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AUNT JENNIFER’S TIGERS: ADRIENNE RICH:

ABOUT THE POET

 Adrienne Cecile Rich (1929 – 2012)

 American poet, essayist and feminist.

 One of the most widely read and influenced poets of the second half of the 20th century.

 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.

FIRST STANZA
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.

The poet is describing a lady whom she addresses as Aunt Jennifer. She says that Aunt Jennifer
is doing embroidery on a piece of cloth which could be a table cloth or a wall hanging. She has
designed it with beautiful tigers which are running fearlessly in the green forest. She has
described their beauty by comparing them with a precious yellow stone known as topaz. She
says that they appear bright yellow in the green backdrop of the forest. They are fearless and
they are not affected by the presence of men. Here we can sense the contrast of behavior
between the tigers and aunt, though the tigers designed by her are fearless but she herself is
afraid of her husband. Further, the poet says that the tigers are proud and fearless citizens of
the forests. They are very shiny and elegant.
Literary Devices

Rhyme scheme: aabb

Metaphor: Use of topaz to describe the yellow color of tigers (Bright topaz)

SECOND STANZA
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.

Here the poet describes the fear of Aunt Jennifer towards her husband. She says that while
she is doing embroidery, her fingers are quivering (shaking) with fear of her
husband. Therefore, she trembles while she is embroidering the piece of cloth. It has become
difficult for her to pull her needle up and down. Then she describes the wedding ring which
was given by uncle to Aunt Jennifer on their wedding day. She says that it is a kind of burden
for her to wear this ring. She has been tortured by her husband so much that the wedding