HS 2ND YEAR : ENGLISH (POETRY SECTION)

 

NCERT Solutions For Class 12 Flamingo English Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers

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IMPORTANT STANZAS FOR COMPREHENSION

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
(a) Name the poem and the poet of these lines.
(b) What are Aunt Jennifer’s tigers doing? How do they look like?
(c) Where do they live? Are they fearless? Give an example.
(d) How do they pace?
Answers:
(а) The poem is Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers. The poet is Adrienne Rich.
(b) They are jumping across a screen or a wall. They look like shining yellow topaz.

(c) They live in green forests. They are fearless. They don’t fear the men under the tree.
(d) 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
(a)What were Aunt Jennifer’s fingers fluttering through?
(b)How was she pulling the needle?
(c)What was lying heavily? Where?
(d)What was upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand? How did it sit there?
Answers:
(a) Aunt Jennifer’s fingers were fluttering through her wool.
(b) She was finding even the ivory needle hard to pull.
(c) The weight of Uncle’s wedding band was lying heavily on her hand.
(d) 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
(a) Why are Aunt Jennifer’s hands called ‘terrified’’?
(b) What are they still ringed with?
(c) Where did she make the tigers?
(d) What will happen to her tigers after her death?
Answers:
(а) Her hands are called terrified because they passed through very hard and bitter experience of married life.
(b) They are still ringed with those hard and testing difficulties which possessed her dining her life.
(c) She made the tigers in the panel.
(d) Her tigers will go on jumping ahead, proud and unafraid even after her death.

QUESTIONS FROM TEXTBOOK SOLVED

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 the 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 tiger’s 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 is weaving tigers on the panel. Her hands are moving about her wool. She is finding the needle quite hard to pull. The weight of years of her married life is lying heavy on her hand. This makes the pulling of the neddle so hard.

Q3. What is suggested by the image ‘massive weight of uncle’s wedding band’?
Ans: It suggests the weight of the harsh and tough experience of Aunt Jennifer’s married life. The image is quite suggestive. The wedding band is symbolic. It represents the unbreakable bond of marriage between the husband and the wife.

Q4. Of what or whom is Aunt Jennifer terrified in the third stanza?
Ans: In the third stanza, the poet refers to Aunt Jennifer’s ‘terrified hands’. The old unhappy memories are still fresh in her mind. She had passed through many testing and horrible times during her married life. These ordeals crushed and suppressed her. Their effect is still visible. So, she is still ringed with those ordeals that dominated her life.

Q5. What are the ‘ordeals’ Aunt Jennifer is surrounded by? Why is it significant that the” poet uses the word ‘ringed”! What are the different meanings of ‘ringed’ in the poem?
Ans: The poem addresses the experiences of marriage in the midst of constrictions. The word ‘ringed’ is significant. It suggests that the vicious grip or her unhappy married life is still holding her tightly. The word ‘ringed’ has been used in two ways. First is the conventional
use. Here ring is a symbol of the sacred bond of marriage. The other is the figurative use of ‘ringed’. It means encircled or surrounded.

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 tigers are ‘prancing’. They pace in ‘sleek chivalric certainty’. They ‘do not fear’ the men beneath the tree. Thus, they are symbols of strength, fierceness and beauty. Aunt Jennifer, on the other hand, is weak and terrified. Her hands are finding it difficult to pull through her wool. The massive weight of the wedding band sits heavily on her hand. Her terrified hands are still ringed by the ordeals of married life. The contrast heightens the intensity.

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, we do sympathise with Aunt Jennifer. She has experienced hardships and ordeals during her married life. The attitude of the speaker towards Aunt Jennifer is equally sympathetic. The poet gives many suggestive images and symbols to present an old lady who has passed through painful experiences as well as unpleasant and terrifying periods during her married life.

MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (Word Limit: 30-40 words)
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. 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.

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 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.

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?[All India 2014]
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.

Q9. What are the difficulties that Aunt Jennifer faced in her life? [Delhi 2014]
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.

Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type

Question 1.
What ideology does Aunt Jennifer’s poem propound?
Answer:
The poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ is critical of the male world. It criticises the male society for terrifying and oppressing women like ‘Aunt Jennifer’.

Question 2.
How has Aunt Jennifer created her tigers? What traits of tigers do they reveal?
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer has embroidered the tigers on a panel with an ivory needle and wool. The tigers that she has created are wild and free bright golden yellow denizens of the green forest. They are fearless and bold, jumping around with confidence, totally opposed to her own character.

Question 3.
What do you mean by the certainty that the tigers possess?
Answer:
The tigers used to fear the men. But once they were made by Aunt Jennifer, they learnt courage. In their new birth, these tigers feel at ease and confident. Now, they do not have to run away from anyone. They move slowly and run ferociously.

Question 4.
How does the poet describe Aunt Jennifer’s tigers?
Answer:
The poet describes Aunt Jennifer’s tigers as ‘bright topaz denizens of the green forest’. They are fearless. They pace in ‘sleek’ chivalry.

Question 5.
What will happen to Aunt Jennifer’s tigers when she is dead?
Answer:
The tigers created by Aunt Jennifer are eternal. They will keep on prancing even after her death. These tigers are born out of her imagination in response to the oppression she goes through in the patriarchal society.

Question 6.
What is the weight that lies heavy on Aunt Jennifer’s hand? How is it associated with her husband?
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer had a troubled married life with a domineering and oppressing husband. She tries to find refuge in art to fight these demons, but even here, there is no respite. This makes her hand quiver so much that she finds it hard to knit.

Question 7.
How are the tigers different from her?
Answer:
The tigers of Aunt Jennifer are quite different from her. In fact, they are exactly opposite of her oppressed, submissive personality. The tigers are a symbol of strength, fierceness and beauty.

Question 8.
What picture of male chauvinism (tyranny) do we find in the poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’?
Answer:
It shows constraints that a married woman experiences. Uncle’s wedding band on Aunt Jennifer’s hand symbolises oppressive band of patriarchal society. Aunt Jennifer is forced to live in accordance with the rules laid down by her husband. She does not have any freedom.

Question 9.
Aunt Jennifer’s efforts to get rid of her fear proved to be futile. Comment.
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s efforts to get rid of her fears proved futile. She embroiders tigers, a symbol of her desire of a free spirit. But her inner spirit has been jailed by the patriarchal society. The society did not show any concern for the Aunt’s suffering, or even her death. Her loss of freedom was her own loss.

Question 10.
In the poem ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’, what is the contrast between the reality of Aunt’s life and her imagination?
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer is timid, nervous and living a fearful existence in a male dominated atmosphere, whereas her tigers are bold, proud, fearless masters, prancing freely in their

Question 11.
How do ‘denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ add to our understanding of the tiger’s attitudes ?
Answer:
Tigers are the denizens of the world of green. The . tiger is considered very brave and courageous animal. They are not afraid of anyone.

Question 12.
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?
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer has become so old that it appears that her fingers are trembling through wool. She has become so weak that she even finds the needle hard to pull. The poet means to say that unending household chores have made aunt very weak.

Question 13.
What is suggested by the image ‘massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band’?
Answer:
The poet says that Uncle’s wedding band lies very heavily on Aunt Jennifer’s hand. She has to work endlessly from morning till night and also have to bear Uncle’s tyranny. Aunt Jennifer has to slavishly follow all the orders of uncle.

Question 14.
Of what or of whom is Aunt Jennifer terrified with in the third stanza?
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer is terrified of endless household chores and Uncle in the third stanza. She thinks that even after her death she will not be free from these household chores.

Question 15.
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?
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer is surrounded by household chores. These chores are no less than ordeals for her be-cause willingly or unwillingly she has to do them. The word ‘ringed’ has been used to convey that Aunt Jennifer is so surrounded by her ordeals that she can never think to come out of them.

Question 16.
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?
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer is old and submissive woman. But the tigers she is embroidering on the panel appear to be bold and chivalric. The suggestion given here is that women give birth to men but the same men tyrannise women when they grow up.

Question 17.
Interpret the symbols found in this poem.
Answer:
The poet has used the symbol of tigers in this poem. The tigers represent creative energy of women. The tigers also represent the male-dominant society. The poet wants to say that the women give birth to men, but the same men tyrannise women when they grow up.

Question 18.
Do you sympathise with Aunt Jennifer ? What is the attitude of the speaker towards Aunt Jennifer ?
Answer:
Yes, we do sympathise with Aunt Jennifer. Aunt Jennifer symbolises particular housewife. She has to do all the household chores without any respite. Her husband is very cruel and often tyrannises her. The poet says that perhaps Aunt Jennifer will have to continue with her household chores even after death.

Question 19.
For Aunt Jennifer what do the tigers symbolise ?
Answer:
The tigers symbolise creative energy of women. The tigers also represent the male-dominant society. The poet wants to say that the women give birth to men, but the same men tyrannise women when they grow up.

Question 20.
What will happen to Aunt Jennifer’s tigers when she is dead ?
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer has embroidered tigers on a panel. These tigers represent not only women’s creativity but also tyranny of men towards women. It will continue even after the death of Aunt Jennifer. Therefore her tigers will also keep prancing on the panel.

Question 21.
Why did Aunt Jennifer choose to embroider tigers on the panel ?
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer has been tyrannised by her husband all her life. Her husband has become a picture of terror for her. She is in fact venting out all her inner feelings by embroidering tigers on the panel. In the form of tigers she has in fact embroidered the fearful face of her husband.

Question 22.
Aunt Jennifer’s efforts to get rid of her fear proved to be futile. Comment.
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer embroidered tigers on the screen. These tigers are symbol of her husband, whom she is very afraid. She thinks that by embroidering tigers she will get a sort of relief from her fear. But it proves quite futile. The poet says that even after her death, the fear of her husband’s tyranny will keep on haunting Aunt Jennifer.

Question 23.
Why does Aunt Jennifer create animals that are so different from her own character ?
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer is old and submissive woman. But the tigers she is embroidering on the panel appear to be bold and chivalric. The suggestion given here is that women give birth to men but the same men tyrannise women when they grow up.

Question 24.
What picture of male chauvinism (tyranny) do we find in the poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’?
Answer:
Ours is a male-dominated society. Aunt Jennifer is a typical housewife. She has to follow her husband’s orders slavishly. Her husband tyrannises her and she has accepted her fate submissively. In fact this poem reflects a true picture of male chauvinism.

Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type

Question 1.
Write in brief the summary of the poem.
Answer:
The poet refers to an old woman, Aunt Jennifer. She has embroidered some tigers on a screen. These tigers are jumping across the screen. The poet says that these tigers appear so real as if they were actually the inhabitants of the jungle. Some men are shown beneath the tree. But these tigers are fear¬less. They are not afraid of these men. Aunt Jennifer has become so old that it appears that her fin¬gers are trembling through wool. She has become so weak that she even finds the needle hard to pull.

The poet says that the uncle wedding band lies very heavily on Aunt Jennifer’s hand. The poet means to say here that Aunt Jennifer has to slavishly follow all the orders of uncle. Aunt Jennifer is terrified of endless household chores and Uncle. She thinks that even after her death she will not be free from these household chores.

Question 2.
Write in brief the central idea of the poem.
Answer:
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 Jenni-fer 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 Important Questions CBSE Class 12 English

Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Important Questions Short Answer Type Questions (3-4 Marks)

Question 1.
Describe the tigers created by Aunt Jennifer. (Delhi 2009)
Answer:
The poet describes Aunt Jennifer’s tigers as ‘bright topaz denizens’ of the forest. They are fearless and ferocious in sharp contrast to their creator, Aunt Jennifer’s nervousness and timidity. Gallant and confident, they are sure of their purpose and move ahead undeterred by any kind of hindrance or obstruction.

Question 2.
Why did Aunt Jennifer choose to embroider tigers on the panel? (All India 2009)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer chose to embroider tigers on the panel because of the nature of the tigers. They symbolise strength and splendour which was in sharp contrast to her own meek nature. The massive weight of the wedding band that sits heavily on her finger symbolises the ordeals and hardships of her married life so she creates tigers as they are a striking contrast to the frail, meek old lady who created them.

Question 3.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2010)
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. How are aunt Jennifer’s tigers described?
2. Why are they described as denizens of a world of green?
3. Why are they not afraid of the men?

Answer:
1. Aunt Jennifer’s tigers are described as powerful, strong and fearless.
2. The tigers are inhabitants of the dense green forests so they are described as dwellers of a world of green.
3. Their courage and fearlessness gives them a confidence due to which they are not afraid of men.

Question 4.
What will happen to Aunt Jennifer’s tigers when she is dead? (All India 2010)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers will survive even after she is dead. She has created the tigers in a panel out of wool. These objects of art are immortal. They will continue prancing, proudly and fearlessly. To express her desire for freedom she had created the chivalrous tigers who will survive long after her death but her own longing for freedom will remain unfulfilled.

Question 5.
How has Aunt Jennifer created her tigers? What traits of tigers do they reveal? (All India 2010)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer has created shining topaz yellow- coloured tigers who are denizens of a dense, green forest. They are fierce, unafraid and fearless and pace in ‘sleek’ and ‘chivalric’ certainty.

Question 6.
Why are Aunt Jennifer’s hands fluttering through her wool? (Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer is a victim of gender oppression at the hands of her husband. She lives a life of total domination and constant fear. So she feels nervous and terrified that the hands shake and flutter through her wool as she sits down to knit.

Question 7.
Describe the contrast between Aunt Jennifer ‘ and her creation, the tigers. (Comptt. All India 2010)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer is totally victimised and suffers from oppression by her male counterpart. So she creates an alternate world of freedom in her art. The tigers she creates go on prancing menacingly, exhibiting their pride and fearlessness of any social group or gender conflicts.

Question 8.
How do ‘denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ add to our understanding of the tigers’ attitude? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
‘Denizens’ means that the tigers inhabit a green world. They live in the forests where they are free from constraints. ‘Chivalric’ means they are brave and fearless creatures. This helps us to understand that bravery and fearlessness are the basic nature of the tigers.

Question 9.
Why do you think Aunt Jennifer created animals that are so different from her own character? (All India 2011)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers possessed all the qualities that Aunt Jennifer did not have. The tigers were free, fearless, confident and proud whereas Aunt Jennifer was meek, submissive and without any identity. She was a rather indecisive woman unlike the confident tigers she had created.

Question 10.
What do the symbols, ‘tigers’, ‘fingers’ and ‘ring’ stand for in the poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’? (Comptt. Delhi 2011)
Answer:
The ‘tigers’ are symbols of bravery and courage and also of Aunt Jennifer’s desire for freedom. The ‘fingers’ are symbolic of the nervousness and fear experienced by Aunt Jennifer and the ‘ring’ symbolises a binding marriage that is full of oppression and curtails one’s freedom.

Question 11.
Describe the tigers created by Aunt Jennifer. (Comptt. All India 2011)
Answer:
The poet describes Aunt Jennifer’s tigers as ‘bright topaz denizens’ of the forest. They are fearless and ferocious in sharp contrast to their creator, Aunt Jennifer’s nervousness and timidity. Gallant and confident, they are sure of their purpose and move ahead undeterred by any kind of hindrance or obstruction.

Question 12.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. All India 2012)
Bright topaz denizens of a world of green.
They do not fear the men beneath the tree;
They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.

1. Who are ‘They’? Where are ‘They’?
2. Why are They’ not afraid of men?

Answer:
1. ‘They’ refers to the tigers that Aunt Jennifer has knitted on the panel. They are prancing jerkily in the forest (across a screen).
2. The tigers are not afraid of men because they are gallant and fearless creatures who are undeterred by any obstacles or hindrances and thus are not afraid of the men.

Question 13.
Why did Aunt Jennifer choose to embroider tigers on the panel? (Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer chose to embroider tigers on the panel because of the nature of the tigers. They symbolise strength and splendour which was in sharp contrast to her own meek nature. The massive weight of the wedding band that sits heavily on her finger symbolises the ordeals and hardships of her married life so she creates tigers as they are a striking contrast to the frail, meek old lady who created them.

Question 14.
How do the words, “denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ add to our understanding of Aunt Jennifer’s tigers? (All India 2012)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer chose to embroider tigers on the panel because of the nature of the tigers. They symbolise strength and splendour which was sharp contrast to her own meek nature. The massive weight of the wedding band that sits heavily on her finger symbolises the ordeals and hardships of her married life so she creates tigers as they are a striking contrast to the frail, meek old lady who created them.

Question 15.
What kind of married life did Aunt Jennifer lead? (Comptt. Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s wedding band lies heavily on her hand. It reminds her of her unhappy married life. It is symbolic of male authority and power of her husband who had suppressed her and made her a nervous wreck. He had dominated over her for so long that she had lost her identity.

Question 16.
What will happen to Aunt Jennifer’s tigers when she is dead? (Delhi 2013)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers will survive even after she is dead. She has created the tigers in a panel out of wool. These objects of art are immortal. They will continue prancing, proudly and fearlessly. To express her desire for freedom she had created the chivalrous tigers who will survive long after her death but her own longing for freedom will remain unfulfilled.

Question 17.
What lies heavily on Aunt Jennifer’s hand? How is it associated with her husband? (All India 2013)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s wedding band lies heavily on her hand. It reminds her of her unhappy married life. It is symbolic of male authority and power of her husband who had suppressed her and made her a nervous wreck. He had dominated over her for so long that she had lost her identity.

Question 18.
Why has Aunt Jennifer made ‘prancing, proud and unafraid’ tigers? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer chose to embroider tigers on the panel because of the nature of the tigers. They symbolise strength and splendour which was sharp contrast to her own meek nature. The massive weight of the wedding band that sits heavily on her finger symbolises the ordeals and hardships of her married life so she creates tigers as they are a striking contrast to the frail, meek old lady who created them.

Question 19.
What is the meaning of the phrase, ‘massive weight of uncle’s wedding band’? (Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s wedding band lies heavily on her fingers as she has been a victim of gender oppression at the hands of her husband. She has been so physically and mentally trapped for so many years that she lives in a perpetual state of mental fear which she has never been able to overcome.

Question 20.
What are the difficulties that aunt Jennifer faced in her life? (Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer faced great hardships in her married life. She led a terrifying and oppressed life wherein she had never been free but a helpless victim of male chauvinism. Dominated and terrorised by her husband, Aunt Jennifer struggled for an existence within the deep conflicts of slavery.

Question 21.
How are Aunt Jennifer’s tigers different from her? (All India 2014)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers possessed all the qualities that Aunt Jennifer did not have. The tigers were free, fearless, confident and proud whereas Aunt Jennifer was meek, submissive and without any identity. She was a rather indecisive woman unlike the confident tigers she had created.

Question 22.
How does Aunt Jennifer express her bitter-ness and anger against male dominance? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
To express her bitterness and anger against male dominance, Aunt Jennifer chooses to embroider tigers on the panel. The nature of tigers symbolizes strength, fearlessness and splendour which is in sharp contrast to her own meek nature because of which she has suffered endlessly.

Question 23.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. Delhi 2015)
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. Why are the tigers called ‘Aunt Jennifer’s tigers’?
2. What does the phrase,’ a world of green’ mean?
3. How are the tigers different from their creator?
4. Why are the tigers not afraid of the men beneath the trees?

Answer:
1. The tigers are called ‘Aunt Jennifer’s tigers’ because they are her creation. She has knitted (embroidered) the tigers on a screen.
2. The phrase ‘a world of green’ means ‘the green forest to which the tigers belong.’
3. The tigers are brave, chivalric, confident and strong unlike their creator who is weak, timid, frightened and meek.
4. The tigers are brave and fearless by nature. They are ferocious wild beasts so they are not afraid of the men beneath the trees.

Question 24.
What is suggested by the phrase, ‘massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band’? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s wedding band lies heavily on her fingers as she has been a victim of gender oppression at the hands of her husband. She has been so physically and mentally trapped for so many years that she lives in a perpetual state of mental fear which she has never been able to overcome.

Question 25.
Why does Aunt Jennifer create animals that are so different from her own character? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers possessed all the qualities that Aunt Jennifer did not have. The tigers were free, fearless, confident and proud whereas Aunt Jennifer was meek, submissive and without any identity. She was a rather indecisive woman unlike the confident tigers she had created.

Question 26.
Aunt Jennifer’s efforts to get rid of her fear proved to be futile. Comment. (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer has been a victim of oppression by the overbearing dominance of her husband. Completely terrorised by her husband she struggled for an existence and was so victimised that even after her death she will not be able to liberate her mind and spirit from the fear of male-dominance.

Question 27.
What picture of male chauvinism (tyranny) do we find in the poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’? (All India 2016)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer faced great hardships in her married life. She led a terrifying and oppressed life wherein she had never been free but a helpless victim of male chauvinism. Dominated and terrorised by her husband, Aunt Jennifer struggled for an existence within the deep conflicts of slavery.

Question 28.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. Delhi 2016)
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.

1. Name the poem and the poet.
2. What was the aunt’s ordeal?
3. Why did she ‘make’ tigers?
4. How were the tigers different from her?

Answer:
1. The poem is ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ by Adrienne Rich.
2. The aunt’s ordeal was that she was dominated by her husband and was denied freedom.
3. Aunt Jennifer made tigers to give expression to her desire for freedom.
4. Aunt Jennifer was meek and submissive whereas the tigers she embroidered were strong and courageous.

Question 29.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :(Comptt. All India 2016)
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. Name the poem and the poet.
2. What is Aunt Jennifer doing with the wool?
3. Why are her fingers fluttering?
4. What does ‘wedding band’ mean?

Answer:
1. The poem is ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ by Adrienne Rich.
2. Aunt Jennifer is embroidering tigers on a canvas with wool.
3. She has been tormented and dominated by her husband all her life, so her fingers are fluttering due to nervousness.
4. ‘Wedding band’ means a wedding ring.

Question 30.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2017)
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. Why are the tigers called Aunt Jennifer’s tigers?
2. How are they described here?
3. How are they different from Aunt Jennifer?
4. What does the word ‘chivalric’ mean?

Answer:
1. The tigers are called Aunt Jennifer’s tigers because they have been created by her, she has embroidered a panel of prancing tigers.
2. They are described here as yellowish brown (topaz) coloured inhabitants of the jungle. They are fearless, ferocious and brave creatures.
3. Aunt Jennifer is a timid and terrified old woman whose nature is in stark contrast to the fearless and chivalrous tigers she has created.
4. The word ‘chivalric’ means ‘brave’/ respectful towards women.

Question 31.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (All India 2017 )
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. What is Aunt Jennifer doing with her wool?
2. Why does she find it difficult to pull her ivory needle?
3. What does ‘wedding band’ stand for ?
4. Describe the irony in the third line.

Answer:
1. Aunt Jennifer is embroidering the tigers on a panel with her wool.
2. Suppressed under male domination, Aunt Jennifer has become a nervous wreck. As a result, her fingers flutter and she finds it difficult to pull her ivory needle.
3. ‘Wedding band’ is a symbol of male authority and power. The band symbolizes her unhappy marriage, her husband and the patriarchal society that limits the freedom of women.
4. Even though Aunt Jennifer wears the wedding band, it is ironical that the poet describes it as belonging to uncle.

Question 32.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. Delhi 2017)
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. What is Aunt Jennifer’s mood?
2. Why are her fingers fluttering?
3. What is Uncle’s wedding band?
4. Why is it heavy?

Answer:
1. Aunt Jennifer is in a state of anxiety and nervousness.
2. Aunt Jennifer’s fingers are fluttering as she is nervous because of her husband.
3. Uncle’s wedding band is the wedding ring that Aunt Jennifer wears in one of her fingers.
4. It is metaphorically heavy because it is a symbol of her subjugation and oppression by her husband.

Question 33.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. All India 2017)
‘Bright topaz denizens of a world of green.
They do not fear the men beneath the tree;
They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.’

1. Who are ‘bright topaz denizens’?
2. Where do you find them?
3. Why are ‘they’ not afraid of the men?
4. What does the word ‘sleek’ mean?

Answer:
1. The tigers embroidered on the panel by Aunt Jennifer are referred to as ‘bright topaz denizens’.
2. They are found in the jungle, the world of green on a screen.
3. They are fearless and bold creatures so they are not afraid of the men.
4. The word ‘sleek’ means ‘elegant’ or ‘glossy’.

Important Questions for Class 12 English

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