Poem 5 Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Explanation Class 12 By Adrienne Rich is available here. We are providing line by line explanation of this poem and also the central idea of this poem is uploaded here, In CBSE and NCERT boards this topic is asked many times, so take a look at the TABLE OF CONTENTS for shortcut links.
Table of Contents
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Explanation of 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.
Reference:- These lines have been taken from the poem “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers.” It is composed by Adrienne Rich.
Context:- In these lines, the poet explains that Aunt Jennifer is embroidering on a canvas. She is making tigers on it.
Explanation:-
The poet advocates feminism in this poem. It explains how a woman, Aunt Jennifer struggles to find her place in a male-dominated society. She is terrified and suppressed. So she creates an alternate world of art to liberate and express herself. Aunt Jennifer embroiders tigers on a canvas and they are depicted as energetic, orange-coloured, inhabitants of a green jungle. They are fearless creatures, not afraid of men. The tigers are confident, elegant and bold.
The poet wishes to say that these tigers have the qualities which only men can possess. The tigers are symbolic of the spirit of freedom that is denied to Aunt Jennifer. Women like Aunt Jennifer are victims of male chauvinism1. These lines bring out gender discrimination which women have been suffering in this patriarchal society.
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Explanation of 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 hands.
Reference:- These lines have been taken from the poem “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers.” It is composed by Adrienne Rich.
Context:- In these lines, the poet explains how Uncle’s tyrannical behaviour towards Aunt affects her physically and mentally.
Explanation:-
The poet says that Aunt Jennifer is facing hardships in her marriage life. She is so broken down physically and mentally that she does not have the energy or the courage to pull the needle while making the tigers. The ivory needle that is making the tigers also becomes very difficult for her to pull through the base cloth. The tiresome burden of uncle’s wedding ring has become too heavy for her to carry. Marriage has become a heavy burden for Aunt Jennifer to carry. This bond is killing and throttling2 her. So she is physically and mentally battered.
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Explanation of 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.
Reference:- These lines have been taken from the poem “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers.” It is composed by Adrienne Rich.
Context:- The poet explains a comparative state between the tigers on the panel and Aunt.
Explanation:-
The poet says that Everyone gets free from the bondage of life when Death comes but it is so unfortunate for Aunt Jennifer’s fate that even death fails to free her from the oppression. Even after her death when she is in the grave, her wedding ring will be a grim reminder of the struggles she had to go through. The bondage of her marriage life remains till her death or even after death. Meanwhile, the tigers who are symbols of power and boldness will go on prancing and jumping. The poet wishes to say that the men remain indifferent to the miseries of women who have to face oppression and male dominance.
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