Introduction
The poem describes a Tiger’s position in the zoo. The author describes a tiger’s past existence as a free beast in the forest and his present life in a zoo cage. The opening lines of the poetry describe the bodily characteristics of the caged tiger. The poet continues by describing what a tiger’s existence might have been like in the forest. The author claims that living in a cage has altered the tiger’s personality.
Summary of the poem
The poet begins by describing the tiger’s physical characteristics before moving on to his emotional state, describing how he is sad and angry to be confined to a cave.
The poet then draws parallels between a tiger in captivity and one in the wild. Next he describes the plight of captive animals, which humans keep for entertainment, and illustrates their anguish as they long for freedom to roam their natural home.
Tiger
Other information about the poet
This poem is written by Lesslie Norris, who is well known for his love and passion for nature. He is a prize-winning Welsh poet and a short story writer.
Conclusion
The poem is based on the comparison and contrast of two different situations of life. In one situation where a living being(here a tiger) has absolute freedom to live in its way in the forest, and on the other hand, if a caged one or bound with many limitations in a zoo. So, the poet describes the tiger’s features in both scenarios and compares it with humans and how it feels to be caged or imprisoned.
Textbook questions and answers:
Q1- Read the poem again, and work in pairs or groups to do the following tasks.
(i) Find the words that describe the movements and actions of the tiger in the cage and in the wild. Arrange them in two columns.
| In the cage | In the wild |
| Stalks, Few steps of his cage, Quiet rage Locked in a concrete cell, Stalking-the length of his cage Ignoring visitors. He hears the last voice and Stares at the brilliant stars. | Lurking in shadow, Sliding through long grass, Snarling around houses, barring his white fangs, his claws, Terrorising the village. |
(ii) Find the words that describe the two places, and arrange them in two columns.
| Cage | Natural Habitat |
| Few Steps from his cage | Shadow, Long grass, Water |
| Locked in a concrete cell | hole, Plump deer, |
| Behind bars, Visitors, | Houses at the jungle’s edge, |
| Patrolling cars | Village |
(iii) Now try to share ideas about how the poet uses words and images to contrast the two situations.
Ans: The poet used these words to express the idea of the difference between a free animal and a caged one and how the natural traits of that animal get affected when it is caged in a zoo. If it had been in the forest, it could terrify villagers. On the contrary, visitors come to visit the tiger in the zoo for fun.
Q2- Notice the use of a word repeated in lines such as these:
(i) On pads of velvet quiet, In his quiet rage.
(ii) And stares with his brilliant eyes At the brilliant stars.
What do you think is the effect of this repetition?
Ans: The repetition of words in the poem is the poetic device through which the poet wants to express the intensity of the difference between a free tiger and a tamed one in the cage. Like the word “quiet’’ symbolises the cage and the helplessness of the tiger, who would have been in immense anger and ferocity if he had been in a jungle. Similarly “brilliant” refers that with his brilliant eyes, the tiger was dreaming of a free life in the jungle under brilliant stars without any cage and foundations.
Q3.Read the following two poems, one about a tiger and the other about a panther. Then discuss:
(i)Are zoos necessary for the protection or conservation of some species of animals?
(ii)Are they useful for educating the public?
(iii) Are there alternatives to zoos?
The Tiger
The tiger behind the bars of his cage growls,
The tiger behind the bars of his cage snarls,
The tiger behind the bars of his cage roars,
Then he thinks.
It would be nice not to be behind bars all
The time
Because they spoil my view
I wish I were wild, not on show.
But if I were wild, hunters might shoot me,
But if I were wild, food might poison me,
But if I were wild, water might drown me.
Then he stops thinking
And…
The tiger behind the bars of his cage growls,
The tiger behind the bars of his cage snarls,
and The tiger behind the bars of his cage roars.
– Peter Niblett
The Panther
His vision, from the constantly passing bars,
has grown so weary that it cannot hold
anything else. It seems to him there are
a thousand bars, and behind bars, no world.
As he paces in cramped circles, over and over,
the movement of his powerful soft strides
is like a ritual dance around a centre
in which a mighty will stands paralysed.
Only at times, the curtain of the pupils
lifts quietly. An image enters,
rushes down through the tensed, arrested muscles
plunges into the heart and is gone.
– Rainer Maria Rilke
Ans: Yes, zoos are necessary to some extent for the protection of species of animals. As these animals are not safe enough in forests due to the hunting of wild animals for trading purposes.
Ans: In a way, zoos help educate the public and know different species of animals in their country. It also provides information about the importance of wildlife and its effects on the ecological system.
Ans: Another alternative to zoos can be wildlife sanctuaries, reserves, and national parks, where these wild lives can be sustained in a natural habitat rather than putting them into a small cage, which is not sufficient for their natural reflexes.
A Tiger in the Zoo Extra Questions
1. What is the message of the poem?
Ans: The poet aspires to impress upon readers the importance of individual liberty for all beings. He shows how miserable and powerless life is when confined, using the plight of a tiger as an example.
2. What is the tone of the poem?
Ans: The tone of the poem is one of sadness and sympathy for the tiger in captivity. It also conveys a sense of anger and frustration at the injustice of the situation.
3. Why does freedom play an important part in one’s life?
Ans: Freedom is one of the most beautiful phenomena in the life of a living being. Everyone loves to do things at their way and pace rather than be commanded by an external force as a slave. As the poet mentioned, the caged tiger is helpless and furious.