General Information
Class 10 English A Tiger in the Zoo by Leslie Norris : “A Tiger in the Zoo” is a poignant poem by Leslie Norris, featured in the Class 10 NCERT English textbook First Flight. Written in the 20th century, it contrasts the natural majesty of a tiger in the wild with its confined existence in a zoo. Through vivid imagery, the poem explores themes of freedom, captivity, and the loss of natural instincts. Norris, a Welsh poet known for his sensitive portrayals of nature and human experiences, uses the tiger’s plight to evoke empathy and critique human interference with wildlife. The poem is a significant study for Class 10 students, highlighting environmental and ethical concerns.
Detailed Analysis
Author
Leslie Norris (1921–2006), a Welsh poet and short-story writer, is recognized for his evocative and compassionate depictions of nature, animals, and human emotions. His works often reflect a deep connection to the natural world, blending simplicity with profound insights, making “A Tiger in the Zoo” a quintessential example of his style.
Setting
The poem alternates between two settings: the confined space of a zoo cage, where the tiger is currently held, and an imagined natural habitat—a jungle with tall grasses, water holes, and deer. The zoo represents captivity and restriction, while the jungle symbolizes freedom and the tiger’s true environment.
Structure
The poem consists of five quatrains (four-line stanzas) with an AABB rhyme scheme, creating a rhythmic and structured flow. Written in free verse with varying line lengths, it mirrors the contrast between the tiger’s restrained movements in the cage and its potential freedom in the wild. The consistent rhyme enhances the poem’s lyrical quality.
Complete Poem
He stalks in his vivid stripes
The few steps of his cage,
On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage.
He should be lurking in shadow,
Sliding through long grass
Near the water hole
Where plump deer pass.
He should be snarling around houses
At the jungle’s edge,
Baring his white fangs, his claws,
Terrorising the village!
But he’s locked in a concrete cell,
His strength behind bars,
Stalking the length of his cage,
Ignoring visitors.
He hears the last voice at night,
The patrolling cars,
And stares with his brilliant eyes
At the brilliant stars.
Summary
The poem describes a tiger confined in a zoo, pacing restlessly in its small cage, its vivid stripes and quiet strength contrasting with its “quiet rage.” The poet imagines the tiger in its natural habitat, where it would lurk in tall grasses, hunt deer near water holes, or terrorize villages at the jungle’s edge with its fierce presence. Instead, the tiger is trapped in a “concrete cell,” its power restrained behind bars, ignoring zoo visitors. At night, it hears patrolling cars and gazes at the stars with its brilliant eyes, symbolizing a longing for freedom. The poem evokes sympathy for the tiger’s loss of dignity and natural instincts.
Themes
- Freedom vs. Captivity: The poem contrasts the tiger’s natural freedom in the wild with its confinement in a zoo, highlighting the cruelty of captivity.
- Loss of Dignity: The tiger’s majestic nature is diminished in the cage, reflecting the loss of its wild essence.
- Nature and Human Interference: The poem critiques humanity’s role in imprisoning wild animals for entertainment, disrupting their natural lives.
- Suppressed Emotions: The tiger’s “quiet rage” symbolizes suppressed instincts and emotions, unable to be expressed in captivity.
Literary Devices
- Imagery: Vivid images like “vivid stripes,” “pads of velvet,” and “long grass” create a stark contrast between the zoo and the jungle.
- Contrast: The tiger’s life in the cage (restricted, subdued) contrasts with its imagined life in the wild (free, powerful).
- Personification: The tiger’s “quiet rage” and staring at stars give it human-like emotions, evoking empathy.
- Alliteration: Phrases like “vivid stripes” and “velvet quiet” enhance the poem’s rhythm and mood.
- Symbolism: The stars symbolize freedom and unattainable dreams; the cage represents human oppression.
- Enjambment: Lines flowing into the next (e.g., “He stalks in his vivid stripes / The few steps of his cage”) mirror the tiger’s restless pacing.
Moral
The poem conveys that wild animals belong in their natural habitats, not in cages for human amusement. It urges respect for nature and empathy for creatures deprived of freedom, highlighting the ethical implications of captivity.
Significance
“A Tiger in the Zoo” is a compelling poem for Class 10 students, blending vivid imagery with ethical questions about animal rights and human responsibility. Its accessible language and emotional depth make it an effective study of Norris’s craft and environmental themes, encouraging reflection on freedom and dignity.
Questions and Answers
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
- Who is the poet of “A Tiger in the Zoo”?
a) Robert Frost
b) Leslie Norris
c) William Blake
d) John Keats
Answer: b) Leslie Norris - Where is the tiger located in the poem?
a) In a jungle
b) In a zoo cage
c) In a village
d) Near a river
Answer: b) In a zoo cage - What emotion does the tiger feel in the cage?
a) Joy
b) Quiet rage
c) Fear
d) Contentment
Answer: b) Quiet rage - What does the tiger ignore in the zoo?
a) The stars
b) The patrolling cars
c) The visitors
d) The bars
Answer: c) The visitors - Where does the poet imagine the tiger should be?
a) In a city
b) In the jungle
c) In a farm
d) In a circus
Answer: b) In the jungle - What does the tiger stare at in the final stanza?
a) The visitors
b) The stars
c) The bars
d) The patrolling cars
Answer: b) The stars - What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?
a) ABAB
b) AABB
c) ABBA
d) AAAA
Answer: b) AABB - What symbolizes the tiger’s longing for freedom?
a) The cage
b) The stars
c) The visitors
d) The concrete cell
Answer: b) The stars - What does the poet describe the tiger’s paws as?
a) Pads of velvet
b) Sharp claws
c) Heavy feet
d) Silent steps
Answer: a) Pads of velvet - What is the main theme of “A Tiger in the Zoo”?
a) The beauty of nature
b) The cruelty of captivity
c) The power of humans
d) The joy of zoos
Answer: b) The cruelty of captivity
Fill in the Blanks
- The poem “A Tiger in the Zoo” is written by ______.
Answer: Leslie Norris - The tiger stalks in his ______ stripes.
Answer: vivid - The tiger is confined in a ______ cell.
Answer: concrete - The tiger’s rage is described as ______.
Answer: quiet - In the wild, the tiger would lurk near a ______ hole.
Answer: water - The poem has ______ quatrains.
Answer: five - The tiger ignores ______ in the zoo.
Answer: visitors - The tiger’s eyes are described as ______.
Answer: brilliant - The poem’s rhyme scheme is ______.
Answer: AABB - The tiger hears the sound of ______ cars at night.
Answer: patrolling
Short Answer Type Questions
- Where is the tiger in the poem, and how is it described?
Answer: The tiger is in a zoo cage, described as pacing with “vivid stripes” on “pads of velvet quiet,” expressing “quiet rage” due to its confinement. - What does the poet imagine the tiger doing in the wild?
Answer: The poet imagines the tiger lurking in tall grasses, hunting deer near a water hole, and terrorizing villages at the jungle’s edge with its fangs and claws. - What is the significance of the tiger’s “quiet rage”?
Answer: The “quiet rage” signifies the tiger’s suppressed anger and frustration at being confined, unable to express its natural instincts in the cage. - What does the tiger stare at in the final stanza, and why?
Answer: The tiger stares at the stars, symbolizing its longing for freedom and a connection to the vast, unattainable world beyond the cage. - How does the poem contrast the tiger’s life in the zoo with its life in the wild?
Answer: The poem contrasts the tiger’s restricted pacing in a zoo cage with its imagined freedom in the jungle, where it would hunt, roam, and inspire fear, highlighting the loss of its natural majesty. - What is the rhyme scheme of “A Tiger in the Zoo”?
Answer: The poem follows an AABB rhyme scheme in each of its five quatrains, creating a rhythmic and lyrical flow. - What does the “concrete cell” symbolize in the poem?
Answer: The “concrete cell” symbolizes the unnatural and restrictive environment of the zoo, stripping the tiger of its freedom and dignity. - How does the poet evoke sympathy for the tiger?
Answer: The poet evokes sympathy by contrasting the tiger’s majestic potential in the wild with its confined, subdued state in the zoo, using vivid imagery and the phrase “quiet rage.” - What is meant by “pads of velvet quiet”?
Answer: “Pads of velvet quiet” refers to the tiger’s soft, silent paws, emphasizing its graceful yet restrained movements in the cage, hinting at its suppressed power. - What lesson does the poem teach about animals in captivity?
Answer: The poem teaches that wild animals like tigers belong in their natural habitats, not in cages, as captivity robs them of freedom, dignity, and their true nature.
Long Answer Type Questions
- Discuss the theme of freedom versus captivity in “A Tiger in the Zoo” and how it is portrayed.
Answer: The theme of freedom versus captivity is central to “A Tiger in the Zoo,” portrayed through the stark contrast between the tiger’s confined life in a zoo and its imagined existence in the wild. In the zoo, the tiger paces a “concrete cell,” its “vivid stripes” and “pads of velvet” restrained, expressing “quiet rage” that evokes sympathy. The poet imagines the tiger in its natural habitat, lurking in tall grasses, hunting deer, or terrorizing villages, embodying power and freedom. This contrast highlights the cruelty of captivity, which strips the tiger of its dignity and instincts. Norris uses vivid imagery and symbolism, like the stars representing unattainable freedom, to critique human interference, urging respect for animals’ natural rights. - How does Leslie Norris use imagery in “A Tiger in the Zoo” to convey the poem’s message?
Answer: Leslie Norris employs vivid imagery in “A Tiger in the Zoo” to convey the message of captivity’s cruelty. In the zoo, images like “vivid stripes,” “pads of velvet quiet,” and “concrete cell” depict the tiger’s beauty and strength, subdued by confinement, evoking sympathy. The “quiet rage” in its eyes suggests suppressed emotions. In contrast, the imagined jungle is rich with “long grass,” “water hole,” and “plump deer,” portraying the tiger’s natural majesty and freedom. The final image of the tiger staring at “brilliant stars” symbolizes its longing for liberty. These contrasting images underscore the loss of the tiger’s essence, critiquing human actions that cage wild animals. - Analyze the structure and tone of “A Tiger in the Zoo” and their contribution to its impact.
Answer: “A Tiger in the Zoo” consists of five quatrains with an AABB rhyme scheme, written in free verse with varying line lengths. This structure creates a rhythmic, lyrical flow that contrasts the tiger’s restricted movements in the cage with its imagined freedom, enhancing the theme of captivity. The consistent rhyme scheme adds a musical quality, making the poem accessible yet poignant. The tone is empathetic and critical, evoking sympathy for the tiger’s “quiet rage” while subtly condemning human interference. The shift from the zoo’s stark reality to the jungle’s vivid imagery intensifies the emotional impact, reinforcing the message that captivity robs animals of their natural dignity and freedom. - Explain the role of contrast in “A Tiger in the Zoo” and how it enhances the poem’s meaning.
Answer: Contrast is pivotal in “A Tiger in the Zoo,” enhancing its exploration of freedom and captivity. The poem juxtaposes the tiger’s confined life in a zoo cage, where it paces with “quiet rage,” with its imagined life in the jungle, where it lurks, hunts, and inspires fear. The zoo’s “concrete cell” and “bars” contrast with the jungle’s “long grass” and “water hole,” highlighting the loss of the tiger’s natural majesty. The tiger’s subdued behavior in captivity contrasts with its fierce potential in the wild. This contrast evokes sympathy and critiques human cruelty, emphasizing that wild animals belong in their natural habitats, not cages, making the poem’s message more powerful. - How does “A Tiger in the Zoo” reflect Leslie Norris’s perspective on the relationship between humans and nature?
Answer: “A Tiger in the Zoo” reflects Leslie Norris’s perspective that humans disrupt the natural order by imposing captivity on wild animals, robbing them of freedom and dignity. The poem portrays the tiger’s confinement in a “concrete cell” as a human-inflicted tragedy, contrasting its subdued state with its imagined majesty in the jungle. Norris’s empathetic tone and vivid imagery, like the tiger’s “quiet rage” and longing gaze at the stars, critique humanity’s role in caging animals for entertainment. The poem advocates for respect for nature, suggesting that animals like the tiger belong in their natural habitats, where their true essence can thrive, aligning with Norris’s broader sensitivity to the natural world.