Jonah Cortezzo March 15, 2013 5th Period English Aunt Jennifers Tigers: The Real Meaning behind

the Poem There is a deep meaning within every poem that is often hidden within the text. In order to bring this meaning or theme out, an author will use poetic techniques to assist the readers comprehension. Having details described by a speaker; using figurative language, similes, and metaphors; and demonstrating a clear purpose are common techniques used by authors. In the time that the poem Aunt Jennifers Tigers by Adrienne Rich was written, womens subjugation to men was a major issue in society, and is the obvious main theme to this poem. In Aunt Jennifers Tigers, the author uses these techniques, describing the aunt through the speakers eyes and using figurative language for the purpose of emphasizing her theme of discrimination against women. In the poem, the aunt is described through the speakers eyes to help emphasize Richs feminist theme of womens subjugation to men. For example, in the second stanza Rich elaborates upon the aunt, stating The massive weight of Uncles wedding band/Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifers hand (7-8). Here is shown how Aunt Jennifers husband has domination over her, controlling aspects of her life such as her marriage (wedding band) due to him being a man (who during the time of the poem had authority and control over women). Furthermore, adjectives/adverbs used by the speaker (massive, heavily) show the speakers thoughts on the topic as they provide deeper meanings than weaker words the speaker could have provided, such as big or strongly. Additionally, Rich describes They do not fear the men beneath the tree;/They pace in sleek chivalric certainty (3-4). They is referring to the tigers, telling how they do not fear being controlled as Aunt Jennifer is. Here it can be seen how the

Poetic Analysis Essay

speaker feels that while Aunt Jennifer is heavily controlled by her uncle, the tigers are free from control from anyone; the author has empathy with Aunt Jennifer, realizing that she is sewing the picture of the tigers as the freedom the picture represents is what Aunt Jennifer truly desires. Therefore, due to the tone and empathy towards Aunt Jennifer the speaker provides throughout the poem, it is shown that Rich describes Aunt Jennifer through the eyes of the speaker to help emphasize her poetic theme of discrimination against women. In the poem, the author uses figurative language such as symbolic meanings to help emphasize her theme of womens suppression to men. For example, in the second stanza, Rich writes Aunt Jennifers finger fluttering through her wool/Find even the ivory needle hard to pull (5-6). In these lines, though the wool and ivory needle are literal objects of the poem, they are also a part of Richs figurative language, being symbolic as well. The wool represents the situation Aunt Jennifer is in (her uncle having male domination over her and controlling her marriage), and when she states that the ivory needle is hard to pull, she is suggesting that the situation she is in is hard to escape from. In addition to these symbols, Rich also writes Aunt Jennifers tigers prance across a screen,/Bright topaz denizens of a world of green (1-2).This meaning is both literal and figurative; the tigers are not real tigers, rather weavings of tigers made by Aunt Jennifer. Along with this, the tigers also represent the freedom Aunt Jennifer desires, as they prance across a screen freely in a bright (suggestively good) world. Consequently, through the symbols and figurative language the author uses, it can be observed that Rich uses this technique to add to and emphasize her main feminist theme of the poem, discrimination against women. In the poem, the author clearly demonstrates that the purpose of writing her poem is centered on womens subjugation to men. Near the end of the poem, Rich states that When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie/Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by (9-10). Here it is told how even

Poetic Analysis Essay

when Aunt Jennifer is dead, the subjugation she went through as a woman and wife will continue to happen throughout time. This meaning is a key point and undoubtedly validates that the main purpose of Richs poem is feminism. Furthermore, the author says how The tigers in the panel that she made/Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid (11-12). The tigers in this instance represent the freedom Aunt Jennifer wishes to have for women. As the freedom Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid, this shows how the Aunt Jennifer wishes for freedom to keep being attempted to be reached. As this is Aunt Jennifers dream, the author consequently makes it apparent that her theme of this poem is womens subordination to men. In conclusion, Rich encloses meaning to the lines she composes and demonstrates that the purpose of poem is to explain the theme of discrimination of women. Adrienne Rich uses various techniques to convey her main theme to readers. By describing Aunt Jennifer through the speakers eyes, using figurative language, and defining a proper purpose of the poem, Rich is able to properly bring upon the theme of feminism and discrimination to the reader. In effect, this causes the reader to think deeply and more in depth about both the poem and the topic. Aunt Jennifer represents the subjugation against women, while her uncle represents the man with the authority over her. The tigers represent the freedom Aunt Jennifer desires to have. The meaning of this poem can be extracted easily by the techniques used by the author, providing the reader with a much more enjoyable and informative poetic experience. Aunt Jennifers Tigers delves into a much deeper meaning if one can connect it to its proper roots; this is discrimination against women, an issue that has lasted many years and that has affected women in numbers much greater than just Aunt Jennifer.

Poetic Analysis Essay