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AUNT JENNIFER’S TIGERS
ADRIENNE RICH

Think about the following:
- gender-conflicts
- pain and helplessness of those who are discriminated against
- desolating effects of patriarchy
- sanctity of the institution of marriage governed by gender bias
- victimization of a woman to the extent of self-negation (most mothers keep talking of
how the father can’t be refused – reasons they give for it
– and the long term impact it can have on their sons (feel entitled, become their
fathers) and daughters (think violence is okay , begin abusive premature relationships
– statistics show this) and themselves (think abuse is okay – not speak up for
themselves or their kids – suffer mental and physical consequences for the same –
may begin to hit or inflict pain unto others)
- do gender relationships differ in rural and urban setups?

TAKE A STAND
MARRIAGES TODAY HAVE COME A LONG WAY
FROM THEIR ARCHETYPAL EXISTENCE
What do you think?
Explore the examples around you
Take a stand- Stand back- Look again- Look
beyond

ADRIENNE RICH
Adrienne Rich (1929) was born in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Her claim to fame were her feminist ideas and her wide
involvement in contemporary women’s movement as a poet
and theorist.
She received a number of awards including 1996 Tanning
Award for Mastery in the Art of Poetry, the Lennon
foundation’s 1999 Lifetime Achievement Award, The
Commonwealth Award in Literature and National Book Award

SYMBOLISM
WHAT CAN THE FOLLOWING WORDS
SYMBOLIZE? WRITE EVERY CONNOTATION YOU
ATTACH TO THEM.
TIGERS
A WEDDING RING

Aunt Jennifer's Tigers by 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.
(This stanza highlights Aunt
Jennifer’s fears)
{Footnotes: ordeals: testing
experiences
Chivalric : Honourable and brave,
denizens:dwellers}

Adrienne Rich's "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers", depicts a woman trapped within the
cultural constraints and responsibilities of married life.
In the first stanza, Aunt Jennifer’s situation and character is contrasted with
her artistic creation that portrays her aspiration. The tapestry on which she
has knitted tigers are very symbolic of what she wants to be in life - fearless,
assertive, noble and powerful like the tiger as expressed in the words "They
pace in sleek chivalric certainty". The word 'certainty' could portray the self-
assuredness of the tiger or the confident bearing of the tiger as it is fearless
of life. The tigers depicted as prancing across the screen bring to mind a being
that is confident, self-assured and happy; all things that Aunt Jennifer is not.
The use of colours implies that Aunt Jennifer's tigers and their land are more
vital and enjoy a sense of freedom far greater than her. Yellow (bright topaz)
connotes the sun and fierce energy, while green reminds one of spring and
rebirth.

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.
(FOOTNOTES: fluttering:moving
about in an aimless manner)

In the second stanza, Aunt Jennifer's present state is depicted. Her fingers are
"fluttering through her wool" showing both physical and mental weakness. She
finds it difficult to pull the needle. "The massive weight of Uncle's wedding
band / Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer's hand" reminds us that her marriage
responsibilities weigh her down which makes her unable to realize her full
potential as a woman in a male-dominated society. She find refuge from her
difficult situation in this art i.e. through knitting.

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.
(FOOTNOTES: ordeals:severe or
testing experiences)

The final stanza contains imagery that reflects back on
the first two stanzas. The reference of the hands
symbolizes Aunt Jennifer as a whole. Though her death
would free her from her present miserable state, her
hands will remain terrified with the wedding ring which
binds her to her ordeals that took complete control of
her. The only sign of her freedom from her present life
is the art work which she escapes into by depicting the
prancing, proud and unafraid tigers which is what she
really wants to be and which she attains through her
imagination.

IMAGES AND SYMBOLS USED IN THE POEM:
•(1)‘Tiger’…It symbolises the freedom of spirit which Aunt Jennifer
dreams of but is never able to achieve.
•(2)‘Fluttering wool’..highlights the extensive oppression of the women.
Aunt Jennifer is so victimized and oppressed that her frail fingers are
not able to carry the weight of something as light as wool.
•Her struggle with the ivory needle tells us of the loss of her
individuality under the weight of Uncle’s domination and her terrorized
state of mind.
•(3)‘Uncle’s wedding band’..symbolises the suppression of women in
matrimony. It also symbolises so called male authority and dominance.
•(4)‘Ringed with ordeals ‘..it expresses the struggle of the spirit,injustice
and oppression that Aunt Jennifer suffers but never expresses.

RHYME SCHEME….aabbcc
THEMES OF THE POEM :
- The poem is a feminist poem and revolves
around the theme of male chauvinism and
gender conflicts.
- It also highlights the theme of victmisation of
the women by their male counterparts.
- Art as a means of catharsis
- Art transcends all barriers of time and space

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AUNT JENNIFER'S TIGERS GRADE 12 CBSE ENGLLISH

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