Aunt Jennifer's Tigers (Poetry)

Previous Years' CBSE Board Questions

SA I (2 marks)
1. Explain the significance of the 'denizens pacing in sleek certainty' in the poem
'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers. (2022)
2. Describe the appearance of Aunt Jennifer's 'Tigers'. (2022 C)
3. Explain the irony at the end of the poem, 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers'.
(Term II, 2021-22)
4. How did Aunt Jennifer face the ordeals in her life? (2020 C)
5. What are the difficulties that Aunt Jennifer faced in her life? (Delhi 2014)
6. How are Aunt Jennifer's tigers different from her? (AI 2014)
7. How does Aunt Jennifer express her bitterness and anger against male
dominance? (Delhi 2014C)
SA II (3 marks)

8. How do symbols in the poem, 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers' help us understand her
plight? (Al 2019)
9. Aunt Jennifer's efforts to get rid of her fear proved to be futile. Comment.
(Delhi 2016)
10. What picture of male chauvinism (tyranny) do we find in the poem, 'Aunt
Jennifer's Tigers'? (Al 2016)
11. How does the poet show the futility of Aunt Jennifer's efforts?
(Foreign 2016)
12. What is suggested by the phrase, 'massive weight of uncle's wedding band"?
(Delhi 2015)
13. Why does Aunt Jennifer create animals that are so different from her own
character? (Delhi 2015)
14. What will happen when Aunt Jennifer is dead? (Foreign 2015)
15. How is Aunt Jennifer different from her tigers? (Foreign 2015)
16. For Aunt Jennifer, what do the tigers symbolise? (Foreign 2015)
SA III (4 marks)
17. The tigers' description as 'chivalric' is a contrast to that of Aunt Jennifer.
Explain. (Term II, 2021-22)
Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:
18. Aunt Jennifer's fingers fluttering through her wool
Find even the ivory needle hard to pull
he massive weight of uncle's wedding band
Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer's hand.

(a) Why are Aunt Jennifer's fingers fluttering through her wool?
(b) What is Aunt Jennifer doing that she finds very hard to do?
(c) Why does the wedding band seem too heavy?
(d) What impression do you form of Aunt Jennifer from the extract? (2019 C)
19. 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.

(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? (Delhi 2017)
20. 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.

(a) Why are the tigers called 'Aunt Jennifer's tigers'?

(b) What does the phrase, 'a world of green' mean?
(c) How are the tigers different from their creator?
(d) Why are the tigers not afraid of the men beneath the trees? (Delhi 2015C)
LA II (6 marks)
21. 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.
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.

(i) Denizens of the world of green refer to _____________.

(a) huntsmen
(b) Aunt Jennifer
(c) uncle
(d) tigers
(ii) Choose the option that displays the same poetic device as used in the second
line of the extract.
(a) heart of stone
(b) trees sprouting
(c) silver spoon
(d) white murder
(iii) The men setting beneath the tree are _____________.
(iv) What quality of uncle can be inferred through these lines?
(a) compassionate nature
(b) courageous
(c) confident
(d) dominating
(v) The tigers in the extract are symbolic of
(a) creativity and courage (b) confidence and gentleness
(c) cruelty and fear (d) aggression and starving
(vi) Aunt Jennifer’s tigers prance across
(1) the screen
(2) the fields
(3) the embroidered tunic
(4) the cage
Which of the following is the most appropriate choice?
(a) (1) and (2) (b) (2) and (4)
(c) (1), (2) and (3) (d) (1) and (3) (2023)

CBSE Sample Questions

SA I (2 marks)
1. Adrienne Rich chose to express her silent revolt through her poem, 'Aunt
Jennifer's Tigers', just as Aunt Jennifer did with her embroidery. Explain.
(Term II, 2021-22)
2. How does the poet use the image of 'fingers fluttering through the wool' to
highlight Aunt Jennifer's victimisation?
(2020-21)
 ANSWERS
Previous Years' CBSE Board Questions
1.

2. Aunt Jennifer's Tigers are described as golden brown in colour and prancing
across the screen. They are strong, fearless, confident and free to move wherever
they wish, unlike their creator, Aunt Jennifer. They represent bravery, fearlessness
and strength.
3. Irony is when one thing happens that is quite contrary and unexpected. The
ending of "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" reveals the tigers still "prancing, proud and
unafraid" despite Aunt Jennifer's death. This is ironic because their creator, who
was unable to escape her marital bondage even after death, has given life and
freedom to the tigers to roam around the green scenery.
4. Aunt Jennifer chose to use her work to silently express her bitterness and
anger against male dominance. She did this by creating or weaving tigers on her
tapestry; animals that are unafraid of men and are symbolic of bravery,
fearlessness and strength.
5. Aunt Jennifer lived her life in accordance with the rules laid down by her
domineering husband. Her life was overburdened by the demands and duties of
her married life and the patriarchal society. It lacked self-expression. Although
old and weak, she had to face the ordeals of her oppressive marriage all her life,
there was no escape from her husband.
6. Unlike Aunt Jennifer, who feels trapped in a loveless and unhappy marriage,
who is terrified of her domineering husband and the patriarchal society, her
tigers prance around freely, full of confidence, fearless of the men watching them.
The tigers seem to possess all the qualities, which Aunt Jennifer does not.
7. Aunt Jennifer expresses her bitterness and anger against male dominance
through her art; by knitting tigers on the panel which symbolise freedom,
strength and chivalry.
8. The plight of Aunt Jennifer is constantly emphasised by the use of various
symbols in the poem. The massive weight of Uncle's wedding band symbolises
the oppression she faced in her marriage. The image of tigers provides a contrast
with Aunt's character who is timid, oppressed and victimized in her life. Aunt
Jennifer tries to vent out her feelings by creating such majestic and fearless tigers.
9. Aunt Jennifer is an obedient wife, often dominated by her husband. Her efforts
to get rid of her fear of an unhappy and terrifying marriage proves to be futile
because she would have to wear the 'weighty' wedding ring, which has made her
feel trapped all her life, even when she is dead. In other words, there is no
escaping the male dominated society or the ordeals of tyrannous marriage for
Aunt Jennifer, even after death.
10. The poem, 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers, shows constraints of married life every
woman experience. It shows lack of freedom for Aunt Jennifer, who is forced to
live in accordance with rules laid down by her husband. Uncle's wedding band,
which sits 'heavily' upon Aunt Jennifer's finger, symbolises the oppressive
behaviour of the patriarchal society. Aunt Jennifer feels that she would escape the
ordeals of her tyrannous marriage once she is dead. However, such a thought is
futile because the patriarchal society would not permit her to take off the
wedding band even after death. Therefore, it is suffice to say that she is a victim
of male chauvinism.
11. The poet shows the futility of Aunt Jennifer's efforts by pointing towards her
fluttering fingers, which find the ivory needle hard to pull. During her death, she
would have to continue to wear her wedding band.
12. The phrase 'massive weight of uncle's wedding band' refers to the burden of
an oppressive marriage in which Aunt Jennifer was trapped. The wedding band is
also symbolic of bondage; Aunt is bound to her dominating husband by marriage
because of her wedding vows. She can't escape this male dominated society even
after she is dead. As a dutiful wife, she must continue to be devoted to her
husband.
13. "Aunt Jennifer's tigers prance across a screen, ............
They do not fear the men beneath the tree; they pace in sleek chivalric certainty."
The tigers are so different from Aunt's own character because they are an
expression of her hidden desires. Through them, Aunt Jennifer communicates her
unfulfilled wishes.
14. When Aunt Jennifer is dead, she will continue to suffer because she will not be
free from her marital bondage. But, her struggle for freedom will continue
through the prancing tigers on the panel.
15. Aunt Jennifer is scared, oppressed and has no freedom in her married life
because of her husband's authority. There is a stark contrast between her and the
tigers' nature. The tigers are free and fearless in the presence of men; they prance
around with confidence.
16. Aunt Jennifer lived an unhappy life in constant fear of her authoritative
husband and the fact that she would never be freed not even after her death.
Therefore, for her, the tigers symbolised fearlessness, confidence and freedom,
something she lacked but hoped to possess.
17. "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" is a poem about a married woman's repressed desire
to be free of her 'unhappy marriage'. Aunt Jennifer, unable to escape, had to
express those desires through her artwork. Her tapestry is filled with vibrant,
colourful and confident tigers leaping across the canvas. They are unafraid of the
men in the canvas, walking confidently with certainty and pride.
The word 'chivalry' is mainly associated with honour, bravery, code of conduct.
While the fierce animals will walk fearlessly across the tapestry even after Aunt
Jennifer's death, the same is not the case for the creator. Aunt Jennifer, despite her
majestic artwork, is physically bounded and weighed down heavily by the
authoritative husband. And even after death, she will still be marked by the
wedding band, with no real escape.
Although the tigers are chivalric and majestic, they are the opposite of what Aunt
Jennifer is. Rather, they are the product of all the repressed desires of the artist,
i.e. Aunt Jennifer. Though her artwork presents a majestic and even fearful
artwork, it is in stark contrast to the reality of the artist’s own life.
18. (a) Aunt Jennifer’s fingers are fluttering as she is nervous because of her
husband.
(b) Aunt Jennifer is weaving tigers on the panel. Why does the wedding band
seem too heavy?
(c) The wedding band seems heavy because it is a symbol of the subjugation and
oppression by her husband. What impression do you form of Aunt Jennifer from
the extract?
(d) The given extract seems to show that Aunt Jennifer is terrified of her
domineering husband and the patriarchal society she lives in.
19. (a) The tigers are called Aunt Jennifer’s tigers because she embroidered them
herself.
(b) The tigers are described as bright topaz denizens of the world of green, who
prance around fearlessly and with sleek, chivalric certainty.
(c) The tigers are different from Aunt Jennifer because unlike her, they do not
fear the men. The tigers prance with a certainty in their presence.
(d) ‘Chivalric’ means polite and kind behaviour that shows a sense of honour,
specially towards women.
20. (a) The tigers are called ‘Aunt Jennifer’s tigers’ because they are her creation.
Aunt Jennifer embroidered the tigers on a screen.
(b) ‘A world of green’ means green forest, the natural habitat of the tigers.
(c) Unlike Aunt Jennifer, the tigers are fearless, confident and free.
(d) The tigers are ‘denizens of a world of green’. They are wild beasts. Therefore,
they do not fear the men beneath the trees.
21. (i) (d) tigers
(ii) (a) heart of stone
(iii) The men sitting beneath a tree are people like aunt Jennifer’s husband who
are dominating and misusing their power.
(iv) (d) dominating
(v) (c) cruelty and fear
(vi) (a) (1) and (2)
 CBSE Sample Questions

1. Adrienne Rich used words through her poetry to criticize the traditional
institution of marriage and the constricting world it embodies for women. It is an
oppressor of women in the form of a union. Similarly, Aunt Jennifer used her
embroidery to express her anger and disagreement with the way she has been
treated. Her unhappy marriage, being controlled by a domineering husband,
makes her embroider the tigers as a symbol of her disagreement. Both women
used their creative outlets as a form of protest against the societal expectations
that were ‘pressed’ upon the female gender.
2. HINTS:
• She is burdened by the weight of her marriage/gender codes she has to follow
as a woman that even holding wool firmly is a task.
• Highlights the oppressed state of women.