on a
panel or screen. These tigers represent the males in the society and also the
aunt’s secret desire to what she wants to be like. The tigers are bright in
colour and are described as majestic, fearless and chivalric- all the qualities
that aunt secretly desires. They do not fear men (hunters) and move around
confidently and heroical. They are the fearless inhabitants of the natural
environment and very unlike their creator who is feeble (weak) and unable to
live on her own terms.
Stanza 2:
The
alliteration ‘fingers fluttering’ suggests some physical (or emotional)
weakness and her nervousness due to the domination by her husband. She has
trouble manipulating the needle through the panel. It also perhaps suggests
that as she embroiders the tigers, she is reminded of her dominating husband
that makes her finger flutter. The massive weight of her wedding band sitting
heavily on her finger reflects her suffocation in her marriage and the male
domination in a patriarchal society.
Stanza 3:
In this
stanza, the poet describes the extent or the intensity of male domination in a
society. The poet suggests that aunt Jennifer’s spirit will remain shackled
even after her death. She says that the aunt will not rest in peace and will
continue to be surrounded by difficult experiences that dominated her during
her married life. So, she will literally carry the burden of her marriage to
her grave. Her hands will still be terrified and her wish to remain free will
remain unfulfilled. The men (probably referring to the uncle) will remain
unchanged. So, the patriarchal society will continue to thrive.
Q1- How does
the 'denizens' and 'chivalric' add to our understanding of the tiger's
attitude?
A1-
'Denizens' and 'chivalric' refers to a certain comfort and confidence
attributed to the males in patriarchal society, due to their dominating
problem.
Q2- Why do
you think Aunt Jennifer’s hand is 'fluttering' through her wools? Why is she
finding the needle so hard to move?
A2- Aunt's Jennifer
hand flutters probably due to a physical weakness or the fear of a dominating
husband. Her nervousness at the thought of her husband (represent the tigers
that she creates) make it difficult for her to pull the needle.
Q3- What is
suggested by the image ' massive weight of uncle's wedding band’?
A3- This
refers to the burden that marriage has become for Aunt Jennifer. The
constraints of married life oppressed and stifle her.
Q4- Of what
or of who is Aunt Jennifer terrified with in the third stanza?
A4- Aunt Jennifer
is terrified of the difficult experiences that she has had during her married life.
She would probably be surrounded by these ordeals even after her death which
reflects the intensity of her oppression.
Q5- What
are the 'ordeals' Aunt Jennifer is surrounded by, why is it significant that
the poet uses the word ‘ringed’? What is the meaning of the word 'ringed' in
the poem?
A5- The
word 'ordeal' refers to difficult and painful experience of Aunt Jennifer’s
married life. The word 'ringed is related to matrimony. Here it mean surrounded
and encircled.
Q6- why do
you think Aunt Jennifer created animals that are so different from her own
character? what might the poet be suggesting through this experience?
A6- Aunt Jennifer’s
tigers are proud and confident, absolutely different from the own character. She
probably created them to express her innermost desire to what she wanted to be
like. The poet is probably commenting.
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