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Q.Select the phrase that suggests the following: The oppressive nature of Aunt Jennifer's marriage. (Aunt Jennifer's Tigers)

CBSECBSE Class XII Board 2026Subjective· 1mImportance★★★★★
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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. …

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