Aunt Jennifer's Tigers by Adrienne Rich Symbolism, Explanation, Rhyme Scheme, Summary, Poetic Devices, Themes, Line by Line Analysis.
SUMMARY
Aunt Jennifer creates a needlepoint that shows tigers leaping
across the canvas. Bright and vibrant, like topaz gems, the
tigers live within the green world of the canvas. They are not
afraid of the men standing underneath the tree, who are also
depicted in the image. The tigers walk with certainty, shining
and courageous.
Aunt Jennifer's fingers swiftly and delicately work the yarn, yet
she finds it physically difficult to pull even a small needle made
of ivory through the canvas. Her husband's wedding band feels
huge, and weighs down heavily on her hand.
When Aunt Jennifer dies one day, her frightened hands will
finally be still. Yet they will still be marked by the difficulties that
ruled over her while she was alive. Meanwhile, the tigers she
created will continue to leap across her needlepoint without
shame or fear
THEMES
MARRIAGE, GENDER, AND POWER
In "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers," a woman referred to only
as Aunt Jennifer uses embroidery as a creative outlet
while living (and ultimately dying) in an unhappy marriage. The
poem describes the "terrified" Aunt Jennifer's fear-filled
existence in a marriage full of "ordeals" in which she is ruled
over by her husband, referred to simply as "Uncle." Published in
1951, a time when women were expected to get married (and
divorce was frowned upon), the poem suggests that the power
dynamic of a traditional heterosexual marriage serves to
oppress women.
Aunt Jennifer is trapped in a difficult marriage to a man who
terrifies her. Her fear is first hinted at by the contrasting
imagery of the tigers in the tapestries she creates, which are
unafraid of "the men beneath the tree." This could refer to
hunters in a forest, out to kill the tigers. But the poem suggests
that the tigers are well-equipped to take on these men and, as
such, have no reason to be afraid—something that is certainly
not the case with Aunt Jennifer herself.
The animals are also personified, described specifically as
"chivalric." This is an old term often used to describe the moral
code of knights, and is used in modern times to refer to
courteous treatment of women. In likening the tigers' lack of
fear to a "chivalric certainty," the poem thus ties their bravery
and pride to masculinity. This, in turn, suggests that such
carefree "pranc[ing]" is simply not possible for Aunt Jennifer, who is a woman living in a patriarchal world (that is, a world in
which men hold most of the power).
Thus even as the tigers "do not fear the men beneath the tree,"
Aunt Jennifer is not just fearful but "terrified" of her husband,
and this fear infuses every part of her life. In the second stanza,
Aunt Jennifer's fingers are described as "fluttering," suggesting
anxiety and nervousness. The hints of anxiety depicted in the
second stanza escalate until, in the third stanza, Aunt Jennifer's
hands are described outright as "terrified."
The source of Aunt Jennifer's fear is clearly her marriage,
which is presented as an oppressive institution within which
she is trapped. The nervousness of Aunt Jennifer's hands is
directly linked to the "massive weight of Uncle's wedding band,"
a symbolic representation of how stifling and burdensome this
marriage is. Aunt Jennifer's fingers are further portrayed as
weak, finding "even the ivory needle hard to pull" against the
weight of this ring. This reflects the oppressive nature of Aunt
Jennifer's fear, which leaves her immobilized, meek, and unable
to stand up to "Uncle."
The psychological weight of Aunt Jennifer's marriage stems
from the dynamic inherent to traditional marriage, in which
men dominate their wives. The ring is associated with "ordeals"
that Aunt Jennifer "was mastered by." The use of "mastered"
suggests her husband as the master. A "master" implicitly has a
subject to dominate—a "slave." It's thus hinted that the Uncle/
Aunt dynamic in the poem is one of Master/Slave.
The fact that it is "Uncle's" wedding band and not Aunt
Jennifer's again affirms Uncle's dominance in this relationship.
It is his wedding band, not her own, that weighs her down.
Uncle owns the wedding band and, in a way, he also owns Aunt
Jennifer. He is her master, reflecting the reality that a woman in
marriage is traditionally considered the man's property.
In the early 1950s, a woman like Aunt Jennifer would have
been expected to marry (a man) and stay home to take care of
the household. Not only would divorce be considered socially
unacceptable, Aunt Jennifer would have limited options to
support herself financially outside of her marriage. Aunt
Jennifer is thus trapped in her marriage, and her seemingly
hopeless state is contrasted by the freedom of the tigers.
Where this theme appears in the poem:
• Lines 1-12
• Lines 5-10
CREATIVE EXPRESSION AND PERSONAL FREEDOM
The unnamed speaker of the poem describes the life of Aunt
Jennifer, a woman who cannot escape her subservient role in
her marriage. She also can't escape the marriage itself: written
in 1951, the poem references a time where divorce was a social
no-go. Hampered by her fear, the one form of escape Aunt
Jennifer does have is through her creative work—crafting
tapestry panels that show colorful scenes of bold and proud
tigers. The poem argues that through her art (which will live on
well after Aunt, Uncle, and the unhappy marriage are long
gone) Aunt Jennifer finds an escape that not even death will
grant her—a hint of freedom in the immortal nature of her
work.
Aunt Jennifer turns to needlework as a creative outlet, a means
of coping with her difficult marriage and escaping her
oppressive everyday reality. The tapestry panels she crafts with
her needle and wool show tigers "prancing, proud and
unafraid." This mood contrasts sharply with the seemingly meek
and scared character of Aunt Jennifer herself. While the tigers
are walking confidently, Aunt Jennifer can barely pull the ivory
needle through her wool, due to the weight of "Uncle's wedding
band."
The speaker describes how Aunt Jennifer's marriage is an
obstacle to her creativity, but the poem makes it clear that, at
least in life, she continues her art nonetheless. The second
stanza describes Aunt Jennifer as fearful and anxious, with
"fluttering" fingers. But despite the "weight of Uncle's wedding
band," she insists on creating, remaining resilient and
perseverant.
The third stanza then describes Aunt Jennifer in death. Finally
her hands "lie" still, highlighting that her days of needlework
are over. However, they remain "ringed with ordeals she was
mastered by," indicating that her marriage is still with
her—perhaps literally, if she's buried wearing her wedding ring.
Although Aunt Jennifer can't escape, in life or death, the weight
of her difficult marriage or her subservient role in it, her
creative work remains a liberating force. Jennifer herself may
not be free, but her tapestries and their tigers are. What's
more, the tapestries will outlive Aunt Jennifer, Uncle, and their
marriage, indicating that art can create an immortal kind of
freedom that goes beyond human oppression.
The tigers exist in their very own universe, as "topaz denizens
of a world of green." This is a plane of existence apart from the
one Jennifer and Uncle share, and a world that is technically
immortal, as the artwork is inanimate. When Aunt Jennifer is
dead, "the tigers in the panel that she made / Will go on
prancing, proud and unafraid."
In creating vibrant, colorful art that depicts proud and unafraid
tigers—tigers who aren't afraid of men—Aunt Jennifer
confronts her fear. While she may be stuck "ringed with ordeals" of her marriage (even after death), the tigers will
remain free in their "world of green." Perhaps Aunt Jennifer
finds comfort in this creative expression, crafting a bold
tapestry that will outlive her and Uncle both, and that shows
nature's creatures living wild and unafraid, liberated from manmade constraints like marriage.
Where this theme appears in the poem:
• Lines 1-12
LINE-BY-LINE ANALYSIS
LINES 1-2
Aunt Jennifer's tigers ...
... world of green.
The poem opens with vibrant imagery describing the tigers
pictured in Aunt Jennifer's craftwork. The reference to a
"screen" in line 1 signals to the reader that these tigers are part
of a tapestry or canvas—a hint that is confirmed in the second
stanza, which describes the actual act of Aunt Jennifer's
working with a needle and wool.
The words used to describe the tigers establishes them as bold
and confident. They are "bright" and colored "topaz," a
translucent yellow hue associated with the gem of the same
name (topaz can also be a vivid blue in color, which would add a
fantastical element to the tigers' appearance). Associating the
tigers with a glittering precious stone gives them value. The use
of the verb "prance" then suggests a light-hearted, proud,
springing action; the wild cats don't simply walk, they stride
proudly and with confidence.
The vivid imagery continues as the topaz tigers are set against
a color-contrasting backdrop, "a world of green." This color
suggests a natural setting, such as a forest, which the tigers are
denizens—inhabitants—of. The use of consonance with the /z/
sounds in the phrase "topaz denizens" emphasizes this sense of
belonging, asserting the animals as permanent residents in the
world of green.
As the rest of the poem will make clear, this "world of green" is
vastly different from the world that Aunt Jennifer inhabits:
While the tigers roam freely in their green world—ironic, given
that they are technically "trapped" in a tapestry screen—Aunt
Jennifer is trapped in the world of her oppressive marriage.
The use of the possessive case with "Aunt Jennifer's tigers"
reminds the reader that the tigers would not exist without Aunt
Jennifer. She has made the "world of green" that these proud
creatures prance through, putting her in the role of a God-like
creator. Although the poem goes on to describe Aunt Jennifer
as an anxious, "terrified" woman, these first three words serve
to remind the reader of this meek woman's power—namely, the power of creativity and creation. She has crafted the world of
green that the tigers live in.
The first two lines of the poem also set up a rhyme scheme that
will continue throughout, with the perfect end rhyme of
"screen"/"green." The rest of the poem will uphold the use of
rhyming couplets, presenting a rigid regularity that reflects the
rigid confines of Aunt Jennifer's marriage. (This formalism will
ultimately be disrupted in other ways, however, reflecting the
subversive nature of Aunt Jennifer's handiwork.)
The speaker of the poem is not introduced in the first lines or at
any other point in the poem. "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" is told
from an anonymous outsider's point of view, describing Aunt
Jennifer and her tapestries. Although the speaker can be
presumed to be a relative, given that they use the terms "Aunt"
and "Uncle," this is in no way confirmed at any point in the
poem. No details about the speaker—not their gender, age, nor
precise relationship to Aunt Jennifer—are ever revealed.
LINES 3-4
They do not ...
... sleek chivalric certainty.
Lines 3 and 4 immerse the reader fully in the "world of green"
that the tigers inhabit. There is zero mention of Aunt Jennifer
here: the focus is entirely on the tigers. The lines' imagery
continues to uphold a depiction of these creatures as brave and
bold. They "pace," an active verb that suggests a measured,
steady walk—the kind of walk that doesn't stop for anybody or
anything.
The tigers' confidence is unmistakably clear in line 3: "They do
not fear the men beneath the tree." The reader already knows
that the tigers inhabit a "world of green," so the reference to
"the tree" reaffirms that the tigers are depicted in a natural,
forest-like setting. Given this context, the "men" may be
hunters. Indeed, men would normally enter a forest in a group
for the activity of hunting. They are thus positioned in
opposition to the tigers: predator versus prey. While one might
think that the tigers should be afraid—after all, they are being
hunted—they remain confident. They are at home in their
forest while the hunters are intruders.
Although the men beneath the tree may seek to kill the tigers,
the animals are well-equipped to handle any threat that may
come their way. The animals are personified—that is, given
human traits—and specifically describes as having "chivalric
certainty."
Chivalry is an old term used to refer to the code of conduct a
medieval knight would adhere to. In a fairytale, for example, a
knight's adherence to the code of chivalry would motivate him
to rescue a damsel in distress. In modern times, the use of the
term chivalrous or chivalric is still used to imply a gentleman
who is courteous and considerate of women. The tigers are
thus associated with heroic men—again differentiate them from the reality of Aunt Jennifer's life.
The use of rhyming couplets is continued in lines 3 and 4 with
the end rhyme of "tree"/"certainty." The third line of this
quatrain (four-line stanza) also uses assonance of the long /e/
sound, which echoes all the end rhymes of the stanza: "fear,"
"beneath," "sleek."
The final rhyming couplet of this stanza also presents a
relatively strict adherence to iambic pentameter: Each line
consists of five feet with an unstressed-stressed beat pattern
(reading like da-DUM):
They do | not fear| the men | beneath | the tree;
They pace | in sleek | chival- |ric cer| tainty.
There are some variations, depending on how people read the
words "chivalric" and "certainty," but in general the rhythm is
strong, clear, and feels almost sing-song-like after the free
verse of the previous two lines.
On a formal level, the poem feels neat and tidy right now. It's
similar to a nursery rhyme. This simplistic style lulls readers
into a false sense of security that makes the dawning
realization of Aunt Jennifer's fear and pain all the more
powerful.
LINES 5-6
Aunt Jennifer's fingers ...
... hard to pull.
The second stanza disrupts the happy-go-lucky picture painted
in the first. The focus shifts from the bold tigers to fearful Aunt
Jennifer. The parallel between the first words of the stanzas
puts this shift into clear focus: stanza 1 is about "Aunt
Jennifer's tigers" (line 1) while stanza 2 is about "Aunt
Jennifer's fingers" (line 5).
By pointing to Aunt Jennifer's fingers, the line foreshadows
exactly what the second stanza addresses—Aunt Jennifer's
marriage. The choice to refer to "fingers" calls to mind the idea
of a ring finger. The second stanza's subsequent emphasis on
the "wedding band," a symbol of marriage, will support this
reading.
Lines 5 and 6 only set the scene for the depiction of Aunt
Jennifer's marriage, however, and do not yet mention the topic
directly. Line 5 simply introduces Aunt Jennifer as a nervous
and fragile woman. The alliteration used to highlight her
"fingers fluttering" creates a sense of nervous energy. The
word "fluttering" is also used to describe a "fluttering"
heartbeat, for example.
The imagery surrounding Aunt Jennifer's hands further
supports her conception as a woman who is not only nervous
but also weak. Even the weight of a small "ivory needle" is too
much for her, as she finds it "hard to pull" through the wool of
her tapestry/canvas.
To that end, the information in lines 5 and 6 clarifies Aunt
Jennifer's craft: line 1 only provided a hint by referencing the
"screen," but the reader now knows that Aunt Jennifer is
working with a needle and wool—suggesting some sort of
needlepoint or embroidery. Ironically, then, while engaging in a
traditionally "female" pastime (needlepoint would usually be
associated with sewing, historically a woman's task), Aunt
Jennifer is creating a world that challenges the patriarchal
system—a world in which free tigers roam, unafraid of men.
The abrupt transition in terms of imagery—from carefree tigers
to anxious Aunt Jennifer—is reflected in the poem's form as
well. The strict, smooth adherence to iambic pentameter in
lines 3-4 is immediately challenged with line 5, which has added
syllables that make the continuation of the rhythm impossible
and leave the reader stumbling. The double stress at the start
of "Aunt Jennifer's" itself is one stumbling block:
Aunt Jennifer's fingers fluttering through her wool
Enjambment also breaks with the steady, measured pace of the
first stanza. In lines 1 through 4, each line had some sort of
concluding punctuation mark—a comma, period, semi-colon,
and period, respectively. Line 5 breaks this pattern, resulting in
a less measured pace of reading and spurring the reader from
Aunt Jennifer's "finger fluttering through her wool" onwards to
the next line. This mirrors the nervous energy being described,
quickening the pace of the poem.
Meanwhile, the fact that Aunt Jennifer insists on continuing
her craft despite the difficulty of pulling the needle speaks to
her perseverance. Although she is afraid and lacking strength,
she carries on with her creation. And while the word
"fluttering" can connote nervousness, it also suggests that her
fingers moved swiftly and lightly as she works on her
needlepoint, implying a certain level of skill.
LINES 7-8
The massive weight ...
... Aunt Jennifer's hand.
Lines 7 and 8 explicitly bring to light a primary theme of "Aunt
Jennifer's Tigers": marriage, gender, and power. While lines 5
and 6 introduced in greater detail the nervous yet dedicated
character of Aunt Jennifer, lines 7 and 8 reveal just what makes
her so anxious: her marriage.
The hyperbolic reference to the "massive weight of Uncle's
wedding band" in line 7 makes this clear. A wedding band would
not be that heavy. This over-the-top description suggests that
the "weight" of the ring is more mental than physical. The
phrasing also calls to mind the idea of a "heavy" topic or the
concept of having something "weigh on one's mind." It's now
clear that the cause for Aunt Jennifer's nerves is the
psychological weight of her marriage.
This is emphasized by the fact that the wedding band referred to is specifically Uncle's, not Aunt Jennifer's. The wedding band
is a symbol not only the institution of marriage but also more
specifically of the "possessive" nature of marriage. Historically,
marriage was seen as a transfer of goods—a woman went from
being dependent on her father to being dependent on her
husband. The wedding band that "sits heavily upon Aunt
Jennifer's hand" is thus a marker of her as a
possession—Uncle's possession, since it is his wedding band
that is weighing her down.
Aunt Jennifer's fear is more understandable when considering
the poem's historical context. Written in 1951, "Aunt Jennifer's
Tigers" points to a time when a woman was expected to get
married and be a homemaker. A woman like Aunt Jennifer
would likely not have had the means to care for herself
financially if she were to leave her husband. Plus, getting
divorced could well leave her a social outsider.
Aunt Jennifer is trapped and thus relies on her handiwork as a
creative outlet. This means of expression allows her to envision
and create a "world of green" beyond the confines of malecontrolled societal institutions like marriage. The reader thus
gains understanding for Aunt Jennifer's creative perseverance
and just how valuable her handiwork is to her.
The use of alliteration in line 7 reiterates the fact that Aunt
Jennifer's marriage is a burden. The repeated /w/ sounds in
"weight" and "wedding" band in line 7 directly align the
marriage with something heavy and cumbersome.
The poem's use of end rhyme also continues in the second
stanza, with "wool"/"pull" in lines 5 and 6, and "band"/"hand" in
lines 7 and 8. This pattern of rhyming couplets is upheld
throughout the entire poem. Although some formal rules—like
the consistent use of iambic pentameter—are challenged, this
one is not. The consistent rhyme reminds the reader that, any
subversive actions aside, Aunt Jennifer remains within the
confines of her marriage.
The use of enjambment to emphasize the weightiness of
Uncle's wedding band underlines this fact. Line 7 introduces
the object but then leaves the reader hanging by not offering a
concluding verb at the end of the line—you simply have Uncle's
wedding band, waiting to take action, looming over the end of
the line:
The massive weight of Uncle's wedding band
Sits heavily ...
Line 8 then brings the ring, metaphorically, clunking down with
its weight, as it "sits heavily." Breaking up this thought over two
lines underlines the oppressive weight of the wedding band,
which, again, symbolizes marriage more broadly.
LINES 9-10
When Aunt is ...
... was mastered by.
The final stanza of "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" continues the
pattern of inserting a jarring, unexpected turn into the poem's
narrative. Stanza 1 of the poem portrayed the confident and
free tigers. Stanza 2 exhibits an abrupt shift in its portrayal of
scared Aunt Jennifer as nervous and burdened by her
marriage. Stanza 3 again presents a shocking turn, this time by
jumping ahead to a theoretical future point in time "When Aunt
is dead."
It's clear that this is a hypothetical situation that has not yet
happened, thanks to the conditional use of "When" and the
future tense "will lie." Still, the reference to Aunt Jennifer's
inevitable death is surprising. Line 9 also shocks the reader
with its reference to Aunt Jennifer's "terrified hands." The
previous stanza presented a slowly escalating depiction of Aunt
Jennifer's nervousness, hinting at her scared state primarily
through descriptive imagery. However, line 9 definitively
characterizes her as fearful with its reference to her "terrified
hands."
The uncomfortable shift is emphasized by the use of caesura in
line 9:
When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie
The first stanza of the poem offered some sort of concluding
punctuation at the end of each line. The second stanza
disrupted this regularity with the use of enjambment. In line 9,
the line itself is interrupted for the first time in the poem, with a
comma placed in the very middle of the line. This leaves the
reader pausing over the word "dead," emphasizing the
unexpected turn that has just occurred.
Lines 9 and 10 likewise make use of enjambment and wordplay.
In death, Aunt Jennifer's hands finally "lie / Still." They are no
longer creating and their nervous, fluttering energy is gone.
Since her hands are at rest, the reader might think that, finally,
Aunt Jennifer is at peace.
However, "Still" is granted two meanings here by the
enjambment of these lines. It connotes not just calm/quiet/a
lack of motion, but also essentially the opposite of all that: the
idea that something is ongoing even in death. Her hands are
"Stillringed with ordeals."
The metaphor"ringed with ordeals" shows that Aunt Jennifer
has not escaped the burdens of her relationship. When
something is "ringed" by another thing, it's surrounded,
implying a lack of escape. Aunt Jennifer fails to escape her
marriage: she never attains freedom but dies a married woman.
She may even be buried in her wedding ring, symbolizing her
ongoing subservience to Uncle, even after death—in this case,
her hands are literally, not only metaphorically, "ringed with
ordeals."
The concluding words of line 10 provide one final summation of Aunt Jennifer's relationship opposite Uncle: she was
"mastered" not only by ordeals in her marriage but by him. The
traditional marital power dynamic would equate the roles of
man/woman with dichotomies like strong/weak, owner/owned,
and—as suggested by this diction—master/slave. Uncle is the
head of the household and he's not only in charge, he owns Aunt
Jennifer in the same way a master would claim ownership of a
slave. Again, compared to the more subtle depiction of Aunt
Jennifer's oppressed state in the second stanza, such strong
language and what it implies as far as Aunt and Uncle's
relationship is quite shocking.
The punctation at the end of line 10, a period, makes it clear
that this is a definitive conclusion. "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers"
doesn't leave the reader with any hope that Aunt Jennifer
might "escape" the confines of married life. Aunt Jennifer will
die as she lived—a married woman, a subject and slave to the
whims of a man. She is trapped, making this outcome inevitable.
LINES 11-12
The tigers in ...
... proud and unafraid.
The third stanza brings together the two main "characters" of
the poem: Aunt Jennifer and the tigers. While stanza 1 was
devoted primarily to a depiction of the tigers, stanza 2 was
devoted to a depiction of Aunt Jennifer. Stanza 3 unites them,
devoting the first two lines to terrified Aunt Jennifer and the
second two lines to the wild animals.
This poetic symmetry places Aunt Jennifer and the tigers on an
almost equal footing, as each "character" is given an equal
amount of attention. The last lines of the poem make sure to
emphasize that Aunt Jennifer is the creator, however, the one
who envisioned and crafted the tigers and their world. The
poem thus concludes by emphasizing that, through her creative
work, Aunt Jennifer seizes some power in a world where she is
otherwise dominated by patriarchal structures like marriage.
Lines 9 and 10 make it clear to the reader that Aunt Jennifer
will not escape the terror of her marriage. Lines 11 and 12
leave the seemingly doomed world of Aunt Jennifer behind and
bring the reader back to the brighter world of the tigers. The
use of caesura in line 9 to call attention to the word "dead"
speaks to an inevitability that neither Aunt Jennifer nor Uncle
can escape—death. This sets the stage for a subsequent
emphasis on the tigers' immortality in lines 11 and 12.
Since the tigers are inanimate, they can metaphorically "live"
forever in their "world of green." The imagery of the last two
lines of the poem emphasizes their ongoing freedom in this
alternate universe, as the tigers are described as "prancing"
and "proud and unafraid." The use of alliteration of /p/ sounds
here emphasizes the bold nature of the tigers while also
specifically linking them to the "panel" they inhabit—reminding
the reader that these wild creatures are in fact just images in a
tapestry, created by Aunt Jennifer. The tigers are specifically contextualized as being "in the panel"
in line 11 while line 12 points out that the animals "will go on."
This phrasing speaks to the sustainable nature of a work of art,
revealing another subversive aspect of Aunt Jennifer's tapestry
crafting. Not only does she create images that show wild
animals free from the influence of men or man made concepts
like marriage—she creates images that will outlast any man. An
artwork like a tapestry panel will last beyond any man, woman,
or marriage.
The phrase "that she made" again calls the reader's attention to
the fact that Aunt Jennifer is the one who created this artwork,
and reveals another major theme of the poem: creative
expression and personal freedom. While she may not achieve
emancipation in her personal life, Aunt Jennifer may take
comfort in knowing that her tapestries depict lasting images of
liberty.
The use of assonance in line 11 to echo the end rhyme of lines 9
and 10 drives this point home. The words "lie"/"by"/"tigers" are
brought together with repetitive long /i/ sounds. While Aunt
Jennifer will "lie" in the ground herself and remain mastered
"by" her marriage, she is aligned with the "tigers" that she
made, suggesting that they represent a sort of mental
liberation for her. The images this fearful woman created,
which may be superficially seen as "women's work" and a
frivolous hobby, thus allowed her to take a small yet significant
step, using her creative expression to achieve a small sense of
personal freedom.
RHYME SCHEME
Each of the four-line stanzas is comprised of two rhyming
couplets. The overall rhyme scheme is therefore:
AABBCCDDEEFF.
This rhyme scheme might seem simplistic, as it's the type of
easily identifiable structure that readers would see in a nursery
rhyme. Take "Humpty Dumpty," for example: "Humpty Dumpty
sat on a wall, / Humpty Dumpty had a great fall."
However, Rich subverts the expectation that such a "neat" and
"easy" rhyme scheme will be accompanied by equally simplistic
content. Far from superficial, "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" highlights
the problematic elements of traditional marriage and the
unequal power dynamics it promotes. The rhyme scheme might
lull readers into a false sense of familiarity and security that
makes the revelation of Aunt Jennifer's oppression all the more
powerful.
POETIC DEVICES
PERSONIFICATION
The tigers are personified throughout the poem when they are
described as being proud, confident, and unafraid of men.
These qualities differentiate them from the fearful and timid
Aunt Jennifer.
The most striking instance of personification, however, is when
they are referred to as "chivalric." This term is traditionally
associated with medieval knights, who were expected to
adhere to a strict moral code known as chivalry. Such men
might be described as chivalric or chivalrous. In modern usage,
chivalry is typically used to describe courteous treatment
toward women.
It's unusual to apply this term to an animal and in doing so, the
poem associates the tigers with male figures. Their bravery and
confidence is thus aligned with masculinity. That is, being certain and proud is directly linked to a specific idea of
manhood.
This further highlights the contrast between the animals and
Aunt Jennifer herself, the fearful woman depicted engaging in a
traditionally female pastime of needlework. Stuck in a
patriarchal institution (marriage) that dehumanizes her (by
positioning her as an object to be owned) and oppresses her,
Aunt Jennifer is unable to share the same pride and bravery of
the tigers. She can't prance in the same carefree way that they
do nor can she share their lack of fear in the face of men.
Where Personification appears in the poem:
• Line 3: “They do not fear the men beneath the tree;”
• Line 4: “They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.”
• Lines 11-12: “The tigers in the panel that she made / Will
go on prancing, proud and unafraid.”
IMAGERY
The imagery in "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" centers around two
contrasting elements, which are seen throughout the entire
poem: Aunt Jennifer's hands, and the tigers in the needlepoint
she crafts. The vivid visual descriptions used to portray these
two objects emphasize their differences, not only physically but
also mentally.
The tigers are portrayed as vibrant, bold, and confident. They
are described using powerful action verbs ("prance" and
"pace"). Repeatedly, their courage is underscored using
adjectives like "proud," "unafraid," and "chivalric." This last
adjective aligns the tigers with knights, traditionally seen as
brave men who would complete courageous feats like going
into battle and rescuing damsels in distress.
When it comes to their relationship with men, the tigers are
described opposite male figures in oppositional terms. The
reference to "the men beneath the tree" suggests the men
might be hunters in a forest, entering the tigers' "world of
green"—perhaps with the intent of killing them. However, the
poem specifies that the wild animals "do not fear the men."
This is a stark contrast to Aunt Jennifer, who is portrayed as
being very fearful of her own husband. The imagery in the
description of Aunt Jennifer affirms this. The visual of her
"fingers fluttering" as she works on her needlepoint suggests a
nervous, anxious energy. The fact that the weight of her
husband's wedding band "sits heavily" upon her hand suggests
a weakness, as does the fact that her hands find even a tiny
needle "hard to pull" through soft wool. Finally, her hands are
described explicitly as "terrified" in line 9.
Additionally, the imagery associated with Aunt Jennifer is
completely devoid of color. The only reference to a hue is the
"ivory needle," which would presumably be white—plain and
lifeless. The tigers meanwhile are described as "bright" and
"topaz," like a glittering gem. Even more color is infused into their description with the mention of the "world of green" of
the tapestry screen. While their world is full of color and light,
Aunt Jennifer's world is bland, dark, and heavy. This imagery
thus works to further emphasize the contrast between the
tigers and Aunt Jennifer, and the two very different worlds
they inhabit.
Where Imagery appears in the poem:
• Lines 1-4
• Lines 5-12
HYPERBOLE
Lines 7-8 make use of hyperbole with the reference to the
"massive weight of Uncle's wedding band," suggesting the small
ring is so heavy that it "sits heavily" on Aunt Jennifer's hand. In
reality, a wedding band is just a small ring, without any heavy
gems or stones. However, in Aunt Jennifer's world, the ring is
so hefty she finds "even the ivory needle hard to pull."
This exaggerated emphasis on the wedding band's volume
suggests that it's not really a physical heaviness being referred
to but a mental one. It's not an actual ring that is weighing Aunt
Jennifer down but what that ring represents: her marriage.
The reference to something heavy weighing a person down
also calls to mind turns of phrase like "having something weigh
on one's mind," which suggests that a person is troubled by
something. There is also the idea of "heavy" topic, meaning
something serious and burdensome. The hyperbolic
description thus aligns the weighty wedding band with
emotional difficulty.
This figure of speech ultimately clarifies for the reader just why
Aunt Jennifer is so fearful and nervous, and drives home the
fact that she is not only in a difficult but an oppressive marriage.
By referring to the symbolic wedding band, the phrase further
hints at just what is so oppressive about this relationship:
traditionally, marriage is a relationship that posits women as
inferior, an object to be possessed and ruled over by a
man—with a ring being a symbol that the woman is "taken" and
already under ownership.
Where Hyperbole appears in the poem:
• Line 6: “Find even the ivory needle hard to pull.”
• Lines 7-8: “The massive weight of Uncle's wedding band
/ Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer's hand.”
CONSONANCE
"Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" uses consonance consistently
throughout, highlighting the constrained mastery of formal
poetic elements. In other words, the sound of the poem is
deliberate and controlled—much like Aunt Jennifer's In the first line, for example, the repetition of sounds allows for
a cohesive, lyrical reading that unifies almost every word.
Consistent /n/ sounds are heard in "Aunt," "Jennifer," "prance,"
and "screen," while "Jennifer's" and "tigers" are connected by
the /z/ sound at each word's conclusion. In the phrase "across a
screen," the words "across" and "a" share the assonance of the
/ah/ sound while "across" and "screen" share the /s/, /k/, and /r/
sounds. The reader is lulled by this lyrical flow of repeated
sounds.
In other instances, consonance highlights key combinations of
words. In the second line, the /z/ sounds in the phrase "topaz
denizens" verbally present the tigers as a compact unit. By
drawing attention to the word "denizen," the phrase asserts the
animals' belonging in their "world of green." This adds to their
sense of confidence and confirms to the reader that the tigers
have nothing to fear.
Meanwhile, in the third stanza, there is an explosion of /d/ and
/p/ sounds. The /d/ sounds highlight words that underscore the
weighed-down existence of Aunt Jennifer: "dead," "terrified,"
"hands," "mastered," and "ordeals." Even the word "unafraid" at
the end can be tied back to Aunt Jennifer—take off the prefix
"un" at the start of the word and you have a description of the
woman's everyday state—afraid. Meanwhile, the peppy /p/
sounds serve a contrast as they highlight the sprightly tigers in
the "panel" where they go on "prancing, proud."
Where Consonance appears in the poem:
• Line 1: “Aunt,” “Jennifer's,” “tigers,” “prance,” “across,”
“screen”
• Line 2: “topaz,” “denizens,” “green”
• Line 4: “pace,” “sleek,” “chivalric,” “certainty”
• Line 5: “Jennifer's,” “fingers,” “fluttering”
• Line 6: “Find,” “even,” “ivory,” “needle,” “hard,” “pull”
• Line 7: “weight,” “wedding,” “band”
• Line 8: “upon,” “Aunt,” “Jennifer's,” “hand”
• Line 9: “dead,” “terrified,” “hands,” “will,” “lie”
• Line 10: “Still,” “ringed,” “ordeals,” “mastered”
• Line 11: “panel,” “made”
• Line 12: “prancing,” “proud,” “and,” “unafraid”
ASSONANCE
The poem's use of assonance generally adds to its lyricism and
sense of melody. Assonance is often specifically used to
complement the end rhymes of each couplet. For example, in
the first stanza there is frequent assonance of the long /ee/
sound, which is in turn echoed by the end rhymes that conclude
each line. Here's a closer look:
... across a screen,
... a world of green.
They do not fear the men beneath the tree;
They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.
The stanza thus feels cohesive throughout.
Assonance also can link various words together. In the final
stanza, for instance, the long /i/ sound ties Aunt Jennifer's
"terrified hands" that "lie," still "mastered by" her husband, to
the "tigers." The "panel that she made" is then linked via
assonance to the fearless ("unafraid") "prancing" of the tigers
by various /a/ sounds. This all underscores her role as a creator,
and the power and freedom she has found through her
needlework.
On a broader level, the consistent use of poetic devices such as
assonance and consonance throughout the stanzas presents
the poem as a measured, orderly unit—a poem that is "following
the rules." The use of assonance and consonance adds to the
impression that the poem is presenting a "proper" facade
stylistically, allowing it to unveil shocking content (especially for
the historical moment in which the poem was produced). Form
and content thus work together to produce a subtly subversive
artwork, much like Aunt Jennifer's tapestry.
Where Assonance appears in the poem:
• Line 1: “screen”
• Line 2: “green”
• Line 3: “fear,” “beneath,” “tree”
• Line 4: “sleek,” “certainty”
• Line 5: “wool”
• Line 6: “even,” “needle,” “pull”
• Line 7: “band”
• Line 8: “hand”
• Line 9: “terrified,” “lie”
• Line 10: “by”
• Line 11: “tigers,” “panel,” “made”
• Line 12: “prancing,” “unafraid”
ALLITERATION
Alliteration functions in "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" in four distinct
instances, always serving to bind together two to three words.
Put together, these clusters of words actually offer a succinct
summary of the entire poem.
In line 5, the /f/ sounds highlight Aunt Jennifer's "fingers
fluttering"; the reader is introduced to the nervous woman. In
line 7, alliteration of /w/ sounds emphasizes just why Aunt
Jennifer is nervous—the "weight of Uncle's wedding band" is to
blame. The alliteration in line 8 conveys how this weight sits
"heavily" on Aunt Jennifer's "hand."
These pairings of words offer a skeletal means of setting the
scene, summarizing the situation being described. The /h/ and
/w/ sounds in particular have a sort of slowing effect, mirroring
the burdensome nature of Aunt Jennifer's marriage. Reading
lines 7 and 8 aloud, the reader is forced to slow down, as if they
themselves were weighed down.
This is contrasted sharply by the alliteration in lines 11 and 12, which makes use of repetitive /p/ sounds. These short, staccato
consonant sounds read much more quickly than a /w/ or /h/
sound. They are also easier to "spit out." Making a /p/ sound
requires little more than a brief, explosive pursing of the lips;
you barely have to open your mouth.
However, a /w/ sound requires you to stretch your mouth
wider and takes longer to sound out, while the /h/ sounds of
line 8 requires you to engage not only your lips, but the back of
your throat to create the breath-like effect of a word like
"heavily" or "hand." The alliteration of "prancing, proud" thus
serves to support the portrayal of the tigers as light and
unconcerned, not weighed down in the way Aunt Jennifer is.
The connection to the /p/ of "panel" in the preceding line,
however, serves to remind the reader that these sprightly
tigers are still part of a tapestry. Free as they may appear, they
are inextricably part of this artwork—an artwork that Aunt
Jennifer created. This combination of words, brought together
through alliteration, is thus the final piece in the narrative that
the alliterative terms weave. The "fingers fluttering,"
"weight"/"wedding," and "heavily"/"hand" set the scene,
encapsulating Aunt Jennifer's fearful, burdened by marriage.
The "panel"/"prancing"/"proud" then highlights her one means
of escape, the creative outlet of tapestry where she crafts with
confidence.
Where Alliteration appears in the poem:
• Line 5: “fingers,” “fluttering”
• Line 7: “weight,” “wedding”
• Line 8: “heavily,” “hand”
• Line 11: “panel”
• Line 12: “prancing,” “proud”
ENJAMBMENT
In stanza 1, each line ends with some sort of punctuation; the
whole stanza is very clearly end-stopped. This orderly format is
thrown off in stanza 2 thanks to the use of enjambment. There
is no punctuation at the end of line 5 and the reader
immediately continues, without pause, to the next line:
Aunt Jennifer's fingers fluttering through her wool
Find even the ivory needle hard to pull.
In this instance, the enjambment works to push the reader
forwards, quickening the pace of reading. The feeling is a mirror
of Aunt Jennifer's own nervous energy, as seen in her "fingers
fluttering."
In lines 7 and 8, enjambment serves to emphasize the
weightiness of Uncle's wedding band. Line 7 concludes with the
"band" but doesn't assign a verb to it, leaving it hovering at the
end of the line:
The massive weight of Uncle's wedding band
Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer's hand.
The reader is thus spurred on to the next line, in which the ring
comes clunking down (metaphorically speaking, that is) with
the verb/adverb combination "sits heavily." The poetic
technique thus again enhances the mood of the poem, giving
the reader a feel for the burdensome weight of the ring and the
marriage it represents.
In lines 9 and 10, enjambment allows for a word-play with the
division of "lie" and "Still" across the two lines. Aunt's hands
finally "lie / Still" and seem to be at rest. However, her hands are
"Still ringed with ordeals." The double use of the single word
"Still" in these two distinctive phrases—made possible with the
use of enjambment—effectively serves to first build up and
then dash the reader's hopes. For a brief moment, you might
think that Aunt's hands are lying still, meaning she's at rest and
at peace. Read on and you quickly learn this isn't the case,
however.
In lines 11 and 12, enjambment again serves to quicken the
pace and drive the reader energetically towards the poem's
final conclusion. The somber world of Aunt Jennifer is left
behind in the last two lines and the focus is brought back to the
tigers and their sprightly, fast-moving world. However, these
last lines also use enjambment in order to remind the reader
that Aunt Jennifer, although she might not come across as such,
does have a power—the power of creation. The words "she
made" at the end of line 11 are the final mention of Aunt
Jennifer herself, a reminder that she made the tigers and their
"world of green." It's thanks to Aunt Jennifer that they "will go
on."
Where Enjambment appears in the poem:
• Lines 5-6: “wool / Find”
• Lines 7-8: “band / Sits”
• Lines 9-10: “lie / Still”
• Lines 11-12: “made / Will”
CAESURA
In the first stanza of "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers," the end of each
line is perfectly punctuated. This formal rigidity starts to
unravel in stanza 2, thanks to the use of enjambment at the
ends of lines 5 and 7. Stanza 3 continues this use of
enjambment and takes it a step further, adding two notable
instances of caesura, further interrupting the poem's previous
adherence to a smooth rhythm.
In line 9, a comma is set between the words "dead" and "her."
This leaves the reader stuck, momentarily, on the word "dead."
The caesura thus adds to the shocking twist introduced by the
final quatrain—the idea that Aunt Jennifer will never escape her
marriage and ultimately die just as she lived, burdened by a patriarchal system. The surprising shift in terms of the poem's
content is emphasized by the caesura; it's as if the comma gives
the reader a chance to gasp in surprise.
In line 12, a comma is set between the words "prancing" and
"proud." Here, the reader pauses on another unexpected
thought: the idea that the tigers will continue, sprightly as ever,
after Aunt Jennifer's death. The alliteration here, however,
keeps the reader from hovering too long on the word
"prancing" and drives the reader onwards, energetically, to the
end of the line.
When seen in parallel, these moments of caesura also offer a
very brief overview of the poem's two main "characters," Aunt
Jennifer and the tigers. In line 9, the reader's attention is called
to the concept of dead Aunt Jennifer. In line 12, the reader's
attention is called to the tigers that go on prancing (technically
forever, since they are inanimate and can't die, making them
immortal in a way). The caesura thus functions as a sort of
conclusive note, underscoring the ultimate fate of Aunt
Jennifer and her tigers.
Where Caesura appears in the poem:
• Line 9: “dead, her”
• Line 12: “prancing, proud”
ALLUSION
One reading of "the men beneath the tree" could see this as
referring to hunters in a forest. The reader already knows that
the tigers inhabit a "world of green," suggesting a natural
setting like a forest. The mention of the tree affirms this
assumption, and would thus suggest to the reader that the men
under are the tree are hunters, positioning them in opposition
to the tigers.
Another reading of "the tree" suggests a biblical allusion. The
words specify the tree, implying a very particular
one—specifically, the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. In
the biblical Book of Genesis, Eve is tempted by a serpent to eat
from this tree, resulting in the Fall of Man; human beings are
cast out of the paradise of Eden, and sin is introduced to the
world.
This biblical incident can be seen as woman’s first
subordination, a moment in which Eve was relegated as being
"less than" a man (since she is the one who gives in to
temptation in the story). In this case, the tigers might be viewed
not necessarily as being in opposition to "the men" but living
with them in harmony. They represent the natural world before
the Fall, a time of harmony and peace in the Garden of
Eden—when there would have been no reason for creatures to
fear one another. Only after Eve takes the apple does this
harmony come crashing down.
Alternatively, by placing the men "beneath the tree," perhaps this allusion is suggesting that the tigers created by Aunt
Jennifer are more powerful than, or dominant over, these men.
Since the tigers are Aunt Jennifer's creation, perhaps this
suggests the way that she asserts power within this created
world, becoming God, in a way through her stereotypically
"feminine" craft. The men, meanwhile, remain subordinate—to
Aunt Jennifer's creation, and to the "tree" itself, perhaps
suggesting their lack of knowledge and free will.
Where Allusion appears in the poem:
• Line 3: “They do not fear the men beneath the tree;”
METAPHOR
The metaphor"ringed with ordeals" in line 10 serves as a
reminder of the fact that Aunt Jennifer is trapped in her
burdensome marriage. The "ordeals" point to the bitter
experiences of marriage to a domineering man. The word
"ringed" can mean encircled, suggesting that Aunt Jennifer was
surrounded by these ordeals in a way that left her unable to
escape, even in death.
The word "ringed" also brings the reader back to the idea of an
actual ring—namely Uncle's wedding band, previously referred
to in line 7. The ring itself is a representation of marriage and
the burdens that this patriarchal arrangement has subjected
Aunt Jennifer to. The fact that Aunt Jennifer's hands are still
"ringed" when she is dead drives home the fact that the
unequal power dynamic of a traditional marriage can't be
avoided, even after death. Take, for instance, the fact that some
people are buried in their wedding rings—which may well have
been true in Aunt Jennifer's case—or the fact that married
couples will often have burial plots alongside one another. Even
a woman's tombstone might traditionally include an inscription
that defines her in relationship to the man in her life, including a
line such as "wife of X" and "mother of Y."
Where Metaphor appears in the poem:
• Line 10: “ringed with ordeals”
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