Argumentative Essay about Adrienne Rich’s Aunt Jennifer’s Tiger
Introduction
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers is a lyric about an ill-treated woman who resolves to venture into an alternative world of embroidery and sewing as an escape route from an abusive marriage with a terrifying man. This poem, which can be categorized as formal rhyming verse, is an early example of works that were written by Adrienne Rich. The author, who died in 2012, was a poet, instructor, apolitical activist, and advocate for women’s rights. The author attempts to highlight the role of women in communities by raising a red flag against the conduct of men, who utilize abusive language against female counterparts for social and political gain. Information concerning the poem is essential to understand its meaning and its significance in addressing gender discrimination in society.
The speaker narrates about the tigers, which Aunt Jennifer composes using colored threads on heavy cloth. These animals are set in motion and move swiftly by raising their front limbs and jumping forward on their back heels. In the green jungle, the tigers appear as bright yellow and as valuable as precious stones. These colors portray Aunt Jennifer’s dream of achieving a happy life through her needlework.
The poet notes that the tigers do not care for men resting beneath a tree. Instead, the animals move forward to their target boldly and smoothly. The woman finds it challenging to formulate images using the ivory needle, as she feels exhausted from performing household work after becoming married. Consequently, Jennifer’s marital status prevents her from engaging in artistic work; she is forced to sew during her free time.
Aunty Jennifer’s hands are terrified while sewing the clothes because she keeps watching whether her husband is watching her activities. The protagonist acknowledges that she will only be relieved off her fears when she finally dies because the husband dominates her. However, Jennifer is glad that her art will demonstrate her desire to move proudly and fearlessly after demise, similar to the tigers she creates in her work. The hands of the main character are also terrified because of the hefty burden she bears when conducting household chores. These works press her hands considerably and subject them to severe trials. This fact underscores the reality that the hubby dominates Jennifer’s husband, leaving the latter without any other option but to live in fear. For example, the poet mentions words and phrases, such as, Fingers fluttering (line 5) ordeals (line 10), mastered (line 10), hard to pull (line 6)” to show readers that the woman is terrified.
Furthermore, the speaker uses the phrase, “Uncle’s wedding band” (line 7) to suggest the type of life that the married woman is living. The above phrase indicates that the husband owns Jennifer; as a female, she is a property of the man. Similarly, the use of words, such as massive (line 7) and heavily (line 8), shows the hard life that Jennifer is forced to live to satisfy and fulfill the needs and commands of her husband.