Q. Read the poem again, and work in pairs to do the following tasks:
- Find the words that describe the movements and actions of the tiger in the cage and in the wild. Arrange them in two columns.
- Find the words that describe the two places, and arrange them in two columns.
Now try to share ideas about how the poet uses words and images to contrast the two situations.
Answer
| In the cage | In the wild |
| (a) Stalks is quite rage | (a) lurking in the shadow |
| (b) stalking the length of his cage | (b) sliding through the long grass |
| (c) Ignoring visitors | (c) snarling around houses |
| (d) hears the last voice of patrolling cars | (d) baring his white fangs, |
| (e) stares at the stars | (e) Terrorising the village |
| In the cage | In the wild |
| The few steps of his cage, locked in concrete cell, behind bars, patrolling cars | Lurking in the shadow, long grass, water hole, plump deer, jungles edge, terrorising the village. |
Q. Notice the use of a word repeated in the lines such as these:
- On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage. - And stares with his brilliant eyes
At the brilliant stars.
What do you think is the effect of this repletion?
Answer
- In first line the movement of the tiger in the cage has been described as ‘quiet’. In the second, the anger of the tiger has been described as ‘quiet’, and shows the helpless silence of the tiger. The use of the word ‘quiet’ in two different contexts focusses the reader’s attention on the word ‘quiet’, because of the contrast. It shows the intensity of the tiger’s anger also.
- The use of the ‘brilliant’ with eyes and stars heightens the effect of the brilliance of the tiger’s eyes.