Summary and Critical Analysis of the poem "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers"  -Adrienne Rich

1. "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers"
-Adrienne Rich
Prepared by- Khandoker Mufakkher Hossain

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.