Aunt Jennifer's Tigers, Interpretation & Analysis, Questions & Answers

POEM: 6

Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers                                                          Adrienne Rich

INTERPRETATION & ANALYSIS The poem addresses the constraints of married life, a woman experiences. In this patriarchal society woman has always played the second fiddle. Men have always treated them high-handedly. In this free world they always remain bound and oppressed. Aunt Jennifer is making tigers on a panel. They appear to be moving about in a jumping manner. They are yellowish brown like a topaz and they live in the green world of forest just as women live in the four walls of a house. But there are more of dissimilarities. Unlike women, the tigers are not afraid of men. They move about in an elegant and brave manner, full of certainty. But women do not enjoy these pleasures. Aunt Jennifer’s fingers quiver when she works on the panel and she finds it hard to pull out even the ivory needle. It’s the fear of the society that she is afraid to express her desire even in the form of art. It is because of the rituals and responsibilities of the wedded life. Marriage puts an end to all the desires and dreams of women and they remain bound within the limits of a house and family. The poet says that perhaps even death won’t be able to free her from all the difficult experiences she underwent all through her married life. Her ringed hands will be a proof of all the rings, she was bound with viz. the ring of husbands domination, the ring of rituals and responsibilities of a wedded life and the ring of society. Perhaps, aunt Jennifer won’t be able to realize her dreams but the tigers on the panel will go on conveying her message to the society that women also desire a life like those of tigers- prancing, proud and fearless.

GLOSSARY

Topaz                          -           A yellowish brown gemstone

Denizens                     -           Inhabitant, Resident

Pace                             -           Stride, Walk

Chivalric                      -           Brave, Courageous

Ordeals                        -           Hardship, Difficult experience

Sleek                           -           Elegant, Stylish

Prance                         -           Strut, To walk in a lively fashion

            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.

1.         What are aunt Jennifer’s tigers doing?

Ans:    They are prancing across the screen.

2.         What does the use of ‘topaz’ signify?

Ans:    ‘Topaz’ is a stone which is of yellowish brown colour and tigers are of the same colour.

3.         Who do not fear the men beneath the tree? Why?

Ans:    The tigers do not fear the men beneath the tree because they are fearless creatures.

            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.

1.         Why do aunt Jennifer’s fingers flutter?

Ans:    Aunt Jennifer’s fingers flutter because she is afraid of the society and people that how they would react to the expression of her desires in the form of tigers.

2.         Why does she find the ivory needle hard to pull?

Ans:    It is not the physical weakness rather mental weakness. She is afraid that her expression in the form of tigers will be negatively reacted by the people.

3.         What is the wedding band suggestive of?

Ans:    The wedding band is suggestive of male dominated wedded life. Aunt Jennifer had to undergo a very pitiable oppressive life after her marriage.

            When aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie

            Still ringed with the ordeals she was mastered by

            The tigers in the panel that she made

            Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid.

1.         What does ordeal here refer to?

Ans:    Ordeal here refers to the torturous and oppressive life she had to undergo after her marriage.

2.         Why will her hands be ringed even after her death?

Ans:    Her hands will be ringed even after her death because there are rituals to be performed even after death. A woman is not free even after her death.

3.         What will happen to the tigers after her death?

Ans:    The tigers will go on conveying her message to the society that women also want a life like those of tigers- fearless, brave, full of certainty, pride and elegance.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1.         What are aunt Jennifer’s tigers doing? What does the word ‘denizen’ imply?

Ans:    Aunt Jennifer’s tigers are jumping on the panel. The word ‘denizen’ means residents of a particular area.

2.         What is the similarity between aunt Jennifer and the tigers?

Ans:    Both of them have a specific habitat. The tigers live in the forest and women live in the four walls of a house.

3.         What is the difference between the tigers and aunt Jennifer?

Ans:    The tigers do not fear men; they move about in an elegant manner; they are brave and there is certainty in their lives whereas women are afraid of men and society and they do not enjoy the pleasure of certainty as they are not the decision-makers nor are they involved in the decision making process.

4.         Why does aunt Jennifer’s fingers flutter?

OR

            Why does aunt Jennifer find even the ivory needle hard to pull?

Ans:    Aunt Jennifer’s fingers flutter because she is afraid to express her desire of free and fearful life like those of tigers. She fears the criticism of the society.

5.         What does the poet mean by ‘bright topaz denizens’?

Ans:    The poet compares the tigers with topaz as the topaz is a stone of yellowish brown colourand the tigers also have the same colour. Moreover, ‘denizens’ mean residents of a particular area and the tigers are the denizens of forest.

6.         “The massive weight of uncle’s wedding band/ sits heavily upon her hand.” Explain.

Ans:    It says that after marriage a woman’s life undergoes radical changes. She has to follow certain traditions. Her individuality is curbed and there come lots of responsibilities upon her.

7.         “Her terrified hands will still lie ringed.” Explain. What can be the possible meanings of ‘ring’?

Ans:    The poet here means that perhaps even death won’t be able to free her from the bonds. She won’t be able to realize her dreams of freedom through death because the rituals will still keep her ringed and her terrified hands will tell the story of her suffering. The possible meanings of ring are- the ring of husband’s domination, the ring of rituals and traditions and the ring of society.

8.         Why are Aunt Jennifer’s hands called ‘terrified’?

Ans:    Aunt Jennifer has led a much suppressed life and probably has faced a lot of hardships and difficulties. Her hands are terrified due to the fear she felt in her life fromher dominating husband, family and the society.

9.         What is the theme of the poem?

Ans:    The poem very subtly brings out the fact of patriarchal dominance in human societies and  that women have been so much oppressed for ages that even the expression of desire in the   form of art is fearful. The image of tiger strongly supports the idea.

10.       What do the tigers embroidered by Aunt Jennifer on the panel signify?

Ans:    The tigers on the panel signify carefreeness, lack of fear and self-assurance as compared to Aunt Jennifer who is a victim of a male dominated society. The tigers are depicted in sharp contrast to Aunt’s own predicament. 

11.       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:    The ‘ordeals’ that surround Aunt Jennifer are the hardships and the oppression at the hands of a male dominated society.

12.       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:    Aunt Jennifer has created so different animals to suggest how animals enjoy a carefree and fearless life where women, despite being human in all rights, do not have those pleasures. The poet might be suggesting that women also desire pride, freedom, fearlessness and certainty in their lives.

13.       What does the poetess suggest by saying that the tigers that she has embroidered will forever go on prancing proudly?

Ans:    The poetess strongly feels that even when Aunt Jennifer is no more, her tigers will continue to live on the panel. The work of art will continue to be an expression of Aunt Jennifer’s desire of pride, fearlessness and certainty in women’s life.

PREVIOUS YEARS' QUESTIONS

(2017)    Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

              Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers prance across a screen

              Bright topaz denizens of the world of green

              They do not fear the men beneath the tree

              They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.

(a)          Why are the tigers called aunt Jennifer’s tigers?

(b)          How are they described here?

(c)          How are they different from aunt Jennifer?

(d)          What does the word ‘chivalric’ mean?

(2016)    What picture of male chauvinism do we find in the poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’?

(2015)    How are aunt Jennifer’s tigers different from her?

             

(2014)    How are Aunt Jennifer's tigers different from her ?                                                  [2 Marks]

(2013)    What lies heavily on Aunt Jennifer's hand ? How is it associated with her husband?                                                                                                                                                   [2 Marks]

(2012)    Why did Aunt Jennifer choose to embroider tigers on the panel?                            [2 Marks]

(2010)    What will happen Aunt Jennifer's tigers when she is dead?                                      [2 Marks]

(2009)    Why did Aunt Jennifer choose to embroider tigers on the panel?                            [2 Marks]

(2008)    How does the poet describe Aunt Jennifer's tigers?                                                  [2 Marks]

POEM: 5

The Roadside Stand                                                                 Robert Frost

INTERPRETATION & ANALYSIS In this poem Frost presents the lives of poor deprived people with pitiless clarity and with the deepest sympathy and humanity.  The poet says that sub-urban people wish to get some city money but they don’t. The politicians befool them making fake promises. It seems that only death can provide them relief. The poet says that the roadside people append a shed to their houses near the road. It seems to be pleading to the passers-by. But they don’t expect any alms. They have self-esteem and they want the passers-by to purchase something from them so that they can have some money. This is the only way for them to survive. But the so-called refined people don’t caste even a glance at them and if, by chance, they do, it is not to purchase anything from them but because they get upset that the poor people have spoiled the beauty of nature with their wrongly painted sign-boards, sitting for selling squash or berries in wooden containers or they pause to enjoy the beauty of landscape. The poor people are ruffled by this attitude of the city people and they feel that even after having money if they want to be so cheap, they can keep their money. The poet says, he doesn’t complain of the scenery spoiled by them rather he is more concerned about their sorrow which lies in their heart. They make their stand in the hope of getting some city money thinking they would also be able to have a better life as shown in the movies which the party in power promised but didn’t fulfill.There is a rumour that all such people will be rehabilitated in some village and provided with all the facilities like theatre and store. They are convinced that there they won’t have to think about anything and everything would be showered upon them. The greedy people hover over them showing them to be their well-wishers but whatever they do, they do it to befool and trap them. Thus they assure the poor of an easy and cozy life but they snatch away all their ease and comfort.

Frost feels it intolerable when he finds the poor suburban people longing uselessly for the passers-by to stop and enquire about the prices of the things that they have. The sadness lingering on their faces praying all day to hear a squeal of brakes pains the poet. Though the passers-by do stop yet it is not to purchase anything from them but just to take a turn or to ask where the road is bound for or to ask for a gallon of gas. This irritates them who wait for the passers-by with a lot of hope. In the last stanza the poet says that it is quite difficult for the poor sub-urban people to have a prosperous life without any flow of money from the city people because the country money revolving in the country cannot uplift their lives and without prosperity there cannot be any enthusiasm in life. The poet feels that perhaps only death can relieve them from their grief but when in his senses, he feels that he would like them to tell him that they are now out of pain and this in turn would relieve all the pain of the poet.

GLOSSARY

Pathetically                              -           Pitiably, Miserably

Polished                                   -           Refined, Sophisticated

Squash                                     -           A vegetable

Warts                                       -           Growth, Tumour

Quarts                                      -           Bottles, Containers

Swarm                                     -           Flood, Flock

Beneficent                               -           Kind, Charitable

Prey                                         -           An animal hunted for food, Victim

Soothe                                     -           Comfort, Placate

Lurks                                       -           Hang around, Sneak

Squeal                                     -           Screech, Scream

Plow up                                   -           Pull up

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1.         What do you understand by “polished traffic”?

Ans:     “Polished traffic” here refers to the city folk who think of themselves as refined people and the country dwellers as ignorant fools.

2.         What is meant by ‘out of sorts’? Why do the people in the cars feel ‘out of sorts’?

Ans:    ‘Out of sorts’ means to feel unhappy or annoyed. The people in the cars feel out of sorts because they do not like the badly painted sign boards and the people sitting with their wooden containers appear to be spoiling the beauty of landscape.

3.         What is up for sale in the roadside stand?

Ans:   The people are selling wild berries in wooden containers and crook-necked golden squash with silver warts.

4.         Why do the owners of the shed feel a sense of outrage?

Ans:   The owners of the shed feel a sense of outrage because the city folk are only critical; they don’t understand their difficult situation and when it comes to spending money, they go ahead with their head held high without purchasing anything.

5.         What is the plea of the folks at the roadside stand?

Ans:  The rural folks seem to be requesting the passers-by to stop at their stand and purchase something from them so that they can also have some city money in their hands to improve their lives.

6.         What is the ‘childish longing’ that the poet refers to? Why is it ‘vain’?

Ans:    The ‘childish longing’ that the poet refers to is the strong desire of the rural folks that the passers-by should stop at their stand and purchase something from them so that they can also have a flow of money. It is in vain because the city folk don’t stop and even if they stop it is not to purchase anything from them but to ask the route or gas or pull up the grass.

7.         Where is the roadside stand built and why?

Ans:    The roadside stand is built by the rural folk on the side of the road with a shed appended to their house. It is built to attract the passers-by with the hope of getting some city money by selling fruits and vegetables.

8.         Who is ‘the flower of cities’? Why have they been referred so?

Ans:   The countryside people have been referred to as ‘the flower of cities’. They have been referred so because their lives are dependent on the city money. They live on the roadsides and their prosperity and hardships depends on the money they get from the passers-by.

9.         ‘The hurt to the scenery wouldn’t be my complaint’, says Robert Frost. What is his real complaint?

Ans:   The real complaint of the poet is the sorrows and sufferings of the rural folks. The distastefully painted and wrongly turned signboards do not bother him. He is more worried about the pitiable condition of the poor people who long for city money. 

10.       What is the news being spread around?

Ans:   The news is that the poor countryside people will be evicted from the place where they are living and will be rehabilitated in some village. They will be provided the facilities such as- theatre and store. All their problems will be solved and they will not have to think about anything.

11.       Who will soothe the rural poor ‘out of their wits’ and how?

Ans:    The greedy people who pose themselves to be the well-wishers and beneficent will soothe the rural poor ‘out of their wits’. They will hover over them showering all the benefits to convince them that they mean well for them. But ultimately they will make a fool of them.

12.      What will be a great relief to the poet? How can the problems of the rural poor be solved?

Ans:    The poet, Robert Frost seems to be worried at the plight of the poor people. It will be a great relief to him if the people are relieved of their pain and suffering at one stroke. Their miserable living is no better than death. The poet wants an immediate end to their suffering.

13.       What would not be fair to say?

Ans:    It would not be fair to say that the poor countryside people demand some alms. They have self-respect and they only want the passers-by to purchase something from them.

14.       Who does the poet accuse of having double standards?

Ans:    The poet accuses the politicians and welfare organizations of having double standards. They show themselves to be the well-wishers of the poor. But they serve their own interests using the poor.

15.       Name the poetic device used in ‘greedy good doers, beneficent beasts of prey’.

Ans:    The poet has used oxymoron in these phrases. The word pairs having contrasting meaning are called oxymoron.

16.       Name the poetic device in “the flower of cities.”

Ans:    The poetic device used in this phrase is metaphor. The poet has made a direct comparison between the countryside people and the flower of cities.

17.       What is implied by ‘teaching them how to sleep they sleep all day’?

Ans:    The poet means that the greedy politicians befool the poor countryside people. They shower benefits upon the poor people and convince them that they won’t have to worry anymore and all their problems will be taken care for. But as soon as they show faith, they are trapped.

18.       “Destroy their sleep the ancient way” Explain.     

Ans:    The greedy politicians take the poor into confidence and convince them that they don’t     have to worry anymore and all their needs will be taken care of. When they are convinced, they start exploiting them.

Everyone Sang by Siegefried Sasoon (English Version)

Changes in English Curriculum CBSE (2019 2020)

The Roadside Stand by Robert Frost, Interpretation & Analysis, Qustions & Answers

POEM: 5

The Roadside Stand                                                                 Robert Frost

INTERPRETATION & ANALYSIS In this poem Frost presents the lives of poor deprived people with pitiless clarity and with the deepest sympathy and humanity.  The poet says that sub-urban people wish to get some city money but they don’t. The politicians befool them making fake promises. It seems that only death can provide them relief. The poet says that the roadside people append a shed to their houses near the road. It seems to be pleading to the passers-by. But they don’t expect any alms. They have self-esteem and they want the passers-by to purchase something from them so that they can have some money. This is the only way for them to survive. But the so-called refined people don’t caste even a glance at them and if, by chance, they do, it is not to purchase anything from them but because they get upset that the poor people have spoiled the beauty of nature with their wrongly painted sign-boards, sitting for selling squash or berries in wooden containers or they pause to enjoy the beauty of landscape. The poor people are ruffled by this attitude of the city people and they feel that even after having money if they want to be so cheap, they can keep their money. The poet says, he doesn’t complain of the scenery spoiled by them rather he is more concerned about their sorrow which lies in their heart. They make their stand in the hope of getting some city money thinking they would also be able to have a better life as shown in the movies which the party in power promised but didn’t fulfill.There is a rumour that all such people will be rehabilitated in some village and provided with all the facilities like theatre and store. They are convinced that there they won’t have to think about anything and everything would be showered upon them. The greedy people hover over them showing them to be their well-wishers but whatever they do, they do it to befool and trap them. Thus they assure the poor of an easy and cozy life but they snatch away all their ease and comfort.

Frost feels it intolerable when he finds the poor suburban people longing uselessly for the passers-by to stop and enquire about the prices of the things that they have. The sadness lingering on their faces praying all day to hear a squeal of brakes pains the poet. Though the passers-by do stop yet it is not to purchase anything from them but just to take a turn or to ask where the road is bound for or to ask for a gallon of gas. This irritates them who wait for the passers-by with a lot of hope. In the last stanza the poet says that it is quite difficult for the poor sub-urban people to have a prosperous life without any flow of money from the city people because the country money revolving in the country cannot uplift their lives and without prosperity there cannot be any enthusiasm in life. The poet feels that perhaps only death can relieve them from their grief but when in his senses, he feels that he would like them to tell him that they are now out of pain and this in turn would relieve all the pain of the poet.

GLOSSARY

Pathetically                              -           Pitiably, Miserably

Polished                                   -           Refined, Sophisticated

Squash                                     -           A vegetable

Warts                                       -           Growth, Tumour

Quarts                                      -           Bottles, Containers

Swarm                                     -           Flood, Flock

Beneficent                               -           Kind, Charitable

Prey                                         -           An animal hunted for food, Victim

Soothe                                     -           Comfort, Placate

Lurks                                       -           Hang around, Sneak

Squeal                                     -           Screech, Scream

Plow up                                   -           Pull up

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1.         What do you understand by “polished traffic”?

Ans:     “Polished traffic” here refers to the city folk who think of themselves as refined people and the country dwellers as ignorant fools.

2.         What is meant by ‘out of sorts’? Why do the people in the cars feel ‘out of sorts’?

Ans:    ‘Out of sorts’ means to feel unhappy or annoyed. The people in the cars feel out of sorts because they do not like the badly painted sign boards and the people sitting with their wooden containers appear to be spoiling the beauty of landscape.

3.         What is up for sale in the roadside stand?

Ans:    The people are selling wild berries in wooden containers and crook-necked golden squash with silver warts.

4.         Why do the owners of the shed feel a sense of outrage?

Ans:   The owners of the shed feel a sense of outrage because the city folk are only critical; they don’t understand their difficult situation and when it comes to spending money, they go ahead with their head held high without purchasing anything.

5.         What is the plea of the folks at the roadside stand?

Ans:   The rural folks seem to be requesting the passers-by to stop at their stand and purchase something from them so that they can also have some city money in their hands to improve their lives.

6.         What is the ‘childish longing’ that the poet refers to? Why is it ‘vain’?

Ans:   The ‘childish longing’ that the poet refers to is the strong desire of the rural folks that the passers-by should stop at their stand and purchase something from them so that they can also have a flow of money. It is in vain because the city folk don’t stop and even if they stop it is not to purchase anything from them but to ask the route or gas or pull up the grass.

7.         Where is the roadside stand built and why?

Ans:    The roadside stand is built by the rural folk on the side of the road with a shed appended to their house. It is built to attract the passers-by with the hope of getting some city money by selling fruits and vegetables.

8.         Who is ‘the flower of cities’? Why have they been referred so?

Ans:    The countryside people have been referred to as ‘the flower of cities’. They have been referred so because their lives are dependent on the city money. They live on the roadsides and their prosperity and hardships depends on the money they get from the passers-by.

9.         ‘The hurt to the scenery wouldn’t be my complaint’, says Robert Frost. What is his real complaint?

Ans:    The real complaint of the poet is the sorrows and sufferings of the rural folks. The distastefully painted and wrongly turned signboards do not bother him. He is more worried about the pitiable condition of the poor people who long for city money. 

10.       What is the news being spread around?

Ans:   The news is that the poor countryside people will be evicted from the place where they are living and will be rehabilitated in some village. They will be provided the facilities such as- theatre and store. All their problems will be solved and they will not have to think about anything.

11.       Who will soothe the rural poor ‘out of their wits’ and how?

Ans:    The greedy people who pose themselves to be the well-wishers and beneficent will soothe the rural poor ‘out of their wits’. They will hover over them showering all the benefits to convince them that they mean well for them. But ultimately they will make a fool of them.

12.      What will be a great relief to the poet? How can the problems of the rural poor be solved?

Ans:    The poet, Robert Frost seems to be worried at the plight of the poor people. It will be a great relief to him if the people are relieved of their pain and suffering at one stroke. Their miserable living is no better than death. The poet wants an immediate end to their suffering.

13.       What would not be fair to say?

Ans:    It would not be fair to say that the poor countryside people demand some alms. They have self-respect and they only want the passers-by to purchase something from them.

14.       Who does the poet accuse of having double standards?

Ans:    The poet accuses the politicians and welfare organizations of having double standards. They show themselves to be the well-wishers of the poor. But they serve their own interests using the poor.

15.       Name the poetic device used in ‘greedy good doers, beneficent beasts of prey’.

Ans:    The poet has used oxymoron in these phrases. The word pairs having contrasting meaning are called oxymoron.

16.       Name the poetic device in “the flower of cities.”

Ans:    The poetic device used in this phrase is metaphor. The poet has made a direct comparison between the countryside people and the flower of cities.

17.       What is implied by ‘teaching them how to sleep they sleep all day’?

Ans:    The poet means that the greedy politicians befool the poor countryside people. They shower benefits upon the poor people and convince them that they won’t have to worry anymore and all their problems will be taken care for. But as soon as they show faith, they are trapped.

18.       “Destroy their sleep the ancient way” Explain.     

Ans:    The greedy politicians take the poor into confidence and convince them that they don’t     have to worry anymore and all their needs will be taken care of. When they are convinced, they start exploiting them.