Aunt Jennifer's Tigers
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers by Adrienne Rich
Explanation :SHAHID IQBAL
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Aunt Jennifer's Tigers Introduction:- Aunt Jennifer's Tigers is one of Rich's earlier poems that reflects a core theme that occurred in Rich's work throughout her write-ups: her unwavering support for women's cause. It presents us with the life of a suppressed woman and offers a vision of her future immortality through art.
What is Aunt Jennifer's Tigers About?:- Women's issues affect all people—not just women. So it's addressed to us all. We all have a (symbolic) Aunt Jennifer: a woman whom we admire, but who has perhaps been held back in life because of her gender and assumed gender-role.
Adrienne Rich wrote the poem in 1951, which was a time in which there were fewer options for women in terms of careers, family planning and being self-reliant. "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers," tells the story of, and imagines an immortal future for one of the women with small opportunities and big dreams. We get a glimpse into the lives of the Aunt Jennifers of the world, and a glimpse into the ways that gender affects us all and how women try to reflect their aspirations, dreams and unfulfilled desires through their art-works or write-ups.
EXPLANATION
Lines 1-2
Aunt Jennifer's tigers prance across a screen,
Bright topaz denizens of a world of green.
*It seems to us that there is a speaker who has an Aunt named Jennifer. The speaker thinks we are also familiar with this aunt (remember aunt Jennifer represents women in general).The next word of the poem is "tigers." Aunt Jennifer has tigers who “prance across a screen." The tigers aren't real. They're on some screen or maybe they're part of some art work. These tigers aren't in iron cages but just free and scattered throughout the house.
*The tigers don't seem particularly fierce—they're "prancing" across the tapestry, and "prancing" is a pretty lighthearted word. So there are some happy, chill tigers.
*The tigers are "bright topaz denizens of a world of green." Bright means shiny, a topaz is a shiny crystal, and denizen means an inhabitant. So, to rephrase the line a bit: the tigers are bright, crystalline animals that prance around their "world of green." What world might this be? We're guessing it's a forest, where tigers like to do their tigerly thing.
Literary Device:-
· Personification:- The speaker is ascribing a human attribute like "prancing" to a non-human thing like an animal.
· Imagery:-Though they only appear on some screen, these tigers seem pretty alive to us. They are bright and crystal-like, and they prance. Rich's colorful imagery is really vivid here.
· Couplet:-The lines rhyme with each other (screen, green).We call this a couplet.
Lines 3-4
They do not fear the men beneath the tree:
They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.
*In these lines, we get to know more about these tigers. The speaker further personifies the tigers, imagining that they don’t have human feelings of fear.
*These tigers don’t have any fear. These tigers are brave tigers. The tigers are so brave that they "pace in sleek chivalric certainty." (means they pace with honor ,confidence and braveness.)
*Chivalry was the code of honor of knights back in the day. So, "chivalric" connotes all those things that a true knight represents: loyalty, courtesy, and bravery.
*What about the men under the tree on the tapestry? Well, the only thing we know is that they don't scare the tigers. Reason:-In fact tigers represent Aunt Jennifer’s dream women who are empowered , independent , self-reliant and successful, and are not scared of male-dominant society.
*Personification:- The tigers are personified. The knights were humans, not tigers.
Lines 5-6
Aunt Jennifer's fingers fluttering through her wool
Find even the ivory needle hard to pull.
*The first image of this stanza is of Aunt Jennifer's hands "fluttering" as she works on her wool. "Fluttering" is a verb often used to describe birds. Aunt Jennifer's hands move swiftly, daintily and nervously. This contrasts with the tigers, who pace "in chivalric certainty."
*Aunt is struggling. It's hard for her to pull the needle through the wool that makes the tapestry.
*We often think of needlework like as a diversion, as something fun for many ladies to do. But in the poem, Aunt Jennifer's needlework seems like actual work or labour.
*We have a really distinct contrast, then, between Aunt Jennifer's tigers, who are brave and stately, and Aunt Jennifer herself, who struggles with her craft.
Lines 7-8
The massive weight of Uncle's wedding band
Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer's hand.
*Now we find out why Aunt Jennifer struggles with the needle. She is being weighed down by her wedding band from her husband.
*Symbolism:-The wedding band is acting as a symbol for Aunt and Uncle's marriage itself.
*By representing marriage with just the wedding band, Rich is employing metonymy, or representing something by using an object that's associated with it (like saying "the White House" when meaning the President of USA, and 10 Downing Street : UK Prime minister).
*The wedding band is "Uncle's wedding band." Even though Aunt herself wears it, the speaker still describes it as belonging to her uncle; it's not "Aunt Jennifer’s." Aunt's property is defined by her relationship with her husband. It is a case of lost personal-identity or individuality.
*This does not sound like a happy or fulfilling marriage to us. Aunt Jennifer is defined by her husband, and the symbolic "massive weight" of the wedding band is holding her back from her needlework.
*Now think about the needlework itself. Needlepoint, sewing etc. these are all seen as feminized types of craftwork. It's interesting, then, that Aunt Jennifer is fond of her needlework—an area of life where she could express her feminine self. The only thing Aunt Jennifer seems to have in this poem is her needlework, and she even struggles with that because of the weight of her marriage.
*Once again, we can compare Aunt Jennifer to her tigers (her dream women). The tigers are prancing and pacing bravely, while she (in her real life) is sadly weighed down by a wedding band.
Lines 9-10
When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie
Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by.
*The speaker starts imagining what will happen when Aunt Jennifer dies.
*When Aunt Jennifer is dead, the speaker tells us, her hands will still be "terrified." (Of course, it's impossible for hands to be literally afraid. This is synechdoche, or using a part—Aunt Jennifer's hands—to represent the whole, or Aunt's terrified self.)
*Poor Aunt Jennifer will also be "ringed with ordeals she was mastered by" in death, as she was in life. The symbol of the wedding band reappears here with the word "ringed."
*Again, the speaker doesn't mean that all of Aunt 's ordeals will be around her. This is figurative language that suggests that, even in death, there is no escape from her troubles.
*We are also getting a bit more detail here about Aunt's marriage. We can tell from Rich's diction (or word choice) that her marriage was unhappy, terrifying, filled with ordeals. *For example, Aunt Jennifer is "mastered by" her ordeals. The word "master" suggests that Aunt is in a slavery-type relationship. The poem figures her as a slave. The master is "the ordeals" that she suffers, presumably at the hand of her husband. Though the poem is not explicit here, it still suggests that Uncle is the master and Aunt Jennifer is the slave in the relationship. Now that is not a good formula for wedded bliss.
*Rich's syntax here is really interesting, too. Aunt Jennifer's hands are "mastered by" her ordeals. Aunt is in the passive position in this sentence. Her ordeals "master" her, and she is actually the grammatical object in this sentence. What we mean is that she's not the subject who acts. She is made powerless both by her husband, but also by the poem's diction and syntax.
Lines 11-12
The tigers in the panel that she made
Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid.
*The speaker anticipated her aunt's death. We also learned about how, even in death, Aunt Jennifer will be experiencing bad times. But now, the speaker imagines what will happen to the tigers when her aunt dies. They will keep up their bravery, chivalry, and fearlessness.we see a contrast between the future of Aunt Jennifer and the tigers.
*Personification:- A tiger, especially a needlework tiger, would prance, or feel proud, of being unafraid is an example of personification.
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*What's interesting to think about is what the tigers say about Aunt's life. 0r Did Aunt Jennifer imagine herself as a tiger?0r Comapre and contrast Aunt's death and tigers’ life?
Answer:- 1.We might say that the tigers are a symbol of her inner life that she couldn't express in practical sense.
2.we can even say that the tigers are representations of all the qualities that she herself wanted to have, but couldn't, because of her husband.
3.We could argue that the Aunt seems pretty lame compared to her awesome tigers. 4.We could think that even if the Aunt was unsatisfied by her marriage, she found a life for herself in her art. The Aunt will live forever through her prancing, proud and unafraid tigers.
Theme of the poem AUNT JENNIFER'S TIGERS
1. Women and Femininity:- "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" is about a woman whose life has been restricted by the patriarchal (male-dominated) society in which she lives. The poem doesn't give us any specific fact about this. But the poem does strongly suggest that Aunt's opportunities in life have been limited by her gender, and also by her marriage, which left her "terrified."
Questions About Women and Femininity:-
1. How do the two big symbols in the poem (the tigers and the wedding band) relate to the issues of women and femininity?
2. Do we know the gender of the tigers? Does it matter?
3. Does Aunt Jennifer have power in the poem?
4. Does the poem blame Uncle for Aunt Jennifer's situation? Or does the poem blame the patriarchy?
Hint:- Jennifer is unhappy because she's in a bad marriage. The poem doesn't condemn all men, though, just Uncle. Aunt Jennifer is unhappy because of the patriarchal system that confines all women. The poem really wants us to rage against the machine, because it condemns the system, not an individual like Uncle.
2.Art and Culture:-In "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers," the limitations that bind Aunt Jennifer in life don't bind her in art. Aunt's needlework allows her to experience a world of deep green forests and prancing brave tigers that is entirely different from her real life that is weighed down by the sadness, seemingly unhappy marriage and her gender. Art in this poem is a kind of freedom, a freedom accessible to everyone, even the disempowered.
Questions About Art and Culture:-
1. What is the relationship between agency (control over one's life) and art? Does Aunt Jennifer find control in her needlework?
2. Why do you think that Aunt Jennifer chooses to create tigers?
Hint:-Aunt Jennifer never gets to be truly free in this poem. Even when she creates her art, she is weighed down by Uncle's wedding band. That's some hard time she's doing. Even when Aunt Jennifer dies, her tigers continue to prance on the tapestry. Thus, art provides the ultimate freedom from death.
3.Immortality:-When it comes to poetry, immortality is pretty much right up there with love. Many poets are fond of with the idea of their immortality. The theme of immortality—of life after death—shows up in "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" too. The speaker imagines that the tigers will continue prancing after Aunt's death, and thus Aunt will be able to live on through her art.
Questions About Immortality
1. Does Aunt Jennifer express a desire for immortality in the poem? Or does the theme of immortality emerge completely from the speaker?
Hint:- Aunt Jennifer creates her tapestry out of a deep need to live life through her art and to live on through this art after death. Aunt Jennifer doesn't care about immortality at all as the poem is silent about it. She's just all about passing the time with needlework, as a lot of old ladies do. The speaker is the one connects Aunt's life , her art and immortality.
Poetic devices used in the poem:-
Symbolism:-
1. Aunt Jennifer represents women in general who are in complete control of patriarchal society, thus enjoy no liberty. (Hint:- * Justification of the title of the poem , *.Contrast :- Aunt and Tigers)
2. Aunt Jennifer’s tigers symbolize her dreams and desires of being powerful, fearless, self-reliant, empowered and liberated. (Hint:- *Justification of the title of the poem, *.Contrast :- Aunt and Tigers)
3. The wedding band:- a symbol of patriarchal society where the command is defined as masculine.
Its weight refers to the burden of gender expectations. Ringed means encircled or trapped, lost individuality and freedom.
4. Uncle represents the male-dominant society who restrict the freedom of women and act as oppressor of women.
5. Aunt Jennifer’s hands represent the reality of her life.
6. Tiger’s attitude:- (a) pace and prance suggests strength and energy, firmness and boldness.
(b) bright topaz colour gives the tigers the attention to their prominent presence.(c) denizens mean occupants. Tigers are grand and fearless in their natural surroundings. (Similarly women should also enjoy same fearlessness in the society and should not be oppressed by males.((Hint:- Justification of the title of the poem).
(d) chivalric certainty represents the power and virtue with confidence.
7.Yellow (bright topaz) connotes the sun and fierce energy; green reminds one of spring and vitality.
8. Embroidery: a symbol of creative expression. The artwork expresses the Aunt’s suppressed desires and becomes her escape from the oppressive reality of her life.
Synecdoche and transferred epithet:-terrified hands’ representing her being terrified.
Pun:- ‘ringed’: (a) ring in her finger which sits heavily on her and (b) difficulties which will always surround her.
Irony:- (a) a weak and submissive woman weaving a picture of tigers that are strong and fearless.(b) brutal tigers are depicted chivalric and the cultured man is depicted as an oppressor.(c) Even when the creator dies, her work will continue to exist.(d) Ringed with ordeals: even death would not free her as the wedding band, a symbol of oppression, will be there.
Contrast :- the character of Aunt Jennifer and that of the tiger.
Imagery:-‘bright topaz denizens , the world of green’, ‘men beneath the `.wedding band/Sits heavily.
Alliteration:- “fingers fluttering”, “Prancing proud”
Hyperbole:- The weight of a husband’s wedding ring.
Paradox:-* Aunt Jennifer, a trembling and ‘mastered’ woman creates free and confident tigers.*Fingers fluttering produce tigers who prance with ‘certainty’.
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Alternative Reading
SOURCE:- https://engzone.weebly.com/
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The Notes
Rich describes the artificial world which has been created by her Aunt Jennifer. In this artificial world, these tigers are symbols off freedom, strength and confidence. They are powerful figures who are very self-possessed, and who are admirable. This portrayal is made very clear in the poet’s register. In almost every line, there are words which indicate the powerful nobility of these animals. Words such as “prance”, “bright topaz denizens”, “pace” and “sleek chivalric certainty” all reinforce the dignity of these creatures. There is a striking image in this stanza, in line three; she notes that the tigers do not fear men in the world that she has created. Of course, this is a hint of contrast with the reality of Aunt Jennifer’s world. Indeed, it is almost as if the men crouch beneath the tree in fear of the tigers.
In the second stanza, Rich creates a very clear contrast by describing the harsh reality of Aunt Jennifer’s world. It is a world in which she is completely powerless, a world in which she has been subjugated by her husband. Rich’s feminism is clearly coming to the fore here. In the first line, Rich uses the alliterative “fingers fluttering” to throw emphasis onto how weak and fragile aunt Jennifer is. This is reinforced in the second line of the stanza, when it is revealed that the aunt finds it difficult to carry out the simple act of embroidery. Of course, it is also worth noticind that Rich chooses to portray the aunt at a task that is traditionally perceived as a feminine task (perhaps a comment on the whole notion of gender stereotyping and gender politics). The use of the word “ivory” is also noteworthy. It has been traditionally regarded as a symbol of imperialism, and is associated with the male hunter preying on a hapless victim. Is Rich subtly implying that aunt Jennifer herself is a trophy wife for this powerful figure?
In the last two lines of the stanza, we are presented with a new image of the wedding ring, which again throws light on the very one-sided relationship in which aunt Jennifer finds herself. It is clear from the way in which Rich describes the wearing of the wedding ring that she felt that her aunt suffered in this marriage.
It is note-worthy that the wedding band worn by aunt Jennifer is referred to as the property of her husband:
“Uncle’s wedding band”
It is almost as if aunt Jennifer is the property of the uncle.
In an example of almost perfect poetic symmetry (in keeping with her adherence to the more traditional and patriarchal forms of poetry writing), Rich fuses the worlds together in the last stanza. This gives even greater emphasis to the dramatic contrasts that exist between these worlds.
The reader is presented with a very bleak image of the aunt’s future. Even in death, there will be no freedom for her. She will still have to wear her wedding band, which is a symbol of her husband’s control over her. The use of words such as “dead”, “terrified”, “ordeals” and “mastered” all reinforce the image of a dreadfully poor existence for aunt Jennifer.
The tigers with all of their self-confidence and certainty have been immortalised on the embroidered screen. At first glance, this may seem to offer a glimmer of hope and optimism, but it offers cold comfort to most readers. One is always aware that it is an artificial world, a world to which the aunt could only escape for a few fleeting moments, but the reader is always conscious of the cruel, harsh reality of aunt Jennifer’s life.
Themes
1. Marriage is unequal due to male domination/Inequality
The woman at the centre of the poem, Aunt Jennifer, is a nervous and fearful wife. She lacks inner conviction or ‘certainty’, unlike the tigers she portrays. Aunt Jennifer is ‘mastered’ in her life. She lives a life of inequality. She is so nervous that her fingers ‘flutter’ through the wool she is using in her tapestry or pahnel. The poet portrays the marriage of Jennifer as an unhappy one for her. Aunt Jennifer feels the burden of duty and obedience. This is shown by the symbol of the wedding ring that she wears. It is described as her husband’s property: ‘Uncle’s wedding band’. It ‘sits heavily’ on her hand because he dominates her life. Her life with her husband is described as a life of ‘ordeals’. It is shown that Jennifer is terrified in her marriage. Her husband may be fiercer to her than the tigers she produces in her artwork. The poem therefore provides a negative picture of marriage. The poem is probably saying that the ‘Uncle’ or husband is behaving like a tiger, and the tigers are ‘chivalric’ like the husband should be. Each world is the reverse of what it should be.
2. The world of art is happier than the real world/Dream versus Reality
Aunt Jennifer’s hobby is making designs and pictures from wool. Jennifer produces wool tapestries that she places on panels. The creatures she places there are free and proud, the opposite to herself. She is ‘ringed’ or mastered in marriage and therefore she is not free, but controlled. It seems that she creates a happier looking world than the one she lives in. She makes precise and brightly coloured pictures like the sharp yellow tigers of the poem, pictured against a green background. These bright contrasting colours are probably much more vivid than Jennifer’s everyday world. Her artistic work will live on after she dies, as, according to the poet, her tigers will ‘go on prancing’. The figures she creates are stronger and happier than she is. They are proud and ‘prance’ about, unlike their creator, who is nervous and fears her husband. The word ‘prance’ or parade contrasts sharply with ‘fluttering’, meaning trembling. The tigers do not fear the men the aunt places under some trees in her tapestry. Therefore, the imaginary tigers produced by Aunt Jennifer live a type of proud and free life that she can only dream about. It is a ‘chivalric’ world, one where gentlemen treat women with great respect. Yet this is also a false world, as real tigers live out a battle for survival of the fittest, where the strongest dominate. Perhaps Aunt Jennifer uses art as an escape from her troubles. In her artwork Jennifer imagines the kind of life she would have liked.
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