CLASS 12TH- FLAMINGO

1. AUNT JENNIFER’S TIGERS
- Adrienne Rich
Presented by: Shivani Singh

2. About the poet…
• Adrienne Cecile Rich was an American poet, essayist and
feminist.
• She was called "one of the most widely read and influential
poets of the second half of the 20th century", and was credited
with bringing "the oppression of women to the forefront of
poetic discourse.“
• Rich criticized rigid forms of feminist identities.

3. Style of the poem
• Formal structure
• Lyrical pattern
• Rhyme and rhythm
• Vocabulary: simple , from everyday usage

4. THEME AND CENTRAL IDEA
A description of a lady, aunt Jennifer’s pathetic plight as a wife
who is suffering in her marriage.
She is a victim of oppression by her dominating husband
The poem gives the readers an insight into her ordeal and
unpleasant experiences as a wife.

5. 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.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

6. Meanings:
Prance=to move quickly with exaggerated steps
Screen= frame used to do embroidery on a cloth to make a tapestry
Tapestry= piece of thick textile fabric with pictures or designs formed by
weaving coloured weft threads or by embroidering on canvas, used as a
wall hanging or soft furnishing.
Topaz= a stone of a yellowish brown colour
Denizens= inhabitants, residents
Beneath= below: directly under
Pace(verb)= moving fast
Chivalric certainty= bravery coupled with confidence

7. Explanation:
Description of the tigers-
 The poet informs her readers of Aunt Jennifer making tapestry where
tigers are the main subjects.
 They are seen in a position of fast motion in their natural habitat, that is
a green forest.
 ‘Prance’ and ‘pace’ are used to imply freedom and suggest the tigers as
symbols and epitome of confidence and freedom in open spaces in
contrast to Aunt Jennifer’s confinement in her marital home.
 The tigers walk about confidently as they are sure of their masculinity
and courage as they do not fear the men who stand under the tree.

8. Poetic devices
a. Imagery:
‘Bright topaz denizens’- vivid descriptions suggesting various
images
b. contrast:
‘ Tigers do not fear the men beneath the tree’- while the tigers are
fearless , aunt Jennifer is terrified of her husband.
c. symbolism: the tigers symbolise bravery, courage, freedom,
self- confidence and strength.
Aunt Jennifer symbolises women as a whole under subjugation
and oppression in a patriarchal society.

9. Answer these:
1. Are Aunt Jennifer’s tigers real? Give reasons for your answers.
2. Why are the tigers called Aunt Jennifer’s tigers?
3. How are they described here?
4. How are they different from Aunt Jennifer?
5. What does prancing symbolise?
6. Why are they referred t o as ‘denizens of green’?
7. Why are the tigers not afraid of the men beneath the trees?
8. Explain: ‘ They pace in sleek chivalric certainty’.

10. 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 hand.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

11. Meanings:
1.fluttering= moving about or behaving in an agitated aimless
manner
2.Massive= very large or heavy
3.Ivory needle
4.Wedding band= ring in the shape of a plain band worn in
engagement or wedding

12. Explanation:
Description of Aunt Jennifer and her fears
She is old and frail
Is terrified of her husband.
Her nervous fingers shake in fear as she stitches the panel she is
making.
Her mental state is reflected in the fact that she finds it difficult to
even pull the light- weight needle.
The wedding band is also very heavy.
It is a symbol of the burden of oppression she has been carrying
while being married to her husband.
The band is also a symbol of the patriarchal society

13. ‘Fingers fluttering through her wool’:
Being a victim of marital oppression at the hands of her
husband, Aunt Jennifer is so nervous and terrified that her
hands shake and flutter when she sits down to do her
work with her ivory needles and wool.
‘Massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band’:
The massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band means
immense pressure that Aunt Jennifer bears while fulfilling
her duties as a married woman. The wedding band gives
the uncle an absolute authority over aunt’s mind, spirit and
body. She is a suppressed woman.

14. Poetic devices
Symbolism
1. The wedding band symbolises oppression and patriarchal
society.
2. Her embroidery symbolises
a. her innermost desires and is a manifestation of her feelings
and
b. that although she is mortal, her embroidery will live forever.
Irony:
‘The massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band’- marriage is supposed
to be happy union of two souls and should usher peace and joy. But
for Aunt Jennifer her marriage is marred by brutalities and a
miserable existence.

15. Answer these:
1. What is Aunt Jennifer doing with her wool?
2. Why were Aunt Jennifer’s fingers fluttering?
3. What is the result of fluttering?
4. Why does she find it hard to pull the ivory needle?
5. What does the wedding band stand for?
6. Describe the irony in the third line.
7. Why is the wedding band described as ‘massive’?
8. Explain : ‘ The massive weight of uncle’s wedding band’.
9. What is Aunt Jennifer’s state of mind?
10. How is Aunt Jennifer affected by the ‘weight of matrimony’?

16. 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.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

17. .
Meanings:
1. Mastered= managed or controlled
2. Ordeals= severe or testing experiences

18. Explanation:
Prediction of the future
 Even when the Aunt is dead, she will still be subjected to the
horrors of her marriage and be petrified of her husband whom
she had been mastered by- both in life and in death.
 There is no escape for aunt as her hardships will follow her
everywhere.
 But the tigers in the panel will continue to live on as they have
been made immortal by their creator. Long after Aunt Jennifer is
dead, the tigers will also be there, standing confident, strong,
bold and fearless.

19. ‘Terrified hands’: Aunt Jennifer has been imprisoned not only
physically but by customs and emotionally too.
After a lifetime of suppression, she is frail and weak and is unable
to take the burden of her marriage to a dominating man anymore.
Thus she is terrified by the masculinity and patriarchal oppression.
She has been suppressed to such a great extent that she will
continue to remain terrified under the burden of her wedding even
after her death.
‘Ringed with ordeals’:
To be surrounded by severely harsh experiences… in this case
even after her death

20. ‘Terrified hands’: Aunt Jennifer has been imprisoned not only physically but
by customs and emotionally too.
After a lifetime of suppression, she is frail and weak and is unable to take
the burden of her marriage to a dominating man anymore. Thus she is
terrified by the masculinity and patriarchal oppression. She has been
suppressed to such a great extent that she will continue to remain terrified
under the burden of her wedding even after her death.
‘Ringed with ordeals’:
She will probably be buried with the wedding ring around her finger
suggesting that her sad plight and suppression will not end even after her
death.
To be surrounded by severely harsh experiences… in this case even after
her death

21. ‘The tigers in the panel will go prancing, proud and unafraid’
 This is symbolic of the dispassionate and unconcerned
attitude of males towards the desire for freedom among
females.
 The condition of Aunt Jennifer and other women will not
change.
 They will live and die surrounded by a male- dominated
society . But the tigers in the pane, which are an expression
of freedom of women, will not be affected by domination of
men. They will roam proudly and fearlessly, forever.

22. Answer these:
I. What is Aunt Jennifer’s death symbolic of?
II. Explain “ terrified hands”.
III. Why are Aunt Jennifer’s hands terrified
IV. What does ringed with ordeals “imply’?
V. What are the hands still ringed with?
VI. Is the society in any way affected by Aunt Jennifer’s
death?
VII.Identify the poetic device employed in the last line if
this stanza.

23. THANKYOU !