Adrienne Rich “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” (1951) Flashcards
Form
3 stanzas with 4 lines (quatrains).
AABB rhyme scheme, with iambic pentameter.
The strict and condensed structure/form represents Aunt Jennifer’s strict and oppressive marriage.
Socio-political context
Patriarchal oppression & the feminist movement:
Post WWII, many women who had entered the workforce returned to domestic life, reinforcing strict gender roles and the idea that their primary role was in the home.
The second wave of feminism (1960s) was initiated during the 1950s when women started to speak out about the discrimination they faced both in society and in the workplace.
Personal context
Feminism:
Rich enjoyed a long and influential career as a feminist figure, and her attitudes towards feminism shifted and developed throughout her life.
Although her father prioritised her education and access to opportunities, Rich witnessed her mother’s oppression in their home and in society.
“Aunt Jennifer’s tigers prance across a screen // … They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.”
Possessive pronoun – establishes her ownership and motherly connection to the tigers
Kinetic imagery – communicates movement and life; symbolises freedom
Consonance & Alliteration – creates a reliable and confident tone
Symbolism – the tigers symbolise ideal gender dynamics by representing admirable male behaviours
“Aunt Jennifer’s fingers fluttering… // “The massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band // Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand.”
Repetition – draws a parallel between the first and second stanza; contrasts her tigers’ freedom with her oppression
Alliteration – the “f” sound creates a light/nervous tone which contrasts with her tigers’ bravery/certainty
Hyperbole – emphasises the oppression/constraint of patriarchal values
Diction & contrast – communicates Uncle’s dominance and conformity by reducing him to a title
“When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie // Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by.”
Diction & caesura – reduction to “Aunt” emphasises the finality of her death and conformity/oppression
Personification – expresses her all-consuming fear of her husband; also highlights her defiance of oppression through creation (art)
Metaphor – the wedding ring represents patriarchal control and oppression
“The tigers in the panel that she made // Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid.”
Enjambment & kinetic imagery – reflects the tigers continuous movement and life, despite Aunt’s death
Symbolism – the tigers are symbols for Aunt’s individuality and bravery, which perseveres through her art; they represent a rebellion against patriarchal oppression
