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Summary of Aunt Jennifer's Tigers - Adrienne Rich

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AUNT JENNIFER’S TIGERS
                                                – Adrienne Rich

In the poem, Aunt Jennifer knits an alternate world for herself, which is free from the patriarchal constraints of her real life. She is knitting a green forest with prancing tigers, embroidered in bright yellow colour. The fearless, ferocious and gallant tigers seem unaffected by the presence of the men standing beneath a tree.
Aunt Jennifer, who had grown quite old and weak, struggles with her needle and wool to create the scenes. The trembling of her fingers indicates her oppressed, timid and terrified mental condition. Her fingers are burdened by the ‘massive’ weight of her wedding ring that makes it difficult for her to even pull the ivory needle. The reference to the weight of her wedding ring indicates the obligations and ordeals of her married life.
Even death shall not be able to free her from the shackles of her oppressive marriage. However, the tigers created by her will still prance with pride and fearlessness. The poem builds up a sharp contrast between the terrified life of Aunt Jennifer and the fearless prancing of the tigers created by her, as an expression of what is lacking in her life.
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  1. Unknown11 December, 2018

    Please use familiar words to understand easily. Thanks for your good job

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unknown28 December, 2018

    Thanks for using such words its really useful

    ReplyDelete

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