Q.What does Aunt Jennifer symbolize in the poem 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers'?
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🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Concept understanding — Artistic Symbolism
Artistic Symbolism: Seeing Beyond the Surface
When a poet shows you a caged bird, you sense it means more than a bird. When a red rose appears in a story, you think of love. That leap - from a concrete image to a deeper idea - is the heart of artistic symbolism, and it is one of the most important tools a writer or artist uses to make meaning.
What Artistic Symbolism Actually Means
Artistic symbolism is the use of a concrete object, figure, colour, or action to stand for an abstract idea, emotion, or theme beyond its literal meaning. The writer chooses an image - a chain, a lamp, a tiger, a wedding ring - and loads it with a significance the reader is meant to interpret.
Symbolism works because a symbol keeps both meanings at once. A wedding ring is still a real ring; but in a poem it may also carry the whole weight of a marriage. A tiger is still an animal; but it may also stand for fearlessness and freedom. The literal never disappears - the deeper meaning is layered on top of it.
A symbol is not the same as an allegory. A symbol is a single image condensing a complex idea; an allegory sustains a whole hidden meaning across an entire story. A symbol is closer to a word, an allegory to a sentence. Symbolism is also broader than a plain metaphor, because a symbol can recur and gather meaning across a whole poem or work.
Why Writers and Artists Use Symbols
Creators do not always want to state ideas directly. Sometimes they want to make us feel what something means. Symbols let them:
- Express ideas too abstract to state plainly - hope, oppression, death, freedom.
- Say a great deal in very little space, which is why poems rely on symbols so heavily.
- Voice criticism or forbidden feelings under an innocent-looking image (common where speaking openly is dangerous).
- Build layers of meaning that reward re-reading.
How a Symbol Gets Its Meaning
A symbol earns its meaning in two ways. Some symbols are conventional - shared across a culture, so most readers already know them: a dove for peace, darkness for ignorance or death, spring for renewal. Others are contextual - the writer builds the meaning inside the particular work, so the same image could mean something different elsewhere. A skilful writer often takes a familiar object and gives it a fresh, personal charge within the poem.
Because meaning depends on shared codes and on context, the same image can carry different meanings in different works or cultures. White suggests purity in some traditions and mourning in others. Always read a symbol against the specific text, not just against a general dictionary of symbols.
How to Read a Symbolic Work
When you suspect an image is carrying symbolic weight, ask three questions in order: …
Aunt Jennifer in the poem represents the oppressed, silenced woman trapped in a patriarchal marriage. Her trembling hands and the heavy, ornately carved ivory ring that sits on them are symbols of the weight of male authority and the fear it has instilled in her. The ring is not just jewellery; it is a permanent reminder of her husband's dominance, one that even death cannot remove. In contrast, the tigers she embroiders are free, fearless, and untamed — everything she is not. Through her art, Aunt Jennifer creates a world of freedom she can never inhabit in real life. Her physical frailty and the "terrified hands" reve …
Aunt Jennifer symbolises the oppressed, silenced woman whose creative spirit survives even when her personal freedom has been crushed by a patriarchal marriage.
Adrienne Rich's poem 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers' is not really about tigers at all. It is about a woman so thoroughly subdued by her marriage that the only place she can express strength and freedom is in her needlework. The tigers she embroiders are everything she herself is not allowed to be.
Aunt Jennifer is drawn as a study in contrast. Her fingers 'flutter' as she works her wool, weighed down by 'the massive weight of Uncle's wedding band' that 'sits heavily' upon her hand. In the poem that ring is no symbol of love; it stands for ownership, duty and a lifetime of fear. Rich never spells out what her husband did, but the words she uses — the heavy band, and the 'terrified hands' that will remain even after Aunt Jennifer's death — are enough to tell us this is a marriage built on domination, not partnership.
Against this stand the tigers. They are 'bright', they prance, they are 'proud' and 'unafraid', pacing in 'sleek chivalric certainty' and quite unbothered by the men beneath the tree. They live in a vivid world of green and topaz, while Aunt Jennifer's own world is pale and passive. The tigers are bold, free and confident — everything she can imagine but never live. …
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- CBSE 2026Set 1/2/11 markQ.What is the irony reflected in the contrast between Aunt Jennifer and the tigers she embroidered? (Aunt Jennifer's Tigers)
›Reveal solutionSolution
The irony lies in the stark contrast between Aunt Jennifer’s oppressed, fearful life and the fearless, untamed tigers she creates with her own hands — her art expresses a freedom she can never live.
Adrienne Rich’s poem “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” is built on a powerful visual and emotional contrast. On one side, we have Aunt Jennifer herself — a frail, nervous old woman whose hands “flutter” under the weight of her wedding ring, a symbol of a marriage that has clearly been a burden. On the other side, there are the tigers she embroiders: “bright,” “prancing,” “proud and unafraid,” moving across a green screen with an energy and confidence she completely lacks. The irony is that the very woman who is most trapped in her life creates the most free and fearless creatures in her art.
The tigers are everything Aunt Jennifer is not. They are “topaz” in colour, suggesting richness and fire. They move with “certainty” and “chivalric” grace, as if they belong to a world of honour and adventure. They do not fear the men who ride beneath them — in fact, they “pace in sleek chivalric certainty,” utterly indifferent to human authority. This is the exact opposite of Aunt Jennifer’s reality, where she is weighed down by the “massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band” — a ring that is not a token of love but a symbol of domination, so heavy that even in death her fingers will still be “ringed with ordeals she was mastered by.”
NoteThe wedding ring is not just jewellery here — it is a metaphor for patriarchal control. The word “mastered” is deliberately passive and harsh, showing that Aunt Jennifer has been subdued, not cherished. …
- CBSE 2026Set 1/2/11 markQ.Select the phrase that suggests the following: The oppressive nature of Aunt Jennifer's marriage. (Aunt Jennifer's Tigers)
›Reveal solutionSolution
The phrase "the massive weight of Uncle's wedding band" directly symbolises the oppressive and burdensome nature of Aunt Jennifer's marriage.
Aunt Jennifer's Tigers, a poignant poem by Adrienne Rich, uses the act of artistic creation as a powerful lens to explore themes of oppression, patriarchy, and the yearning for freedom. The tigers Aunt Jennifer creates on her tapestry are vibrant, fearless, and free, standing in stark contrast to her own subdued and burdened existence. This artistic symbolism is central to understanding her life.
The poem subtly reveals the constraints of her life, particularly her marriage, through specific imagery. While her tigers "prance across a screen," embodying a spirit of uninhibited confidence, Aunt Jennifer herself is depicted as a frail figure whose "fingers fluttering through her wool / Find even the ivory needle hard to pull." This physical difficulty hints at a deeper emotional and psychological burden.
The phrase that most directly and powerfully suggests the oppressive nature of Aunt Jennifer's marriage is:
- "The massive weight of Uncle's wedding band"
This line is rich with symbolism, conveying several layers of meaning about her marital state:
- "Massive weight": This isn't merely a literal description of the ring's physical heft. It symbolises the immense emotional, psychological, and social burden that her marriage places upon her. It suggests a feeling of being weighed down, constrained, and suffocated by the expectations and realities of her marital life. The "weight" implies a lack of freedom, agency, and personal expression.
- "Uncle's wedding band": The wedding band, traditionally a symbol of love and commitment, is here presented as an instrument of oppression. Crucially, it is referred to as "Uncle's wedding band," not "her wedding band." This subtle distinction highlights the patriarchal control within the marriage. It suggests that the marriage, and the ring that symbolises it, belongs to Uncle, and Aunt Jennifer is merely a possession or an extension of his identity, rather than an individual with her own will. The ring, therefore, becomes a symbol of her subjugation and the loss of her independent self. …
- CBSE 2026Set 1/2/11 markMCQQ.What does the imagery of the 'tigers' NOT represent in the given extract? (A) Terror (B) Freedom (C) Fearlessness (D) Majesty (Aunt Jennifer's Tigers)
›Reveal solutionSolution
The tigers in Aunt Jennifer's tapestry do not represent terror — they embody the freedom, fearlessness, and majesty that Aunt Jennifer herself lacks in her oppressed married life.
The poem "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" by Adrienne Rich uses the embroidered tigers as a powerful symbol of everything Aunt Jennifer desires but cannot possess in her own existence. Understanding what these creatures represent requires us to see them as the opposite of Aunt Jennifer's reality.
The tigers are described as "prancing, proud and unafraid" — they move through "a world of green" with absolute confidence. They do not fear the men beneath the tree; instead, they are "certain" and commanding. This imagery builds a picture of creatures who are:
- Free — they inhabit their world without constraint, moving as they please through the bright topaz landscape
- Fearless — explicitly stated as "unafraid," they answer to no authority and bow to no threat
- Majestic — their pace is described as "chivalric," suggesting nobility, grandeur, and regal bearing
These qualities stand in stark contrast to Aunt Jennifer herself, who is weighed down by "the massive weight of Uncle's wedding band" and whose hands are "terrified" even as they create. The tigers are her artistic rebellion, her vision of a life unshackled. …
- CBSE 2026Set 1/2/11 markMCQQ.The poet's tone towards Aunt Jennifer can BEST be described as: (A) celebratory (B) indifferent (C) empathetic (D) judgemental (Aunt Jennifer's Tigers)
›Reveal solutionSolution
The poet’s tone toward Aunt Jennifer is best described as empathetic — she presents Aunt Jennifer’s constrained life with quiet sympathy, not celebration, indifference, or judgement.
Adrienne Rich’s “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” is a poem that works through contrast. On one side, there are the tigers — “prancing,” “bright,” “chivalric,” fearless. On the other, there is Aunt Jennifer herself: “fingers fluttering,” weighed down by “the massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band.” The poet does not celebrate Aunt Jennifer’s life; she does not mock it either. Instead, she observes it with a kind of sorrowful understanding.
The key to the tone lies in how Rich describes Aunt Jennifer’s physical state. The “fluttering fingers” suggest nervousness, frailty, a body that has been conditioned to obey. The wedding band is not a symbol of love but of “ordeals” — it is “massive,” heavy, something that “sits heavily” upon her hand. These are not the words of a poet who is indifferent or judgemental. They are words that ask the reader to feel the weight of Aunt Jennifer’s existence.
NoteThe poem never tells us directly what Uncle did or how Aunt Jennifer suffered. The tone works through implication — the “ordeals” are left unnamed, which makes the empathy more powerful, not less.
The tigers, by contrast, are everything Aunt Jennifer is not: “proud and unafraid,” “denizens of a world of green.” They are her imaginative escape. The poet does not mock this escape; she presents it as the only freedom Aunt Jennifer has. Even after death, the tigers will “go on prancing” — a quiet, heartbreaking recognition that Aunt Jennifer’s real life was so constrained that her only lasting legacy is a piece of embroidery. …
- CBSE 2026Set 1/2/11 markQ.Aunt Jennifer is referred to simply as 'Aunt' in the end, highlighting _______. (Aunt Jennifer's Tigers)
›Reveal solutionSolution
The change from 'Aunt Jennifer' to 'Aunt' at the end of the poem highlights the complete loss of her individual identity, subsumed by her marital role and societal expectations.
Adrienne Rich's "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" is a poignant exploration of a woman's inner life versus her external reality, using artistic symbolism to convey themes of oppression and suppressed desires. The poem meticulously builds a contrast between the vibrant, fearless tigers Aunt Jennifer creates and her own timid, burdened existence. The shift in how she is addressed, from 'Aunt Jennifer' to simply 'Aunt', is a powerful symbolic gesture that underscores the tragic culmination of this struggle.
Initially, the full name 'Aunt Jennifer' refers to an individual with her own identity, however constrained. It acknowledges her as a person with a unique self, even as her "fingers flutter through the wool" and she finds the "ivory needle hard to pull." This initial naming sets up the expectation of a distinct individual, capable of creation and possessing an inner world, however fragile.
However, the poem reveals the immense pressure she faces:
- The "massive weight of Uncle's wedding band": This is not just a piece of jewellery but a potent symbol of the patriarchal institution of marriage, representing the responsibilities, expectations, and loss of autonomy that have weighed her down throughout her life.
- "Terrified hands": Her hands, which create the fearless tigers, are themselves "terrified," indicating her deep-seated fear and subjugation within her marriage and society.
- "Ordeals she was mastered by": This phrase explicitly states that her life was dominated by hardships and constraints, likely stemming from her marital duties and the expectations placed upon women of her era.
The final lines of the poem deliver a stark reality. Even after her death, her "terrified hands will lie / Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by." The wedding band, a symbol of her subjugation, remains on her hand, signifying that the burdens and lack of freedom she experienced will continue to define her legacy. …
- CBSE 2026Set 1/2/11 markQ.State in one sentence, what is your advice to Aunt Jennifer with reference to the given extract and other women like her most likely to include? (Aunt Jennifer's Tigers)
›Reveal solutionSolution
Advice to Aunt Jennifer would center on finding courage to break free from oppressive relationships and reclaim personal agency, drawing strength from her own creative vision of fearlessness.
The poem "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" presents a woman trapped in a marriage marked by domination and fear. The tigers she embroiders—bright, confident, prancing through a green world without fear of men—represent everything she is not but longs to be. They move with certainty and power, while Aunt Jennifer's own hands are weighed down by "the massive weight of Uncle's wedding band." That image is devastating: the ring, symbol of marriage, has become a physical burden that makes even the act of creation difficult.
Adrienne Rich crafted this poem as a study in contrasts. The tigers are "topaz denizens of a world of green," vivid and alive, while Aunt Jennifer herself is diminished, her fingers "fluttering through her wool" in a gesture that suggests both nervousness and fragility. The wedding band sits "heavy" on her hand, and she is described as "mastered" by the ordeals she has endured. That word—mastered—carries the weight of subjugation, of a life lived under someone else's control.
NoteThe poem never tells us what Uncle has done, but the language of fear and weight makes the power imbalance unmistakable. The "ordeals" are left deliberately vague, allowing the poem to speak for many women in similar circumstances.
What makes the poem particularly poignant is its ending. Even when Aunt Jennifer is dead, "her terrified hands will lie / Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by." The fear doesn't end with death. But the tigers—her creation, her vision—will go on "prancing, proud and unafraid." The art survives; the courage she could only imagine in her needlework outlasts the life she was forced to live.
So what advice flows from this? The poem itself is a critique, not a prescription, but its implications are clear. Women like Aunt Jennifer need to recognize that the roles imposed on them—dutiful wife, silent sufferer—are not inevitable. The tigers she creates are proof that she can imagine freedom, and imagination is the first step toward change.
The advice would likely include:
- Seek your own voice and vision. Aunt Jennifer found hers in art; others might find it in work, education, or community. The act of creating something that is yours alone—something that expresses your true self—is an act of resistance.
- Recognize that fear and submission are not natural states. The poem shows how marriage has "mastered" Aunt Jennifer, but the tigers remind us that fearlessness is possible. The first step is naming the oppression. …
- CBSE 2025Set 1/4/11 markMCQQ.Aunt Jennifer is in a constant state of ______________. (nervousness/happiness) (Aunt Jennifer's Tigers)
›Reveal solutionSolution
Aunt Jennifer is in a constant state of nervousness, stemming from the oppressive nature of her marriage and the patriarchal society she inhabits, a condition starkly contrasted by the fearless tigers she creates in her art.
The poem "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" by Adrienne Rich delves into the themes of patriarchy, oppression, and the yearning for freedom through artistic expression. To understand Aunt Jennifer's constant state, we must examine her life as depicted in the poem, particularly the contrast between her personal reality and the vibrant world she creates. Her emotional state is not explicitly named as 'nervousness' or 'happiness' in the poem, but it is strongly implied through her actions, physical descriptions, and the symbolism used.
Here's why "nervousness" is the correct choice:
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Physical Manifestation of Fear and Subjugation: The poem describes Aunt Jennifer's "fingers fluttering through her wool," finding "the ivory needle hard to pull." This physical difficulty and trembling suggest a deep-seated anxiety and lack of strength, which is often associated with nervousness or fear. Her hands are explicitly called "terrified hands."
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The Weight of the Wedding Band: The line "The massive weight of Uncle's wedding band / Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer's hand" is highly symbolic. It's not just the physical weight of a ring; it represents the oppressive burden of her marriage and the patriarchal expectations placed upon her. This "massive weight" signifies a life of subjugation and fear, which would naturally lead to a state of constant nervousness rather than happiness.
ImportantThe "massive weight of Uncle's wedding band" is a central metaphor for the oppressive nature of Aunt Jennifer's marriage and the patriarchal control she experiences. It symbolizes not just a physical burden, but an emotional and psychological one. …
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- CBSE 2025Set 1/4/11 markMCQQ.Read the assertion and the reason below, with reference to the given extract. Assertion: Aunt Jennifer lives a life full of agony and pain. Reason: She is a victim of the male dominant society. (A) Both the assertion and the reason are true and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion. (B) Both the assertion and the reason are true, but the reason is not the correct explanation of the assertion. (C) The assertion is true, but the reason is false. (D) The assertion is false, but the reason is true. (Aunt Jennifer's Tigers)
›Reveal solutionSolution
The poem depicts Aunt Jennifer's oppressed life under patriarchal marriage; both her suffering and its cause (male dominance) are textually supported, making the reason the correct explanation of the assertion.
The question asks you to evaluate two claims about Adrienne Rich's poem Aunt Jennifer's Tigers and determine their relationship. This is a common assertion-reason format in literature exams, where you must judge not only whether each statement is true but also whether one genuinely explains the other.
Understanding the poem is essential here. Rich presents Aunt Jennifer through two contrasting images: the fearless tigers she embroiders, and her own trembling, constrained existence. The tigers are "prancing, proud and unafraid," moving through a world of certainty. Aunt Jennifer, by contrast, has hands so "terrified" and weighed down by "the massive weight of Uncle's wedding band" that even pulling the ivory needle is difficult. The final stanza is devastating—even in death, her hands will remain "ringed with ordeals she was mastered by," suggesting a life of subjugation that not even death can erase.
Now let's examine each statement:
Assertion: "Aunt Jennifer lives a life full of agony and pain."
The textual evidence is unambiguous. Her fingers are "fluttering through her wool," a word choice that conveys nervousness and fragility. The wedding band sits upon her hand with "massive weight"—not literal heaviness, but the psychological burden of marriage. The phrase "ringed with ordeals" directly names her suffering, and "mastered by" indicates domination. The contrast between the freedom of her artistic creation and her own trapped reality underscores her anguish. This assertion is true.
Reason: "She is a victim of the male dominant society." …
- CBSE 2025Set 1/4/11 markMCQQ.Choose the correct option: 'Tigers in the panel' symbolise (A) interest in wildlife. (B) Tigers in the green forest. (C) longing for freedom. (D) Tigers that are yellow in colour. (Aunt Jennifer's Tigers)
›Reveal solutionSolution
The poem "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" uses the image of tigers embroidered on a panel to symbolise the aunt's deep, unfulfilled longing for freedom — not a literal interest in wildlife or forest scenery. The correct option is (C).
The key to this question lies in understanding the contrast the poem draws. Aunt Jennifer is a timid, oppressed woman whose fingers are "fluttering" and weighed down by the "massive weight of Uncle's wedding band." Her reality is one of constraint and fear. The tigers she creates, however, are the exact opposite: they are "bright," "prancing," "proud," and "unafraid." They do not fear the men beneath the tree.
This contrast is the entire point. The tigers are not a hobby or a decorative choice. They are a fantasy of liberation. Aunt Jennifer cannot be bold or free in her own life, so she pours that suppressed desire into her art. The tigers represent everything she is not — and everything she longs to be.
Watch outA common mistake is to pick option (A) "interest in wildlife" because the poem mentions tigers in a forest. But the poem is not about wildlife conservation or a love of nature. It is a poem about marriage, oppression, and the quiet rebellion of the creative spirit. The tigers are a symbol, not a literal description.
Let's break down why each option fails or succeeds.
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Option (A): Interest in wildlife. This is too literal and shallow. The poem never discusses Aunt Jennifer's feelings about animals or forests. The tigers are a product of her needlework, not a safari. The poem's emotional weight is entirely about her personal struggle, not ecology.
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Option (B): Tigers in the green forest. This is a purely descriptive, surface-level reading. It describes the setting of the embroidery, not its meaning. The "green forest" is simply the background of the panel. The question asks what the tigers symbolise, not what they are physically depicted with.
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Option (C): Longing for freedom. This is the correct interpretation. The tigers are "proud and unafraid" — adjectives that directly contradict Aunt Jennifer's own "fingers fluttering" and her "terrified hands." The tigers do what she cannot: they "prance" and are "masterful." They are a wish-fulfillment image of the bold, fearless life she is denied. …
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- CBSE 2024Set 1/1/11 markMCQQ.Which of the following are reflected in the extract above? I. masculine world II. feminine world III. world of bold, fearless creatures IV. world of beautiful handicrafts (A) I, II and III (B) II, III and IV (C) III and IV (D) I, III and IV (Aunt Jennifer's Tigers)
›Reveal solutionSolution
The extract reflects the feminine world of Aunt Jennifer, the world of bold, fearless creatures (the tigers), and the world of beautiful handicrafts (her embroidery) — so the correct option is (B) II, III and IV.
Adrienne Rich's Aunt Jennifer's Tigers sets two worlds against each other, and the question asks which are actually reflected.
II. The feminine world is present in Aunt Jennifer herself. Her 'fluttering' fingers, her 'terrified hands' and the 'massive weight of Uncle's wedding band' evoke the constrained, oppressed world of a woman bound by marriage and social expectation. This is the human world of the poem.
III. The world of bold, fearless creatures is the world of the tigers she embroiders. They 'prance', are 'proud and unafraid', and 'do not fear the men beneath the tree'. Confident and free, they embody exactly the qualities Aunt Jennifer lacks.
IV. The world of beautiful handicrafts is present because the tigers exist as needlework — Aunt Jennifer's art. The very act of creating this decorative panel with her needle and wool places the poem in the world of fine handicraft. …
- CBSE 2024Set 1/1/11 markQ.State whether the given statement is True or False: The creator of the tigers was fearless and assertive like the tigers. (Aunt Jennifer's Tigers)
›Reveal solutionSolution
The statement is False. Aunt Jennifer, who created the embroidered tigers, is portrayed as timid and oppressed—the exact opposite of the fearless, assertive tigers she depicts.
The poem "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" by Adrienne Rich draws a sharp contrast between the artist and her art. Understanding this contrast is the key to answering the question.
Aunt Jennifer embroiders tigers that are "prancing, proud and unafraid"—they move with confidence through a green world, displaying the fearlessness and assertiveness the statement mentions. These tigers are her creation, yes, but they represent everything she is not in her own life.
The poem reveals Aunt Jennifer's reality through careful details:
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Her hands are weighed down: The "massive weight of Uncle's wedding band" sits heavily upon her hand, a physical symbol of the oppressive marriage that constrains her.
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She is terrified: The phrase "terrified hands" tells us directly that fear dominates her existence—she is not fearless.
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She struggles even with her art: Her fingers "fluttering through her wool" suggest nervousness and difficulty; even the act of creating these powerful tigers is a struggle for her. …
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- CBSE 2024Set 1/1/11 markMCQQ.The tigers beneath the tree are: (A) tamed (B) in a cage (C) fearless (D) kings of the jungle (Aunt Jennifer's Tigers)
›Reveal solutionSolution
The poem states that the tigers 'do not fear the men beneath the tree', so the tigers are fearless — the correct option is (C).
The question comes from Adrienne Rich's Aunt Jennifer's Tigers. The relevant lines are: 'They do not fear the men beneath the tree; / They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.' The phrase 'do not fear' is the direct clue — the tigers are unafraid even of the men beneath the tree, which is precisely what 'fearless' means. …
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