Question

Who is the poet of the poem "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers"?

• A. Adrienne Rich
• B. Robert Frost
• C. Kamala Das
• D. John Keats

Hint:

Adrienne Rich (1929-2012) was an influential American feminist poet. "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" from her first collection explores themes of female oppression and artistic liberation through the contrast between Aunt Jennifer's fearful reality and her powerful embroidered tigers.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

This question asks about the poet of the poem "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers", which is included in the Flamingo textbook for Class 12 English.

About the Poet: Adrienne Rich

Full Name:
Adrienne Cecile Rich (1929–2012)

Nationality:
American poet, essayist, and feminist thinker.

Key Themes in Her Poetry:
Women's experiences and struggles
Gender inequality and patriarchy
Female identity and creativity
Social justice and political activism

Major Works:
"Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" (1951) — from her first poetry collection
"Diving into the Wreck" (1973)
"The Dream of a Common Language" (1978)

Awards and Recognition:
Yale Younger Poets Award (1951) for her first collection
National Book Award (1974)
MacArthur Fellowship ("Genius Grant")
Bollingen Prize (2003)

About the Poem "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers":

Publication:
First published in 1951 in Adrienne Rich's debut collection.

Summary:
The poem contrasts the vibrant, fearless tigers embroidered by Aunt Jennifer with her own oppressed and fearful existence within a patriarchal marriage.

Themes:
Female oppression within marriage
Art as a form of liberation
Gender roles and patriarchy
The contrast between women's desires and their constrained reality

Significance:
This early poem foreshadows Rich's later feminist themes and her exploration of women's creative expression within restrictive social structures.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

(B) Robert Frost:
An American poet known for rural and pastoral themes ("Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," "The Road Not Taken") — not the author of this poem.

(C) Kamala Das:
An Indian poet writing in English and Malayalam, known for confessional poetry and exploration of female identity ("My Story," "An Introduction") — belongs to a different literary tradition.

(D) John Keats:
An English Romantic poet (1795–1821) known for odes and sensuous imagery ("Ode to a Nightingale," "Ode on a Grecian Urn") — wrote more than a century before Adrienne Rich.

Final Answer: Adrienne Rich