A Tiger in the Zoo -- CBSE Class 10 -- Summary and analysis

The poem is a remarkable piece of writing which addresses a relevant universal theme. The poet has juxtaposed the life of a tiger in the concrete cell of a zoo with his life of freedom in a jungle. (Juxtaposition means when two things or situations are placed close to each other for the purpose of stark comparison.)

In the first stanza we see the tiger's suppressed voice from the zoo. He is in a helpless state where he can only walk the length of his concrete cell. His anger is also suppressed as he cannot do anything about his pitiable state. An animal which commands so much of respect and fear not only from animals but also from human beings, is entirely at the mercy of the zoo-keepers.

In the second and third stanzas, the tiger is seen living a life of complete liberty in a jungle. He waits in ambush to hunt "plump deer" for his meal. He "snarls around houses at the jungle's edge" showing his sharp teeth. This sound, let alone sight, is enough to terrorize the villagers living near the jungle. The tiger is considered a figure of fear. This is how he is supposed to be.

In the last two stanzas, we see the tiger in a pitiable state. He is locked in his "concrete cell". It is ironical that we feel bad for animals when we read poems but enjoy the sight whenever we visit the zoo. The tiger in his cell even ignores the visitors as he no longer derives pleasure from watching them in captivity.

His last activity in the night before he retires to sleep is listening to the sound of patrolling cars. It is an irony that this safe and secure environment of the zoo cannot bring any solace to the tiger. His only respite is watching the open sky full of stars from his cell, probably the only experience that matches his life in the jungle.

It is imperative for us to realize that a tiger loses its natural ability to hunt when he loses his natural habitat. He becomes an object of pity from being an object of fear. If he is taken back to the jungle, he won't unfortunately be able to survive there.



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