Summary and Critical Analysis of the poem '' Aunt Jennifer's Tigers'‘By Adrienne Rich. Made by-Khandoker Mufakkher Hossain . Ex-Student, Jagannath University,Dhaka.Dept. of English , 01911689503

1. "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers"
-Adrienne Rich

2. Summary and Critical Analysis
of the poem

3. The speaker describes the tigers which her
aunt produced by using colored threads on
heavy cloth.

4. They are set in motion. They are moving quickly by
raising the front legs and jumping forwards on the
back legs.

5. In the green jungle they look bright yellow and as
valuable as topazes which reveals her dream of a
happier life in her needle work.

6. There are men sitting under the tree, but the
tigers do not care for them. They move on to
their goal boldly and smoothly.

7. Jennifer finds it difficult to make
pictures by using the ivory needle.

8. She is tired of doing the household
work after she got married. She can’t
get herself involved in her artistic work.

9. She has to do it in her leisure time.
Even then she has to be sure whether
her husband is watching her or not.

10. So her hands are terrified. She will not be
free from fear until she dies. She will be
dominated by her husband.

11. She will die, but her art will express her
desire to move proudly and fearlessly like
the tigers she has made.

12. Aunt Jennifer's hands are 'terrified'
because of the massive weight of
household duties. They are heavily
pressed. They have undergone severe
trials.

13. She is dominated by her husband
continuously. ‘Fingers fluttering’,
‘ordeals’, ‘mastered’, ‘hard to pull’
indicate her fear.

14. By mentioning that it is ‘Uncle’s wedding
band’, the poet suggests that Uncle owns
Jennifer too and that as a female she is the
property of her husband.

15. The word ‘massive’ and ‘heavily’
suggest Aunt Jennifer lives a
demanding sort of life in which she
has to attend to her husband’s needs
and fulfill his commands.

16. As a result she is somewhat worn out in
her old age. Aunt Jennifer is ‘ringed’,
trapped in her marriage and controlled
like an animal. Her husband is her master.

17. Her wish to be like the tiger, ‘proud and
unafraid’ also shows her fear in real life.
Tigers are fierce, courageous and
independent animals.

18. They lead the life the way they want to. But
Aunt Jennifer is just opposite to tigers. She
is quiet, coward, and totally dependent on
her husband.

19. She leads her life the way her husband likes
for her. So tigers are an appropriate
contrast to her.

20. Aunt Jennifer has an artistic talent. If she
used it properly, she will surely become a
great artist.

21. But she has misused her ability because
of cowardice. She can’t go against the
established pattern in life. She is pressed
by ‘the massive weight’ of household
work.

22. Instead of pleasing herself, she tries to
please her dominating husband. She
lives a quiet and subdued life.

23. But the tigers she imagined are just opposite
to her. They are proud, active, fearless,
determined and chivalric. They move toward
their goals with single-mindedness.

24. The tigers in the poem represent
Jennifer’s innermost desire. She wants to
be strong like the tigers that do not fear
the men.

25. The word ‘chivalric’ suggests her inner
wish that is, her husband should show
bravery, honor, generosity, and good
manners to her like the knights in the
Middle Ages did.

26. Theme
Aunt Jennifer is portrayed as a nervous
and fearful housewife lacking inner
conviction unlike the tigers she creates.
Jennifer is domesticated and mastered
by her husband. Her husband owns
her.

27. Marriage brings two people in an equal
position in each expects justice, love
and equality in behavior.

28. But here in this poem Jennifer has become
the victim of injustice. She feels the
burden of duty and obedience.

29. 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’.

30. Her life with her husband is described as
a life of ‘ordeals’. The poem therefore
provides a negative picture of marriage.

31. Aunt Jennifer loves to make designs of
wool. She creates an image of tiger in
her work of art.

32. The tiger is shown as a bold, powerful,
bright, independent, free which
metaphorically shows her innermost
dream of being the same. The reality is
bitter, she is tamed wife.

33. The tiger is shown as a bold, powerful,
bright, independent, free which
metaphorically shows her innermost
dream of being the same. The reality is
bitter, she is tamed wife.

34. She totally depends upon her husband.
She is merely a puppet and controlled by
her husband. Even she can’t do whatever
she likes.

35. In her husband’s absence she creates
tiger but she trembles of fear. The tiger
she creates do not fear the men the
aunt places under same tree in her
tapestry.

36. It seems that she creates a happier
looking world than the one she lives in.

37. Therefore the imagery tigers produced
by aunt Jennifer live a type of proud and
free life that she can only dream about.

38. Perhaps aunt Jennifer uses art as an
escape from her troubles. In her artwork
Jennifer imagines the kind of life she
would have liked.