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Question
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
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.
(a) What is Aunt Jennifer doing with her wool?
(b) Why does she find it difficult to pull her ivory needle?
(c) What does 'wedding band' stand for?
(d) Describe the irony in the third line.
Solution
(a) Aunt Jennifer is embroidering some tigers with her wool.
(b) She finds it difficult to pull her ivory needle as she is burdened by the massive weight of Uncle's wedding band.
(c) Uncle's wedding band sumbolises all the duties and constratints that have been put heavy on her after her marriage.
(d) The irony lies in the fact that although Aunt Jennifer is trying to knit tigers symbolising freedom, her life has been a continuous tale of slavery endowed to her by her marriage.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
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.
(a) Why are the tigers called Aunt Jennifer's tigers?
(b) How are they described here?
(c) How are they different from Aunt Jennifer?
(d) What does the word, 'chivalric' mean?
Why did Aunt Jennifer decide to create animals so different from her own character ?
What does the title of the poem suggest to you? Are you reminded of other poems on tigers?
How do ‘denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ add to our understanding of the tiger’s attitudes?
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?
What is suggested by the image ‘massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band’?
Of what or of whom is Aunt Jennifer terrified with in the third stanza?
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?
Why do you think Aunt Jennifer created animals that are so different from her own character? What might the poet be suggesting, through this difference?
Interpret the symbols found in this poem.
Do you sympathise with Aunt Jennifer? What is the attitude of the speaker towards Aunt Jennifer?
Adrienne Rich chose to express her silent revolt through her poem, Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers, just as Aunt Jennifer did with her embroidery. Explain.
How can we say that marriage was a compromise for Aunt Jennifer? Support your response with two justifications.
Explain the irony at the end of the poem, 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers'.
Explain the significance of the 'denizens pacing in sleek certainty' in the poem 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers'.
What is the significance of the image "Massive weight of uncle's wedding band" in the poem 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers'?
Why do you think Aunt Jennifer created animals that are so different from her own character?
Answer the following question in about 40-50 words.
Why do Aunt Jennifer's tigers not fear the men beneath the tree?
