Class 12 : English (core) Compulsory – Lesson 13.Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers
EXPLANATION & SUMMARY
🌟 Introduction to the Poem
“Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” by Adrienne Rich is a short but powerful poem that addresses themes of gender oppression, female creativity, and the longing for freedom. The poem contrasts the vibrant energy of Aunt Jennifer’s embroidered tigers with the burdened life she leads.
📚 About the Poet
Adrienne Rich (1929–2012) was an American poet, essayist, and feminist whose works often explore identity, patriarchy, and social justice. She used poetry as a means to challenge traditional gender roles and to give voice to women’s experiences.
💡 The Tigers as a Symbol of Freedom
The tigers Aunt Jennifer creates in her needlework are bold, fearless, and proud. They roam confidently across the fabric, untouched by fear or submission. These tigers symbolise the qualities Aunt Jennifer longs for but cannot live out in her own life.
👩 Aunt Jennifer’s Constrained Life
In contrast, Aunt Jennifer herself is physically weak, her hands “fluttering” as she works the needle. She is weighed down by the “massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band,” a metaphor for the oppression and responsibilities of marriage under patriarchal norms.
🖋 Creativity as an Escape
Through her art, Aunt Jennifer expresses her inner desires and imagination. The tigers she embroiders reflect the spirit she wishes she could embody — one of courage and independence.
⚰ After Her Death
The poet imagines that even in death, Aunt Jennifer’s hands will still bear the marks of the constraints she endured. However, the tigers on her tapestry will continue to “prance, proud and unafraid,” symbolising the enduring nature of art and the human spirit.
🌱 Themes
Gender oppression and patriarchy
Art as a means of self-expression
The contrast between reality and imagination
The enduring power of creativity
🎨 Poetic Devices
Symbolism: Tigers = freedom; wedding band = marital oppression
Contrast: Vibrant tigers vs. subdued Aunt Jennifer
Alliteration: “Prancing proud” to emphasise vitality
Imagery: Visual details of tigers and Aunt’s frail hands
🕊 Tone
The tone is sympathetic and quietly critical of the social structures that limit women’s lives.
💠 Summary
“Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” portrays a woman confined by the weight of marital and societal expectations. Through her needlework, she creates tigers that embody freedom, confidence, and fearlessness — qualities absent from her own life. Even after her death, Aunt Jennifer’s hands will reflect the oppression she endured, but her art will live on, eternally celebrating the independence she could only imagine.
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PASSAGE
“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 her hand.”
💠 (Short Answer – 30 words)
What does the “massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band” symbolise?
Answer: It symbolises the burden of patriarchal marriage, restrictions, and responsibilities that have oppressed Aunt Jennifer throughout her life.
💠 (Multiple Choice)
Why does Aunt Jennifer find it hard to pull the ivory needle?
A. She is physically weak
B. The wool is too thick
C. She is burdened by marital oppression
D. Both A and C
Answer: D. Both A and C
💠 (Fill in the blank)
Aunt Jennifer’s fingers are described as __ through her wool.
Answer: fluttering
💠 (Fill in the blank)
The needle mentioned in the passage is made of __.
Answer: ivory
💠 (Assertion and Reason)
Assertion (A): Aunt Jennifer’s difficulty with the needle reflects only her old age.
Reason (R): The poem shows no other reason for her weakness.
A. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
B. Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
C. A is false, but R is true.
D. Both A and R are false.
Answer: D. Both A and R are false.
💠 (Short Answer – 30 words)
How does this passage reflect the central theme of the poem?
Answer: It shows Aunt Jennifer’s physical and emotional constraints under patriarchy, contrasting her inner desire for freedom with the limitations imposed on her by marriage.
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OTHER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS FOR EXAMS
🔴 Q1. Who is the poet of ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’?
🔵 Answer: Adrienne Rich, an American poet, essayist, and feminist.
🔴 Q2. What do Aunt Jennifer’s tigers symbolise?
🔵 Answer: They symbolise freedom, courage, and confidence — qualities Aunt Jennifer longs for but cannot live in her own life.
🔴 Q3. What does the “massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band” represent?
🔵 Answer: It represents the burdens, restrictions, and oppression of a patriarchal marriage.
🔴 Q4. How are Aunt Jennifer’s hands described while she works on her embroidery?
🔵 Answer: Her fingers are fluttering and weak, finding it hard to pull the ivory needle.
🔴 Q5. What is the contrast between Aunt Jennifer and her tigers?
🔵 Answer: Aunt Jennifer is fearful and subdued, while her tigers are proud, fearless, and free.
🔴 Q6. How will Aunt Jennifer’s oppression remain even after her death?
🔵 Answer: The marks of her marital constraints will still be visible on her hands.
🔴 Q7. What poetic devices are used in the poem?
🔵 Answer: Symbolism, alliteration, imagery, and contrast.
🔴 Q8. What does Aunt Jennifer use to create her tigers?
🔵 Answer: She uses wool embroidery with an ivory needle.
🔴 Q9. What is the tone of the poem?
🔵 Answer: Sympathetic, critical of patriarchy, and reflective.
🔴 Q10. How do Aunt Jennifer’s tigers behave in the poem?
🔵 Answer: They prance across the screen, proud and unafraid.
🔴 Q11. Describe the central theme of the poem.
🔵 Answer: The oppression of women in patriarchal society and their longing for freedom, expressed through art.
🔴 Q12. How does the poem present art as a form of escape?
🔵 Answer: Aunt Jennifer’s embroidery becomes a medium to express the freedom she cannot live herself.
🔴 Q13. What is the central message of ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’?
🔵 Answer: Women’s creativity and spirit can survive oppression, even if their personal lives remain constrained.
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