The Tiger by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
The poem explores the idea that a person's true nature will eventually be revealed, despite attempts to conceal it. The tiger, a symbol of ferocity and power, is used to describe someone who appears gentle and harmless on the surface but has a hidden, darker side. The poem suggests that this person's true nature will ultimately emerge, just as the tiger's stripes cannot be hidden forever.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1911 · Genre: Poetry, Romance, Symbolism · 178 words
First lines
In the still jungle of the senses lay A tiger soundly sleeping, till one day A bold young hunter chanced to come that way.
"How calm," he said, "that splendid creature lies! I long to rouse him into swift surprise. " The well aimed arrow shot from amorous eyes,
And lo! the tiger rouses up and turns, A coal of fire his glowing eyeball burns, His mighty frame with savage hunger yearns.
He crouches for a spring; his eyes dilate -- Alas! bold hunter, what shall be thy fate? Thou canst not fly; it is too late, too late.
What this Textopian page supports
The Tiger is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1911 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Date: 1911 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Romance, Symbolism, Drama, Fable
- Length: 178 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse and employs poetic devices such as rhyme and meter.
- Romance — The narrative involves themes of love and desire, as indicated by the 'amorous eyes' and the hunter's boldness.
- Symbolism — The tiger represents deeper, possibly dangerous, human emotions and instincts.
- Drama — The tension and conflict between the hunter and the tiger create a dramatic scenario.
Tags
Poetry · Nature · Wildlife · Tigers · Imagery · Symbolism · American Literature · Early 20th Century · Romanticism · Feminist Literature · Women Authors · Free Verse