Aunt Jennifer's Tiger

BY ADRIENNE RICH
ABOUT THE POET
The poet Adrienne Rich is widely known for her involvement in
contemporary women's movement as a poet and theorist.
 A strong resistance to racism and militarism, her poem gives voice to
the voiceless.
 It speaks loudly against the paternal order of the world. It challenges the
male dominance over the women.
ABOUT THE POEM
 The poet being a pioneer activist of her times wanted to express the
helplessness of a married woman in an unhappy marriage through the character
Aunt Jennifer.
 The aunt is embroidering a motif comprising of energetic , fearless tigers
moving freely around the bright greenery.
 It shows her inner desire of being free and independent as well as that the key
of achieving it lies in their hand through hard work and activism.
Even though the aunt fades away but not the shackles of patriarchy and the
desire to break it.
STANZA 1
The poet addresses a lady as Aunt Jennifer who is embroidering tigers on a piece
of cloth.
Her tigers are as beautiful as topaz running fearlessly in the green forest.
They are fearless and not affected by the presence of men.
She says the tigers are proud citizens of the forests. They are shiny and elegant.
Here we can sense the contrast of behavior between the tiger and aunt, though the
tigers designed by her are fearless but she is afraid of her husband.
Literary Device
Topaz: metaphor
 STANZA 2
 The Aunt's fingers are trembling with the fear of her husband making even the ivory
needle hard to pull.
 Her fingers are so tired of working endlessly all her life.
 The word " uncle's band" signifies that she belongs to her husband and that the
marriage is a transfer of ownership to her husband.
‘Weight’ means the encirclement or trapping that has fallen upon her by getting
married to him, she has been burdened by the obligations of married life, has become
the man’s property.
Literary Device
Fluttering fingers : alliteration of 'f'
 STANZA 3
When the aunt will die, her wish to live freely and independent will die with her too.
However, the tiger in the panel will be an embodiment to her unfinished wish.
The ring will be a proof of the tortures which she had faced from her husband.
Even though people die but the problem doesn’t. Thus the movement should and
keeps on spreading.

Literary Device
prancing, proud: alliteration of 'p'