Chapter 10: Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers by Adrienne Rich (Poem)
1. What is the central theme of “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers”?
Answer:
The poem reflects a woman’s struggle against patriarchal oppression. Aunt Jennifer expresses her inner strength and desires through her art, contrasting with her real-life fear and submissiveness.
2. Describe Aunt Jennifer’s tigers.
Answer:
The tigers are bold, fearless, and free. They symbolize the strength and independence Aunt Jennifer wishes she had but can only express through her needlework.
3. How does the poet contrast Aunt Jennifer with her tigers?
Answer:
While Aunt Jennifer is oppressed and fearful, her tigers are proud and confident. The contrast highlights the difference between her inner spirit and her outer reality.
4. What do the tigers symbolize in the poem?
Answer:
They represent freedom, power, and resistance. They are everything Aunt Jennifer is not—courageous and unafraid of men, unlike her in her married life.
5. What does “weight of Uncle’s wedding band” mean?
Answer:
It symbolizes the burdens of marriage and male dominance. The heavy ring shows how marriage has chained Aunt Jennifer emotionally and physically, stifling her freedom.
6. Why does Aunt Jennifer use embroidery to express herself?
Answer:
Art is her escape. She can’t speak openly due to fear, so she sews tigers that reflect her desire for strength, freedom, and rebellion.
7. How is fear reflected in Aunt Jennifer’s life?
Answer:
She trembles even while creating her art. Her hands are “fluttering,” indicating deep-rooted fear from years of domination and oppression in her marriage.
8. What is the tone of the poem?
Answer:
The tone is sad yet powerful. It expresses sympathy for Aunt Jennifer while also admiring her silent courage and the strong tigers she creates in defiance.
9. How does the poem portray patriarchy?
Answer:
The poem shows how patriarchal systems burden women. Aunt Jennifer’s fear and lack of freedom are the result of an oppressive, male-dominated society.
10. What is the significance of the last stanza?
Answer:
Even after her death, Aunt Jennifer’s fingers are still bound by fear. Yet, her tigers will continue to prance, showing her art outlives her suffering.
11. What does the line “prancing tigers” suggest?
Answer:
It suggests freedom, strength, and beauty. The tigers’ confident movement represents Aunt Jennifer’s unspoken desire to be fearless and free from constraints.
12. How is imagery used in the poem?
Answer:
Rich uses strong visual images—bright tigers, fluttering fingers, heavy ring—to contrast strength and fear, helping readers feel Aunt Jennifer’s silent struggle.
13. What does the poem say about women’s creativity?
Answer:
It shows that even in oppression, women find creative outlets to express their strength and emotions. Art becomes a silent protest and a voice for their truth.
14. Why is Aunt Jennifer’s struggle universal?
Answer:
Many women face similar oppression in patriarchal societies. Aunt Jennifer symbolizes countless women whose inner strength is masked by social expectations and fear.
15. What role does embroidery play in the poem?
Answer:
Embroidery is Aunt Jennifer’s voice. It’s her only way to express boldness and resistance, as she cannot confront her fears openly in her real life.
16. How does the poem highlight emotional repression?
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s trembling hands and silence show how years of domination suppress emotions. Her art reveals the freedom she desires but cannot claim outwardly.
17. Why does the poet say the tigers will go on prancing?
Answer:
Because art is eternal. Though Aunt Jennifer may die bound by fear, her tigers—symbols of her spirit—will live on, representing resistance and hope.
18. What is the impact of the poem’s structure and rhyme?
Answer:
The controlled structure mirrors Aunt Jennifer’s restricted life. The rhyme adds musicality, but the content contrasts with the form—revealing the tension between appearance and reality.
19. What feminist ideas are explored in the poem?
Answer:
The poem critiques gender roles, highlighting how marriage can be oppressive. It shows women’s silent resistance and how creative expression becomes a means of reclaiming identity.
20. What is the message of “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers”?
Answer:
The poem conveys that while women may suffer silently, their spirit can never be fully crushed. Through art and imagination, they assert their strength and individuality.