Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers is a silent protest against male domination and female repression

Question : How does Adrienne Rich suggest repression and dream of women in his “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers.”

Or, “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” is a silent protest against male domination and female repression. Discuss.

 Answer :

Adrienne Rich is a famous women poet of the joth century. She is an American poets and an essayist. She is best known for her scrutiny of the experiences of women in society. She writes, with attention and devotion, about women’s role in society. Feminism and patriarchal domination are major themes in her poems. She wants to establish social and economic equality for women.

She writes about gender structures in society. This poem “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” deals with sharp conflict in women’s mind. It also deals with strong impulse in women who are struggling for freedom and liberty. This poem is a silent protest against the male dominated marriage relationship where women take secondary role.

In order to express her idea rich uses an animal imagery. Tigers are the popular symbols of power and vigor as we find in Blake’s poem . ‘Tiger’ Blake’s tiger represents greatness of divine power . But rich’s tiger’s signify the vital life force which is responsible for the procreation of better generation. “Aunt Jennifer’s tigers” is a poem which stand’s for rebellion  and repression can be better explained and understood if we focus fresh light  on the the prose version of the poem .

Aunt Jennifer’s tigers is an aged lady. She has been married to a person who is domineering. H er husband has presented her a ring. This ring has imposed certain restriction on her freedom. She has to lead her life under the shadow of her husband. This is a kind of suppression. This kind of suppression has blocked her dream desires and development. She works with niddles and has prepared a tapestry of fearless tigers which prance across the scream. Her repressed thought expression in the images of tigers. However there is dominating irony involved here.Where as the tigers are free, their creator is chained up encompassed and encircled under the huge burden of married life symbolized by wedding ring. The tigers of her needles work March on proudly and fearlessly with long strides. But Jennifer is confined to the four walls of domestic life.

Jennifer’s the middle aged women is leading a devastating married life. Her bitter experience in married life has made her passive. She has created fearless tigers which carry on her indomitable wishes. These movements of the animals represent the strength that Jennifer wishes unconsciously. Thus in a very artistic way Jennifer expresses her feeble protest against modest domestic life which is lead withins the four walls of houses.Tigers are free in the forest; but women are impression in the houses as the birds are  caged in their cages.

The marriage institution has guaranteed the husband a dominating power over his wife.The society that controls the male-female relationship has made the role of the wife subordinated to the husband, wife’s wishes are suppressed. Her desires are strangled by uncle’s wedding bond the wedding ring is the symbol of husband superiority.