on September 4, 2023, 6:27 AM
NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Poem 5 Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers with complete explanation updated for session 2024-25. All the questions of poem 5 class 12 English are given here with some extra important questions for CBSE board Exams.
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Theme of the Poem
In this poem she talks about a woman’s experiences in her married life. She has tried to explore the inner feelings of a woman who is living under the dominance of men. She describes the oppressed condition of women by males and their dominance in society.
Think it out (Page No. 104)
How do ‘denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ add to understanding of the tiger’s attitude?
The Tigers are the ‘denizens’ of the forest. They are powerful apex predators. They are ‘chivalric’. They are at the top of the food chain and capable of killing animals over twice their size that’s why they occupy honorable and majestic positions in the world of Animals. So the use of ‘denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ adds to understanding of the tigers attitude.
Why do you think Aunt Jennifer’s hands are ‘fluttering through her wool’ in the second stanza? Why is she finding the needle so hard to pull?
Aunt Jennifer is stitching a tiger on something. Unfortunately her pathetic experience of married life is still fresh in her mind and that is bothering her too much. She is feeling helpless that’s why her hands are fluttering while embroidering and she is finding too difficult to pull even a small needle.
What is suggested by the image ‘massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band’?
The poet uses many images to describe the unpleasant experience of Aunt Jennifer’s married life. Massive weight of ‘Uncles wedding band’ is an example of harsh and bitter experiences of her married life. The Wedding band also stands for unbreakable bond of marriage between the husband and wife.Wedding band also means a relationship here because she is not able to come out of it this relationship.
Of what or of whom is Aunt Jennifer terrified with in the third stanza?
In third stanza, Aunt Jennifer is terrified with her husband.She is constantly pissed off in her post marriage responsibilities. She feels her husband as very dominating and marriage has become a burden on her.
What are the ‘ordeals’ Aunt Jennifer is surrounded by, why is it significant that the poet uses the word ‘ringed’? What are the meanings of the word ‘ringed’ in the poem?
“Ordeals” here refers to the orders or command of Aunt Jennifer’s husband.Because her husband’s attitude towards her is not right, so she is sad and depressed.She is upset listening to his orders. She has not got equal rights after marriage. It seems like she is working like a puppet. “Ringed” refers to vicious circle of troubles from which she is finding difficult to come out.
Why do you think Aunt Jennifer created animals that are so different from her character? What might the poet be suggesting, through this difference?
By creating a handmade tiger on screen, the poet wants to express her desire to be confident and brave through her creation because tigers are brave and fearless among their community. She also wants to live the same life but till now she is only dreaming of it. The poet is trying to show there is a big difference in the life of both. On one hand is Tiger who roams and hunts like a king in the jungle, on the other side is Aunt Jennifer who wanders in her own house in fear and panic.
Interpret the symbol found in this poem.
The poet uses many symbols in this poem. The Tigers are the symbol of courage, glory, bravery and confidence. The massive weight of ‘Uncle’s wedding band’ is symbol of harsh and bitter experiences of Aunt Jennifer’s married life. ‘Ordeals’ and ‘Ringed’ are a symbol of frustration, anger and exasperation because of constant rudeness from her husband’s side.
Do you sympathize with Aunt Jennifer? What is the attitude of the speaker towards Aunt Jennifer?
We no doubt sympathize towards Aunt Jennifer after reading this poem because the whole poem depicts rude behavior by her husband and the troubles she endures because of that.She is buried under the weight of sorrows and keeps weaving dreams of getting out of them. Speaker also sympathize attitude towards Jennifer all through the poem. She is shown as helpless in this poem.
How accurate do you consider the comparison of Aunt Jennifer and tiger?
Poet Adrienne Rich has tried to show only one side of the mirror. She has only favored Aunt Jennifer in entire poem.It is not that every girl feels the same after marriage as Jennifer is experiencing.In today’s era, girls live life like tiger before marriage and after marriage.They have equal rights everywhere. Although Adrienne was an American poet and the life of women not only in America or Europe is better instead it has changed in Asia too now which was earlier considered as discriminatory.
What difficulty does Aunt Jennifer face while making her tiger?
Aunt Jennifer is troubled by the difficulties faced in her domestic life, so she is not doing any work well due to drowning in that deep thought. She is finding difficult to pull a needle while doing embroidery (making of tiger) on a cloth which is considered as a pretty easy task.This shows that her mind was so disturbed that she was unable to concentrate her attention at one place.
What are the difficulties that Aunt Jennifer faced in her life?
Aunt Jennifer faced troubles after her marriage. Her husband was of dominant nature and was strict on her while Jennifer wanted him to have a friendly relationship with her.Her wedding rings and relationships make her feel like a burden on her head. She feels that nothing will change from here on and her life would continue to go like this. She wanted to live life like a tiger but was living a one like a cat.
