Aunt Jennifer's tigers class 12 NCERT solutions

Aunt Jennifer's tigers class 12 NCERT solutions : The poem Aunt Jennifer's tigers is a poem from class 12 NCERT English main text-book. Aunt Jennifer's tigers is composed by poet Adrienne Rich. Here you'll find Aunt Jennifer's tigers class 12 NCERT solutions.

Aunt Jennifer's tigers class 12 questions answers

Here you can find

Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Theme
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers central idea of the poem
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Summary in English
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Summary in Hindi
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers main points of the poem
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers textbook questions answers
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers extract questions answers
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers short questions answers
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers extra questions answers
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers important questions answers

Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Theme

The theme of the poem Aunt Jennifer's Tigers revolves around the desires and the depressingly harsh realities of Aunt Jennifer’s existence, using sharp contrasts between the tigers and herself.

The tigers appear to be in sharp contrast to her personality. The tiger’s actions are smooth, uninhibited and robust. Aunt Jennifer, on the other hand, has great trouble even to embroider because her movements are so weak.

Aunt Jennifer is evidently a lonely, pained old woman plagued by anxiety. The reason for her miserable plight is the oppressive patriarchal family system, wherein the whole soul of the family is the male and it is he, who dominates the scene. She creates an alternative world of freedom—a world that she yearns for.

Aunt Jennifer's tigers central idea of the poem

Write in brief the central idea of the poem.

In this poem the poet narrates the tale of an old woman Aunt Jennifer. She is a typical housewife. She is embroidering tigers on a frame. Aunt Jennifer has suffered all her life because of male-dominance.

The tigers she is embroidering are in fact symbol of her husband. They can also be seen as a symbol of a woman’s creative energy. The women give birth to men and the same men tyrannise women when they grow up.

The poet says that Aunt is crushed due to male chauvinism and it appears she won’t be free from the bondage of her household chores even after her death.

Aunt Jennifer's tigers Summary in English

In the poem ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ a woman expresses her suppressed feelings through her art. Aunt Jennifer is the victim of the male dominated society. She has no one to tell her mental and physical pain. She makes a picture to convey her deep feelings.

The poet describes the tigers which her aunt produced on the panel. They are set in motion. They are moving quickly by raising the front legs and jumping forwards on the back legs. In the green jungle they look free, bright, brave, fearless and magnificent.

There are men sitting under the tree, but the tigers do not. They move on to their goal boldly and smoothly. Jennifer finds it difficult to make pictures by using the ivory needle. She is tired of doing the household work after she got married. She can’t get herself involved in her artistic work. She has to do it in her leisure time.

Even then she has to be sure whether her husband is watching her or not. So her hands are terrified. She will not be free from fear until she dies. She will be dominated by her husband. She will die, but her art will express her desire to move proudly and fearlessly like the tigers she has made in the poem.

Aunt Jennifer's tigers summary in Hindi

कविता 'आंटी जेनिफर टाइगर्स' एक महिला ने अपनी कला के माध्यम से अपनी दबी हुई भावनाओं को व्यक्त किया है। आंटी जेनिफर पुरुष प्रधान समाज की शिकार हैं। उसे मानसिक और शारीरिक दर्द बताने वाला कोई नहीं है। वह अपनी गहरी भावनाओं को व्यक्त करने के लिए एक चित्र बनाती है।

कविबाघों का वर्णन करता है जो उसकी चाची ने पैनल पर निर्मित किए थे। वे गति में निर्धारित हैं। वे सामने के पैरों को उठाकर और पीछे के पैरों पर आगे की ओर कूदते हुए तेजी से आगे बढ़ रहे हैं। हरे भरे जंगल में वे स्वतंत्र, उज्ज्वल, बहादुर, निडर और शानदार दिखते हैं।

पेड़ के नीचे पुरुष बैठे हैं, लेकिन बाघ नहीं हैं। वे अपने लक्ष्य पर निर्भीकता और सहजता से आगे बढ़ते हैं। जेनिफर को हाथी दांत की सुई का इस्तेमाल करके चित्र बनाना मुश्किल लगता है। वह शादी करने के बाद घर का काम करने से थक गई है। वह खुद को अपने कलात्मक काम में शामिल नहीं कर सकती। उसे अपने फुरसत के समय में करना है।

तब भी उसे यह सुनिश्चित करना होगा कि उसका पति उसे देख रहा है या नहीं। तो उसके हाथ भयभीत हैं। वह तब तक भय से मुक्त नहीं होगी जब तक वह मर नहीं जाती। वह अपने पति पर हावी हो जाएगी। वह मर जाएगी, लेकिन उसकी कला उसे कविता में बनाए गए बाघों की तरह गर्व और निडरता से आगे बढ़ने की इच्छा व्यक्त करेगी।

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Aunt Jennifer's tigers main points of the poem

• The poet addresses the constraints of married life, experienced by a woman.

• Aunt Jennifer weaves tigers into the panel. These tigers are brave & have no fear of men.

• Aunt Jennifer is terrified by her dominating husband. Her finger flutters due to the mental suppression. She is not happy with her married life.

• She will die but her art will express her desire to move proudly and fearlessly like the tigers she has made.

Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers textbook questions answers

• Page No: 103

Before you Read

Q1. What does the title of the poem suggest to you ? Are you reminded of other poems on tigers ?

Ans: 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

• Page No: 104

Think it Out

Q1. How do 'denizens' and 'chivalric' add to our understanding of the tiger's attitudes ?

Ans: Like all beasts of prey, the tigers are the denizens of forest. They live far away from human settlements. They are called 'chivalric.' This indicates the majestic and honourable position that they occupy in the world of animals. So the use of the words 'denizens' and 'chivalric' adds to our understanding of the tigers' attitudes.

Q2. 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 ?

Ans: 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.

Q3. What is suggested by the image 'massive weight of Uncle's wedding band' ?

Ans: 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.

Q4. Of what or of whom is Aunt Jennifer terrified with in the third stanza ?

Ans: Even after death, Aunt would carry her fear of her domineering husband as she would yet bear the burden of the wedding band on her finger. The ordeals faced by her in an oppressive marriage would continue to terrify her.

Q5. 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 ?

Ans: 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.

Q6. 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 ?

Ans: The timid and fearful Aunt Jennifer creates an alternative world of free and fearless tigers to express her longing for freedom, a medium of escape from her grim marriage.

The ironical contrast underscores a warning by the poet against acceptance of subjugation by women as it crushes their dreams, individuality and a full life.

Q7. Interpret the symbols found in this poem.

Ans: Adrienne Rich’s ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers, is rich in symbolism. ‘The massive weight of wedding band’ symbolises ordeals, hardships and worries of married life. ‘Terrified hands’, and ‘ringed with ordeals’ also indicate those unpleasant experiences that are still clinging to Aunt Jennifer physically and mentally. ,

Q8. Do you sympathise with Aunt Jennifer ? What is the attitude of the speaker towards Aunt Jennifer ?

Ans: 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.

Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers extract questions answers

Read the stanzas given below and answer the questions that follow each:

1. 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.

Questions

(i) Name the poem and the poet of these lines.

(ii) What are Aunt Jennifer’s tigers doing ? How do they look like ?

(iii) Where do they live ? Are they fearless ? Give an example.

(iv) How do they pace ?

Ans:

(i) The poem is Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers. The poet is Adrienne Rich.

(ii) They are jumping across a screen or a wall. They look like shining yellow topaz.

(iii) They live in green forests. They are fearless. They don’t fear the men under the tree.

(iv) They run with a well-groomed, honourable confidence.

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.

Questions

(i)What were Aunt Jennifer’s fingers fluttering through ?

(ii)How was she pulling the needle ?

(iii)What was lying heavily ? Where ?

(iv)What was upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand ? How did it sit there ?

Ans:

(i) Aunt Jennifer’s fingers were fluttering through her wool.

(ii) She was finding even the ivory needle hard to pull.

(iii) The weight of Uncle’s wedding band was lying heavily on her hand.

(iv) There was uncle’s wedding band upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand. It sat heavily there.

3. When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie

Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by.

The tigers in the panel that she made

Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid.

Questions:

(i) Why are Aunt Jennifer’s hands called ‘terrified’’ ?

(ii) What are they still ringed with ?

(iii) Where did she make the tigers ?

(iv) What will happen to her tigers after her death ?

Ans:

(i) Her hands are called terrified because they passed through very hard and bitter experience of married life.

(ii) They are still ringed with those hard and testing difficulties which possessed her dining her life.

(iii) She made the tigers in the panel.

(iv) Her tigers will go on jumping ahead, proud and unafraid even after her death.

Aunt Jennifer's Tigers short questions answers

Q1. Why did Aunt Jennifer choose to embroider tigers on the panel ?

Ans: Aunt Jennifer chose to embroider tigers on the panel because for her, the tigers were the symbols of bravery, fearlessness and strength. Unlike her, they were not afraid of men around them.

Q2. How do the words, ‘denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ add to our understanding of Aunt Jennifer’s tigers ?

Ans: ‘Denizens’ means that the tigers inhabit a green world where they are free from any boundations. ‘Chivalric’ means that they are brave and courageous.

Q3. What do the symbols , ‘tigers’, ‘fingers’ and ‘ring’ stand for in the poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ ?

Ans: The ‘tigers’ are symbols of bravery and courage and also of Aunt Jennifer’s desire for freedom. The ‘fingers’ are symbol of fear experienced by Aunt Jennifer and ‘ring’ symbolises an oppressive and binding marriage.

Q4. How has Aunt Jennifer created her tigers ? What traits of tigers do they reveal ?

Ans: According to the poet, Aunt Jennifer’s tigers are golden-yellow in colour and are prancing across the screen. They live in a forest and are sleek, chivalric, majestic, elegant and unafraid of men.

Q5. Why has Aunt Jennifer made ‘prancing proud and unafraid’ tigers ?

Ans: Aunt Jennifer lived a fearful and restricted life. She expressed her desire of being free, unafraid and proud by knitting tigers that were ‘prancing, proud and unafraid’.

Q6. What will happen to Aunt Jennifer’s tigers when she is dead ?

Ans: The tigers created by Aunt Jennifer would live forever. They will keep on prancing proud and unafraid even after her death.

Q7. What kind of married life did Aunt Jennifer lead ?

Ans: Aunt Jennifer was confined to live inside her husband’s house and was not free to do what she wished. She was burdened with her marital responsibilities and led a traumatic married life.

Q8. What are the difficulties that Aunt Jennifer faced in her life ?

Ans: Aunt Jennifer was probably a victim of oppression at the hands of the patriarchal society. She was subjugated by her husband and was not free to do what she wished.

Q9. How are Aunt Jennifer’s tigers different from her ?

Ans: Aunt Jennifer’s tigers present a sharp contrast to her. While the Aunt is weak, meek, submissive and bound by restrictions, the tigers are strong, fearless, confident and free to move wherever they wish.

Q10. How does Aunt Jennifer express her bitterness and anger against male dominance ?

Ans: Aunt Jennifer expresses her bitterness and anger against male dominance silently through her art. She creates tigers on her tapestry; animals that are unafraid of men and are symbolic of bravery, fearlessness and strength.

Q11. What will happen to Aunt Jennifer’s tigers when she is dead ?

Ans: Aunt Jennifer's tigers will survive her. She has created the tigers in a panel. They are made of wool. These objects of art will survive their creator. The tigers will go on jumping, proud and unafraid.

Q12. What do the Tigers symbolize in Aunt Jennifer's Tigers ?

Ans: The tigers are the symbol of courage, honor, bravery and confidence. The massive weight of 'Uncle's wedding band' is a symbol of harsh and bitter experiences of Aunt Jennifer's married life.

Aunt Jennifer's Tigers extra questions answers

Q1. What do you learn about Aunt Jennifer’s tigers on reading the poem ?

Ans: Aunt Jennifer’s tigers were created in the panel by her own hands. They appeared to be prancing (jumping) across a screen. They looked sleek, they were bright like yellow topaz. They were majestic and courageous. They didn’t fear the men beneath the tree. They paced in ‘chivalric certainty’.

Q2. Why do you think Aunt Jennifer created animals that Die so different from her own character ? What might the poet be suggesting through this difference ?

Ans: Aunt Jennifer is a weak and terrified person who, all through her life, was suppressed by the constraints of marriage. The animals that she is creating in her panel are very different, as they are chivalric and do not fear men. They are a symbol of strength, fierceness and beauty. They represent Aunt Jennifer’s suppressed desire to become bold and fearless, and free from oppression. The poet wants to emphasise the spirit and desire for freedom which is innate in all human beings.

Q3. What difficulty does Aunt Jennifer face while making her tigers and why ?

Ans: Aunt Jennifer is making her tigers in the panels. She is using ivory needles. Her fingers are fluttering through the wool. She finds it difficult (hard) to pull even the ivory needles. The reason is obvious. The weight of unhappy and unfortunate experiences of her married life sits heavily on her hands.

Q4. What is the weight that lies heavy on Aunt Jennifer’s hand? Hou: is it associated with her husband?

Ans: Aunt Jennifer is working with ivory needles and wool. But she can’t move her fingers freely in the wool. She finds it hard to pull even the ivory needles easily. The experiences

of her past married life are quite bitter. She has unpleasant memories of her married life with her husband. The heavy weight of the wedding band sits heavily upon her hand.

Q5. How do the words, ‘denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ add to our understanding of Aunt Jennifer’s tigers ?

How do ‘denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ add to our understanding of the tiger’s attitudes ?

Ans: ‘Denizens’ denotes occupants or citizens and ‘chivalric’ points to fearlessness, honour, bravery and majesty. Tigers are very possessive about their territory. They live on their own terms and fear none, as they regard themselves superior in their own domain, The poet finds similarities between the propensity-of tigers and men.

Q6. What will happen to Aunt Jennifer’s tigers when she is dead ?

Ans: Aunt Jennifer’s tigers will survive her. She has created the tigers in a panel. They are made of wool. These objects of art will survive their creator. The tigers will go on jumping, proud and unafraid.

Q7. Describe the poetic devices used in the poem Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’.

Ans: Adrienne Rich’s Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ a beautiful short poem rich in symbolism and imagery. The mataphor ‘bright topaz’ depicts the shining yellow complexion of her tigers. The effective use of alliteration in ‘sleek, chivalric certainty’ describes the pace of the tigers effectively. ‘The massive weight of wedding band’ symbolises ordeals and hardships of Aunt Jennifer’s married fife. The images ‘terrified hands’ and ‘ringed with ordeal’ create the effect of oppression and terror as well as captivity.

Q8. How are Aunt Jennifer’s tigers different from her ?

How are the tigers different from her ?

Ans: Aunt Jennifer’s tigers are created by her on the tapestry. However, they present a sharp contrast to their creator. While the Aunt is weak, meek and submissive and is scared of expressing her feelings openly, the tigers are strong, fearless and confident. They are bold creatures and are scared of no one. The aunt is in bonded in matrimony and faces several restrictions. On the other hand, the tigers move about freely.

Q9.What lies heavily on Aunt Jennifer’s hand ? How is it associated with her husband ?

What is the weight that lies heavy on Aunt Jennifer’s hand ? How is it associated with her husband ?

Ans: The weight that lies heavy on Aunt Jennifer’s hand is the wedding band, which symbolises the weight of her married life. Probably, the weight has burdened her so much that she feels subjugated. Aunt Jennifer had a troubled married life with a dominating and oppressive husband.

Aunt Jennifer's Tigers important questions answers

Q1. What is Aunt Jennifer's Tigers about ?

Ans: The poem Aunt Jennifer's Tigers is about a women's desire of getting freedom and becoming fearless. The embroidery which aunt Jennifer made was tigers which shows her desire of becoming fearless and bold and also shows the dominating nature of male.

Q2. How will Aunt Jennifer’s hands look when she is dead ?

Ans: When Aunt Jennifer dies, her hands will still look terrified. Perhaps she has experienced a lot of hardships and troubles in the past. Their effect has left its print on her hands. The ordeals that crushed her married life had sorrounded and cramped her fingers and hands too.

Q3. What are the difficulties that Aunt Jennifer faced in her life ?

Ans: The fife of Aunt Jennifer was overburdened by the duties of her married life. Hardships and sufferings were the parts bf her married fife. She had to face oppression by her husband even though she was old and weak.

Q4. How does the poet describe Aunt Jennifer’s tigers ?

Describe the tigers created by Aunt Jennifer.

Ans: According to the poet, Aunt Jennifer’s tigers are golden-yellow in colour. He describes them as prancing across the screen. They are denizens of a world of green. The tigers are sleek, chivalric, majestic and elegant. Also, they are brave and fearless.

Q5. Why did Aunt Jennifer choose to embroider tigers on the panel ?

Ans: Aunt Jennifer chose to embroider tigers on the panel because for her, the tigers were the symbols of bravery, fearlessness and strength. These creatures are not afraid of the men around them. Her embroidering the tigers is perhaps an expression of her own bitterness and anger against male dominance.

Q6. How has Aunt Jennifer created her tigers ? What traits of tigers do they reveal !

Ans: Aunt Jennifer's tigers are her own creations. She works with wool and ivory needles. She has created them in the panel. They have all the traits of the beasts of prey who are denizens of green forests. They are well-built and well-groomed. They are chivalric and full of confidence.

Q7. What will happen to Aunt Jennifer’s tigers when she is dead ?

Ans: The tigers created by Aunt Jennifer are eternal. They will keep on prancing even after her death. She probably wants to convey that the tigers which represent the Aunt’s inner sense of freedom will stay forever.

Q8. What are the difficulties that Aunt Jennifer faced in her life ?

What are the ordeals that Aunt Jennifer faced in her life ?

Ans: Aunt Jennifer was a victim of oppression at the hands of the patriarchal society. She was subjugated by her husband and the weight of the wedding band i.e. her wedding ring, felt heavy on her hand. She was so terrified that her hands fluttered even when she carried something so light as wool.

Q9. How does Aunt Jennifer express her bitterness and anger against male dominance ?

Ans: Aunt Jennifer is too terrified to openly resist the oppression that she is victim of. She expresses her bitterness and anger against male dominance silently through her art. She creates tigers on her tapestry; animals that are symbolic of bravery, fearlessness and strength. Besides, she portrays these tigers as creatures unafraid of the men around them. The tigers she creates are wild and free from any kind of bondage.

Q10. How are Aunt Jennifer’s tigers different from her ?

Ans: Aunt Jennifer’s tigers are a picture of strength, beauty and certainty. They seem to be jumping across a screen. They “pace in sleek chivalric certainty”. They are confident and impressive. Aunt Jennifer is a weak, depressed and terrified person. Life has been a cup of woes for her. She is still in the grip of those ordeals and terrors that she faced and suffered from dining her married life. Her fingers are so ‘terrified’ that they find it hard to pull even the ivory needle. Thus, the contrast is amply highlighted.

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