CBSE Class 12 English Aunt Jennifers Tigers Worksheet Set A

Flamigo Poem - Aunt Jennifers Tigers

The poet is a feminist and at the centre of the poem. She addresses the difficulties of a married woman. The woman, Aunt Jennifer, is a nervous and fearful wife. She spends good amount of time in embroidering panel of tigers prancing across the screen. The tigers are fearless creatures pacing elegantly and majestically. They symbolize the spirit of freedom. Aunt is a victim of male chauvinism (male domination). She is so nervous that her fingers ‘flutter’ through the wool she is using in her tapestry or panel.

The poet portrays the marriage of Jennifer as an unhappy one for her. The “weight of Uncle’s wedding band “expresses how victimized, oppressed and dominated she is. It implies that aunt Jennifer has to work hard to meet his expectation.

She spends her life in fear but she embroiders on the panel the fearless tigers to express her secret longing for a life of freedom and confidence. Perhaps Aunt Jennifer uses art as an escape from her troubles. In her artwork she imagines the kind of life she would have liked. The creatures she places there are free and proud, just opposite to her. It seems that she  creates a happier looking world than the one she lives in. She makes precise and brightly coloured pictures like the sharp yellow tigers of the poem, pictured against a green background. These bright contrasting colours are probably much more vivid than her everyday world.

Her artistic work will live on after she dies, as, according to the poet, her tigers will ‘go on prancing’ The Aunt is terrified about the fact that when she would quit the world and when she would be lowered into the grave, she would still remain afraid of her husband and would carry the marks of torture in the form of wedding ring even in her grave. Even her death would not end the problem and torture which a married woman experiences.

• The poet is a feminist and she addresses the difficulties of a married woman.

• She spends good amount of time in embroidering panel of tigers prancing across the screen.

• The tigers are fearless creatures pacing elegantly and majestically. They symbolize the spirit of freedom. Aunt is a victim of male chauvinism (male domination).

• Aunt Jennifer is so oppressed and terrified that she finds it hard to pull the needle.

• The “weight of Uncle’s wedding band “expresses how victimized and oppressed she is. It implies that aunt Jennifer has to work hard to meet his expectation.

• She spends her life in fear but she embroiders on the panel the fearless tigers to express her secret longing for a life of freedom and confidence.

• Even her death does not end the problem and torture which a married woman experiences..

Comprehension
Stanza1
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.

Question. Name the poem of these lines.
(a) Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers
(b) Keeping Quiet
(c) A Thing of Beauty
(d) A Road Side Stand

Answer : A

Question. Who is the poet of these lines?
(a) John Keats
(b) Adrienne Rich
(c) Robert Frost
(d) Pablo Neruda

Answer : B

Question. What are Aunt Jennifer’s tigers doing?
(a) hunting in the forest
(b) sleeping in the forest
(c) prancing across the screen
(d) both (a) & (b)

Answer : C

Question. How do they look like?
(a) bright denizens of a world of green
(b) dull denizens of a world of green
(c) fearful
(d) cowardice

Answer : A

Question. Where are the tigers?
(a) on the pond
b) near the lake
(c) near the village
(d) embroidered on a screen

Answer : D

Question. Are they fearless?
(a) Yes
(b) No
(c) May be
(d) Not mention

Answer : A

Question. How do they pace?
(a) cowardly
(b) blindly
(c) in sleek chivalric certainty
(d) slowly

Answer : C

Question. What are the tigers not afraid of?
(a) the tigers are not afraid of Lions
(b) the tigers are not afraid of Cows
(c) the tigers are not afraid of men
(d) the tigers are not afraid of women

Answer : C

Question. The word ‘chivalric’ in the context means.
(a) timid
(b) arrogant
(c) honourable and brave
(d) malicious

Answer : C

Question. The rhyme scheme of this stanza is.
(a) aabb
(b) abab
(c) abc
(d) a

Answer : A

Stanza 2
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.

Question. ’Massive’ means
(a) high
(b) huge
(c) minimum
(d) small

Answer : B

Question. Which literary device is used in the line – ‘Aunt Jennifer’s fingers fluttering through her wool’?
(a) metaphor
(b)simile
(c) alliteration
(d) all of these

Answer : C

Question.What does the line ‘The massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band’ imply?
(a) the ring is very heavy
(b) the responsibilities of marriage are too many
(c) both A & B
(d) none of these

Answer : B

Question. Why is she finding the needle so hard to pull?
(a) because of weak fingers
(b)because it is heavy
(c) because of her fears
(d) because it is made of ivory

Answer : C

Question. What does wedding ring represent?
(a) beauty
(b) expenses
(c) unnecessary pressures of her dominant husband and responsibilities of married life
(d) none

Answer : C

Question. How does Aunt Jennifer seem to be?
(a) old and weak
(b) old and strong
(c) young and weak
(d) young and strong

Answer : A

Question. What short of person does uncle appear to be?
(a) loving
(b) careful
(c) timid
(d) dominating

Answer : D

Short Answer Type Questions

Question: What does the title of the poem suggest to you? Are you reminded of other poems on tigers?
Answer : The title, "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers", suggests that the poem is about Aunt Jennifer's knitted tigers that, with their chivalric, ferocious, bright and carefree attitude, become an alternate world of her creation. The tigers are the only means of free expression in her life, which is otherwise burdened by fear and struggles of the married life. There are many other poems written about tigers, some of which are given below. "The Tiger" by William Blake "Tiger" by Alec Derwent Hope "Tiger Drinking at Forest Pool" by Ruth Padel (A model answer has been provided for students' reference. It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own.)

Question: What ideology does Aunt Jennifer’s poem propound?
Answer : The poem ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ is critical of the male world. It criticises the male society for terrifying and oppressing women likes of ‘Aunt Jennifer’.

Question: What is suggested by the image 'massive weight of Uncle's wedding band'?
Answer : The 'wedding band' that the poet talks about was the wedding ring worn by Aunt Jennifer. The image 'massive weight of Uncle's wedding band' suggests that she was overburdened with duties and responsibilities, post her marriage.

Question: What do you mean by the certainty that the tigers possess?
Answer : The tigers used to fear the men. But once they were made by Aunt Jennifer, they learnt courage. In their new birth, these tigers feel at ease and confident. Now they do not have to run away from anyone. They move slowly. They run ferociously

Question: 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?
Answer : In creating animals that are different from her own character, Aunt Jennifer found a means of living an alternate life that is denied to her: a life that is proud, free, fearless and sure of itself. The tigers denote her yearning for power, freedom and fearless living. Through this difference, the poet may be indicating the prejudices of the patriarchal society that is unfair to females, especially the married ones. (A model answer has been provided for students' reference. It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own.)

Question: What is the weight that lies heavy on Aunt Jennifer’s hand? How is it associated with her husband?
Answer : Aunt Jennifer had a troubled married life with a domineering and oppressing husband. She tries to find refuge in art to fight these demons, but even here there is no respite. This makes her hand quiver so much that when she find it hard to knit.

Question: Do you sympathise with Aunt Jennifer? What is the attitude of the speaker towards Aunt Jennifer?
Answer : Yes, the character of Aunt Jennifer wins our sympathy as a reader. Her ordeals and sufferings move the reader. Even the speaker in the poem shows sympathy and pity towards her. The speaker says that even after Aunt Jennifer's death, she will be terrified of her husband and the ordeals of her marriage

Question:  What picture of male chauvinism (tyranny) do we find in the poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’?
Answer : It shows constraints that a married woman experiences. Uncle’s wedding band on Aunt Jennifer’s hand symbolizes oppressive band of patriarchal society. Aunt Jennifer is forced to live in accordance with rules laid down by her husband. She does not have any freedom.

Question: How do 'denizens' and 'chivalric' add to our understandingof the tiger's attitudes?
Answer : Animals naturalised in a region or the inhabitants of a particular region are called denizens. Since the natural habitat of the tigers is forest, the poet has correctly defined it as 'denizens of a world of green'. Tigers are characteristically masters of their own domain. The poet also refers to the tiger as being 'chivalric'. The exceptional heroic courage when facing danger is termed as chivalry. To explain this, the poet goes on to say that the tigers were not afraid of the men standing under a tree and went on prancing with 'certainty'. Since tigers are brave, ferocious and gallant creatures, the poet has used the term 'chivalric'.

Question: How has Aunt Jennifer created her tigers? What traits of tigers do they reveal?
Answer : Aunt Jennifer has embroidered the tigers on a panel with an ivory needle and wool. The tigers that she has created are wild and free. Bright golden yellow denizens of the green forest. They are fearless and bold, jumping around with confidence, totally opposed to her own character.

Question: 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?
Answer : Aunt Jennifer has been living her life in accordance with the rules laid down by her husband. Her life lacks expression and is overburdened by the demands and duties of her married life. Although old and weak, she still has to face oppression by her husband. These are the ordeals that the poet talks about. The use of word 'ringed', in the poem, is significant and appropriate because it correctly represents the vicious circle from which Aunt Jennifer is unable to free herself. The word 'ringed' not only indicates that she is wearing her wedding ring but also that she is bound by the responsibilities, fear and oppression of her marriage for entire life and, probably, after it too.

Question: How does the poet describe Aunt Jennifer’s tigers?
Answer : The poet describes Aunt Jennifer’s tigers as ‘bright topaz denizens’ of the forest. They are fearless. They pace in ‘sleek’ chivalry.

Question: 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?
Answer : Aunt Jennifer's hands are 'fluttering through her wool' because she is an old lady on whom age has taken its toll. The fluttering of Aunt Jennifer's fingers also signifies her oppressed mental condition which makes it difficult for her to even pull an ivory needle while embroidering.

Question: How are the tigers different from her? 
Answer : The tigers of Aunt Jennifer were quite different from her. In fact they are exactly opposite of her oppressed, submissive personality. The tigers are a symbol of strength, fierceness and beauty.

Question: Of what or of whom is Aunt Jennifer terrified with in the third stanza?
Answer : Aunt Jennifer is, probably, terrified of the oppression of her chauvinist husband. She lives her life under constant pressure of duties and responsibilities of a married lady. The image of the wedding ring, even after her death, suggests that there is no escape whatsoever from the conventions of her marriage and that she had to succumb to them.

Question: What will happen to Aunt Jennifer’s tigers when she is dead?
Answer : The tigers created by Aunt Jennifer are eternal. They will keep on prancing even after her death. These tigers are born out of her imagination in response to the oppression she goes through in the patriarchal society.

Question: Interpret the symbols found in this poem.
Answer : The poet has expressed his views and concerns in the poem through a number of symbols. These include tigers, the men, a screen and, the most importantly, a ring. Aunt Jennifer has created tigers on a screen. These tigers symbolise Aunt Jennifer's silent yearning for a life of freedom and power. The screen on which she knitted the tigers may represent the world in general. The men beneath the tree may represent people like her husband. She makes her tigers fearless, proud and free to prance about the screen or the world. The symbol of the heavy wedding ring she wore on her finger represents the ordeals and burdens of her married life which caged her in a vicious circle that, the poet indicates, will continue even in her death just as in her life. (A model answer has been provided for students' reference. It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own.)