About the Poet

George Leslie Norris (21 May 1921 - 6 April 2006) was a prize-winning Welsh poet and short-story writer. He taught at institutions in Britain and the United States, including Brigham Young University. Norris is regarded as an important Welsh writer of the post-war period and his literary work won several prizes.

Key points of the poem

The poem consists of 5 stanzas. Each stanza has four lines, so the poem has 20 lines in total.
The poem contrasts the tiger's life in its natural habitat with its life when confined in a zoo.
The poet sees the tiger on a starry night and watches its behaviour in the cage.
The tiger paces slowly back and forth because the cage allows only a few steps.
The animal is full of suppressed anger - a quiet rage - because of its captivity.
The poet feels pity for the caged tiger and sympathises with its longing for freedom.

Detailed summary

Stanza 1

He stalks in his vivid stripes

The few steps of his cage,

On pads of velvet quiet,

In his quiet rage.

The stanza opens with the poet's observation of the tiger inside the zoo. The phrase "vivid stripes" reminds us of the tiger's natural beauty and strength. But those stripes move only for the few steps allowed by the small cage. The tiger's footsteps are soft - "pads of velvet" - so his movement is silent, yet his behaviour shows a contained, intense anger. The oxymoronic phrase "quiet rage" emphasises that the tiger's fury is suppressed by captivity: he is powerful but unable to express that power freely.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

Try yourself: What does the poet mean by "On pads of velvet quiet"?

The tiger's cage is covered with soft velvet material.

CORRECT ANSWER

The tiger's feet make a soft and quiet sound.

The tiger is angry because he is confined in a small space.

The tiger is pacing back and forth in his cage.

Correct Answer: B

- The phrase "On pads of velvet quiet" refers to the tiger's feet.

- The poet uses the metaphor of velvet to describe the softness and quietness of the tiger's footsteps.

- The tiger walks silently in his cage, without making any noise.

- This adds to the overall image of the tiger's helplessness and confinement in the zoo.

- The poet uses vivid imagery to highlight the contrast between the tiger's natural habitat and its captivity in the zoo.

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Stanza 2

He should be lurking in shadow,

Sliding through long grass

Near the water hole

Where plump deer pass.

Here the poet imagines the life the tiger ought to be leading in the wild. The tiger ought to be hidden in shadows, moving stealthily through long grass near waterholes where well-fed deer come to drink. These lines draw a clear contrast between the tiger's natural hunting behaviour in the jungle and its restricted existence in the cage. The poet's use of "should be" stresses that the caged life is unnatural for this creature.

Stanza 3

He should be snarling round houses

At the jungle's edge,

Baring his white fangs, his claws,

Terrorising the village!

The poet continues to picture the tiger in freedom, imagining it prowling at the forest's edge and frightening people in the nearby village by showing its fangs and claws. These lines highlight the tiger's raw fierceness and the fear it can inspire in humans when it is wild. The image shows the tiger as an active, dominant force in its natural environment - a contrast with the caged, impotent animal.

Stanza 4

But he's locked in a concrete cell,

His strength behind bars,

Stalking the length of his cage,

Ignoring visitors.

The reality returns in this stanza. The tiger is enclosed in a "concrete cell", and even his strength is imprisoned - "His strength behind bars" is a metonymic way to show that the tiger's bodily power is inaccessible. He paces the cage's length but cannot act on his nature, and he ignores visitors because his power cannot be used; his presence there is a muted reminder of what has been taken from him.

Stanza 5

He hears the last voice at night,

The patrolling cars,

And stares with his brilliant eyes

At the brilliant stars.

At night the tiger hears the sounds of the outside world - the patrolling cars used to guard the zoo - and he looks up at the "brilliant stars". His bright eyes stare at the sky, suggesting longing and frustration. The stars stand for freedom and the wide world beyond the cage, while the sounds of patrols and the bars remind him of confinement. The image is quiet and poignant: the tiger remains majestic but powerless, and the poet's sympathy deepens.

Theme and message

Theme: The dominant theme is freedom versus captivity. The poem contrasts the tiger's natural life with the limited, anguished life in the zoo, showing how captivity suppresses the animal's nature.
The poem evokes the tiger's suffering, helplessness and longing for its rightful freedom.
Message: The poem questions the morality of keeping wild animals in cages for human spectacle. It urges respect for animal liberty and suggests that confinement denies animals their essential nature.

Literary devices

Imagery - The poet uses strong visual images such as "vivid stripes", "sliding through long grass", "baring his white fangs", "concrete cell" and "brilliant stars" to evoke both the tiger's wild life and its caged existence.
Symbolism - The "cage" symbolises captivity and human control, while the "sky" or "stars" symbolise freedom and the world beyond confinement.
Oxymoron - The phrase "quiet rage" places opposites together to indicate suppressed anger; it highlights the tiger's inner turmoil despite external silence.
Personification - The tiger is referred to as "he", which gives the creature human-like feelings (longing, anger, helplessness) and helps readers empathise with it.
Alliteration - Repetition of consonant sounds appears in phrases such as "should be lurking in shadow", "plump deer pass" and "concrete cell", which gives musicality and emphasis to key images.
Metaphor - "On pads of velvet quiet" compares the tiger's paws to velvet to convey softness and silence without using "like" or "as".
Repetition - Words such as "stalk", "quiet" and "brilliant" recur to reinforce central ideas: the tiger's constrained movement, its suppressed nature and the contrast between his eyes and the stars.
Enjambment - Lines flow into the next without punctuation (for example, in stanza 2), which quickens the pace and mirrors the continuous movement or imagined activity of the tiger.
Metonymy - Words like "strength" are used to stand for the tiger's whole physical power and vigour, now locked away by the bars.
Consonance and Assonance - Repetition of consonant sounds (such as the s-sound in "stalks, stripes") and vowel sounds (such as the short i in "vivid") contribute to the poem's sound pattern and mood.

Difficult words

Stalks: follows or moves quietly and slowly, typically when hunting.
Vivid: bright-coloured; striking in appearance.
Pads: the soft parts on the bottom of the tiger's paws.
Rage: intense anger.
Lurking: hiding or staying out of sight to wait for prey.
Snarling: making a fierce, warning sound; growling angrily.
Baring: uncovering or showing (for example, showing teeth).
Fangs: the long, sharp teeth of certain animals.
Concrete: here used as an adjective for a solid, man-made cell; concrete is a construction material made of cement, sand and aggregate.
Patrolling: moving about regularly to guard or watch over a place.

Concluding note

The poem is a compact but powerful study of a majestic animal deprived of its freedom. Through vivid imagery, carefully chosen sounds and contrasting pictures of life in the wild and life in captivity, Norris asks readers to recognise the harm done when wild animals are caged for human amusement. The poem invites sympathy for the tiger and reflection on the ethical treatment of animals.

Mind Map: A Tiger in the Zoo

Short Answer Questions: A Tiger in the Zoo

Q1: What do you understand by 'His strength behind bars'?

Ans: 'His strength behind bars' refers to the tiger's power and natural abilities being trapped and rendered useless by the bars of its cage. Confined to a small space, the tiger cannot use its strength for hunting or roaming and so feels unhappy, frustrated and restless.

Q2: What does the poet convey through the poem?

Ans: The poet draws attention to the miserable life of animals kept in zoos, particularly the tiger. He contrasts captivity with the tiger's life in the wild and stresses that animals have a right to freedom. The poem argues that wild creatures should not be caged for display but allowed to live and move freely in their natural environment.

Q3: How does the tiger feel in the cage?

Ans: The tiger feels frustrated, angry and trapped in the cage. It keeps pacing from one corner to another, taking only a few steps within the limited space. This restless movement and the mention of its vivid stripes underline its silent anger and unhappiness at being confined.

Q4: The tiger in the poem 'A Tiger in the Zoo' has some obvious limitations, describe them in contrast to its natural habitat.

Ans: The tiger in the zoo is confined to a small cage that prevents it from behaving naturally. It cannot hunt, roam long distances, mark its territory or sleep under the open sky. In contrast, in its natural habitat the tiger would stalk prey across wide spaces, hide in long grass, drink at water holes and enjoy the freedom to move and live by its instincts. The bars of the cage even block its view of the night sky, making the contrast with the forest life sharp and tragic.

Q5: What is the theme of the poem?

What message does the poet want to convey through the poem-Tiger in the Zoo'?

Ans: The central theme is the cruelty of keeping wild animals in captivity. The poet shows how caging a tiger destroys its dignity, freedom and natural behaviour, causing feelings of anger, helplessness and unhappiness. The poem condemns making wild animals mere objects of human entertainment and calls for respect for their right to a free life.

Q6: Why do you think the tiger was stalking in the cage? What does it show?

Ans: The tiger stalks inside the cage because it is restless and frustrated. Confined to a tiny space, it paces as if trying to move freely or to hunt, but cannot. This behaviour shows its unease, anger and the natural urge to be free rather than to serve as a showpiece for human entertainment.

Q7: Those who deny freedom to others, do not deserve it for themselves. Comment.

Ans: By keeping the tiger locked in a cage, humans deny it the freedom that is rightfully its own. The poem suggests that such denial is morally wrong: those who take away freedom from other living beings show disrespect and a lack of compassion, and so cannot rightly claim or deserve freedom for themselves. The contrast between the caged tiger and the free tiger in the wild emphasises this moral point.

Q8: Describe the movement of the tiger in the cage and in the wild.

What difference do you find in the mood of a tiger when he is in a zoo and when he is in a forest?

Ans:In the zoo the tiger moves restlessly, pacing back and forth within the small cage; this shows his unhappiness and frustration. In the forest he moves freely and majestically, with purpose and power as he stalks prey. Thus, the mood in the zoo is one of anger and helplessness, while in the forest it is one of confidence and contentment.

Q9: How does the tiger prepare himself for hunting when he is in his natural habitat - the jungle

Ans: In the jungle the tiger prepares for hunting by moving silently and keeping out of sight. He hides in long grass or shadowed areas, waits patiently near water holes and chooses the right moment to ambush his prey, such as a plump deer, using stealth rather than speed alone.

Q10: "Freedom is a birth right. It is the most beautiful gift of god. It is valuable for all human beings as well as for creatures," Discuss with reference to the poem "A Tiger in the Zoo.".

Ans: Freedom is a basic right that brings dignity and happiness. In the poem, the caged tiger shows how lack of freedom destroys joy even when other needs are met. Just as a bird in a golden cage cannot be happy, so a man or an animal cannot feel truly content when deprived of liberty. The poem contrasts the confined tiger with the free tiger of the forest to show that freedom is essential for a full life.

Q11: How does the tiger terrorise the villagers? Does he have any intention of killing them?

Ans: The tiger terrifies villagers by roaming near the village edge, snarling and showing his sharp teeth and claws. This display frightens people, but the poem suggests he does not intend to kill them; he only becomes dangerous if provoked or forced into a fight.

Q12: How does the tiger feel locked in the concrete cell of the zoo? Why does he ignore the visitors

Ans: The tiger feels helpless and powerless when locked in a concrete cell; his natural strength is wasted behind bars. He paces and broods, and he ignores visitors because he does not wish to be treated as an object of amusement. The crowds cannot restore his lost freedom or dignity.

Q13: What does the tiger do at night? What does he feel when he stares at the brilliant stars in the sky?

Ans: At night the tiger hears the sounds of patrolling cars and other noises outside the zoo. When he stares up at the brilliant stars, their vastness and freedom deepen his sense of helplessness and longing, since he cannot join the open world the stars represent.

Q14: Read the line below and answer the questions:

He should be snarling around houses

At the jungle's edge,

Baring his white fangs, his claws,

Terrorising the village!

(a) What does the poet try to suggest through these lines?

Ans: The poet suggests that the tiger ought to live at the edge of the jungle where he can behave naturally, showing his strength and instincts, rather than being confined in a zoo.

(b) How does the tiger scare the people?

Ans: The tiger scares people by growling and by baring his white fangs and claws, which are signs of danger and power.

Ans: He snarls to express his anger, frustration and helplessness at being forced out of his natural life.

(d) How does 'he' show his presence?

Ans: He shows his presence by snarling and by displaying his teeth and claws, making his presence known to people nearby.

Q15: Read the line below and answer the questions:

He hears the last voice at night,

The patrolling cars,

And stares with his brilliant eyes

At the brilliant stars.

(a) What kind of voices does the tiger hear?

Ans: The tiger hears the sounds made by patrolling cars at night.

(b) Where does the tiger look at in the night?

Ans: At night the tiger looks up at the brilliant stars shining in the sky.

Ans: 'Patrolling' means moving regularly around an area to keep watch and ensure it is safe.

(d) What is the effect of the repeated use of the word 'brilliant'?

Ans: The repetition of 'brilliant' creates a contrast between the freedom and splendour of the stars and the trapped brightness of the tiger's eyes. It highlights the irony that the tiger's brilliant eyes are imprisoned while the brilliant stars are free.

NCERT Solutions: A Tiger in the Zoo

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.

(ii) 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.

Ans:

(i)

(ii)

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 poet uses repetition to create a poetic effect, highlighting the tiger's growing anger and silent helplessness while trapped in his concrete cage. The phrase "velvet quiet" refers to the tiger's soft paws, which are quiet and unable to run or leap. The tiger can only pace within the small space of his cage. "Quiet rage" represents the tiger's inner anger and wild nature, which is building up as he longs to run freely in the forest and hunt. His rage remains quiet because he is locked in the cage and powerless. The repetition of "quiet" adds a musical quality to the poem. Likewise, using the word "brilliant" for both the tiger's eyes and the stars emphasizes the majestic nature of both. The tiger looks at the brilliant stars with his brilliant eyes, dreaming of the free and beautiful life he could have had in the forest. This repetition gives the poem a rhythmic flow and a sense of grandeur.

Tiger

Q3. Read the following two poems - one about a tiger and the other about a panther. Then discuss:

Are zoos necessary for the protection or conservation of some species of animals? Are they useful for educating the public? 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,

The tiger behind the bars of his cage roars.

-- By 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 the 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 in,

rushes down through the tensed, arrested muscles,

plunges into the heart and is gone.

--By Rainer Maria Rilke

Ans: A zoo is a place where various species of animals, including some that are endangered or on the brink of extinction, are housed and cared for. These animals, such as tigers, lions, and other vulnerable species, often face significant threats in the wild due to poaching for illegal trade, habitat destruction, and human encroachment. Zoos play a crucial role in the conservation and protection of these species by offering a controlled and secure environment where they can be safeguarded from such dangers.

Beyond mere protection, zoos also serve an educational purpose by raising awareness among the public about the importance of wildlife and its essential role in maintaining the ecological balance of our environment. Visitors can learn about the behaviors, habitats, and threats faced by these animals, helping foster a deeper appreciation for their conservation.

However, while zoos provide a safe space for endangered animals, other alternatives such as wildlife sanctuaries, forest reserves, and national parks offer a more natural setting. These places not only protect and conserve the species but also allow animals to live in their natural habitat with minimal human interference. These alternatives are vital for long-term conservation efforts, ensuring that animals can thrive in the wild while being shielded from poaching and habitat loss.

Key Questions

Q1: Who is the poet of the poem 'A Tiger in the Zoo'?

Solution:

The poet of the poem 'A Tiger in the Zoo' is Leslie Norris. Through this poem, he highlights the pain and helplessness of animals kept in captivity.

Q2: How does the tiger walk inside the cage?

Solution:

The tiger walks proudly and quietly inside the cage. He moves slowly with suppressed anger and frustration because he is unable to enjoy freedom in his natural habitat.

Q3: Why does the tiger express his anger quietly?

Solution:

The tiger expresses his anger quietly because he feels helpless inside the cage. His strength and power are restricted by the bars, and he cannot do anything to gain freedom.

Q4: What should the tiger be doing in the forest?

Solution:

In the forest, the tiger should be roaming freely through the long grass, hiding near water holes and hunting deer. He should live fearlessly in his natural habitat.

Q5: What is the contrast between the tiger in the cage and the tiger in the jungle?

Solution:

The tiger in the cage is helpless, restless and angry, while the tiger in the jungle is free, powerful and fearless. The poem contrasts captivity with natural freedom.

Q6: Why does the tiger ignore the visitors?

Solution:

The tiger ignores the visitors because he is unhappy and frustrated in captivity. He has lost interest in people because he longs only for freedom and natural surroundings.

Q7: Explain the phrase 'his strength behind bars'.

Solution:

The phrase means that the tiger's real power and strength are trapped inside the cage. Although he is naturally strong and dangerous, captivity has made him helpless.

Q8: What does the tiger do at night?

Solution:

At night, the tiger hears the sound of patrolling cars and stares at the shining stars through the bars of his cage. He silently thinks about freedom and the outside world.

Q9: Why does the poet use the word 'quiet' repeatedly in the poem?

Solution:

The poet uses the word 'quiet' repeatedly to show the tiger's silent anger, helplessness and sadness. The tiger cannot express his emotions openly because he is trapped in the cage.

Q10: What message does the poem 'A Tiger in the Zoo' convey?

Solution:

The poem conveys that wild animals should live freely in their natural habitats. Captivity destroys their freedom, happiness and natural instincts, making their lives painful and meaningless.

Q11: How does the poet describe the tiger's physical appearance?

Solution:

The poet describes the tiger as strong, majestic and beautiful with bright stripes and powerful body movements. Despite his strength, the tiger appears sad and helpless inside the cage.

Q12: What does the tiger's stare at the stars symbolize?

Solution:

The tiger's stare at the stars symbolises his longing for freedom and open spaces. It reflects his sadness and desire to escape from captivity and return to the jungle.

Q13: Why is the tiger restless in the cage?

Solution:

The tiger is restless because the cage limits his movement and natural behaviour. He cannot hunt, roam freely or live according to his instincts, which causes frustration and anger.

Q14: Explain the theme of the poem 'A Tiger in the Zoo'.

Solution:

The poem highlights the cruelty of keeping wild animals in captivity. It contrasts freedom and imprisonment and emphasizes the importance of allowing animals to live naturally in forests.

Q15: How does the poem create sympathy for the tiger?

Solution:

The poem creates sympathy by showing the tiger's helplessness, sadness and silent suffering inside the cage. Readers realise that captivity takes away the tiger's freedom and natural joy of life.

Very Short Questions: Poem - A Tiger in the Zoo

Q1: What do you understand by `His strength behind bars'? What kind of a cage is he locked in?

Ans: The phrase "his strength behind bars" means that the tiger's natural power and dignity are trapped by the cage. He is confined in a small enclosure in the zoo and is deprived of freedom. As a result, he feels unhappy, frustrated, restless and angry.

Q2: What message does the poet want to convey through the poem-Tiger in the Zoo'?

Ans: The poet condemns the cruelty of keeping wild animals in small zoo enclosures away from their natural habitats. Wild animals suffer in captivity; they feel helpless, angry and unhappy, and they long for the freedom they had in the forest.

Q3: How does the poet contrast the tiger in the cage with a tiger in the forest?

Ans: The poet contrasts a caged tiger by showing that the caged tiger is imprisoned, unhappy and full of silent anger, while the tiger in the forest is free. In the forest the tiger moves through tall grass and hunts deer near water holes, living a life of freedom and natural dignity.

Q4: How does the tiger terrify the villagers?

Ans: The tiger terrifies the villagers by prowling near their houses and snarling at them. He bares his fangs and shows his long claws, and his presence near the village, where homes border the jungle, frightens the people.

Q5: How does the tiger walk in the cage?

Ans: The tiger walks in the cage with a proud, quiet gait, pacing the limited space available to him. His eyes reveal deep anger and frustration at being imprisoned, but he is powerless to regain his freedom.

Q6: He hears the last voice at night, The patrolling cars, Who hears the last voice and of what?

Ans: The tiger hears the "last voice" at night, which is the sound of the patrolling cars. The cars make rounds of the zoo to check that everything is in order, and the imprisoned tiger listens to these sounds from his cage.

Q7: What message do you get from this poem?

Ans: The poem shows that animals prefer to live freely in their natural environment and that life in a zoo is pitiable. Captivity causes them suffering and takes away their dignity and happiness.

Q8: Is it safe to allow tigers to live in their natural habitat these days?

Ans: Although it is ideal for tigers to live in the wild, at present it can be unsafe for them because forests are rapidly shrinking and poachers pose a serious threat. These dangers have pushed tigers close to extinction, making their natural habitat unsafe in many areas.

Q9: How does the tiger feel in the zoo?

Ans: The tiger feels miserable and restless in the zoo. He moves from one corner to another, stalking in his vivid stripes within the few steps of his cage. He is clearly unhappy and expresses a silent, restrained anger.

Q10: Why do you think the tiger looks at the stars?

Ans: The tiger looks at the stars because he feels helpless and longs for freedom. The brilliant stars give him a small comfort and hope; they remind him of the open sky and a time when he could run free in the wild.

Infographics: A Tiger in the Zoo