"The Lady, or the Tiger?" is a short story by Frank R. Stockton that takes place in a land ruled by a semi-barbaric king who rules sternly, and has a creative punishment for criminals that were brought to his attention. They are led to an arena where there are two doors; the accused must choose one. Behind one door, there is a tiger, who will maul the accused to death. Behind the other door, there is a fair maiden, chosen by the king himself. If the criminal selects this door, then the pair will be instantly married. The story kicks in when the king's (almost as barbaric) daughter is caught having an affair with one of the king's courtiers. As expected, the courtier is sent to the arena, but the princess has found out which door will contain which punishment. However, the fair maiden behind one of the doors is someone the princess hates. The princess gestures towards the right door and the story ends on a cliff hanger. Despite the ending, it can be inferred that the princess sent the courtier to the tiger. …show more content…
One reason is the fact that the princess is described as "moiety of barbarism in her nature" and that she hated the fair maiden "with all the intensity of the savage blood transmitted to her through long lines of wholly barbaric ancestors". A lot of barbaric minded people have a "if I cant have this no one can" mindset, so that could affect the outcome of the situation. In addition, it is made aware that she, despite being less barbaric, is barbaric nonetheless. She could have hated the fair maiden more than she loved her suitor and had the man killed just to get to
Do you like the ending of the book? Why or why not? Do you think there is more to tell? What do you think might happen next? Give details with page numbers from the book to explain.
Frank Stockton’s “The Lady or The Tiger” presents a powerful message about the conflict between compassion and jealousy. While this series of events seems to revolve around the character of the princess, the complex qualities of the young man and his influence on the story come to light upon closer investigation.The decision of the young man in ‘The Lady and the Tiger’ to open the door indicated by the princess indicates not submissiveness or simplicity of character, but rather his depth as a complex character with as much a role in determining his own fate as the princess.
In the story, "The Lady or the Tiger?", I had to make a decision on whether the princess chose the door with the lion or the door with the lady, based on her personality and actions. I gathered evidence from the story that inferred she was caring, beautiful, and intense. After looking at all of my evidence, I decided that the princess led the man to the tiger.
The lady or the tiger? My class has been debating to prove who is right in this situation the play was written in 1882, by Frank Stockton. It's a pretty interesting dilemma all going down to simplistics. Which was the most power, raging jealousy or undeniable love? Could someone be so jealous that you would do as much as murder? Or could your love for someone go so far that you wouldn't care who you knock down in the way to be happy? The facts given in the story strongly suggests that jealousy can and could overwhelm the emotion of love, that inferring, that the tiger would of been behind the right door.
What would you choose to do if you could kill your lover or have him live but marry someone that you hated? In the story “The Lady or The Tiger,”the semi-barbaric princess was shown with two choices that would change her lover’s life. However, in the end, I believe the princess led her lover to the door with the tiger. Doubtlessly, the princess chose that door because she was jealous of the lady who could possibly be the wife of her one true love and envious at the growing relationship they are developing. Also, since the princess will never be able to marry her lover, she might as well kill him so that she wouldn’t have to be envious of the new love relationship the lady and her lover will establish.
Have you ever had do make a hard decision in life ? Knowing that if you made the wrong one it would significantly affect you ? If you said yes, Then You could imagine how the convicts Frank Stockton's “The Lady or The Tiger” in the arena felt when they had to choose one of the two doors. The horror in the pit of their stomachs not knowing whether the were going to be greeted by a lovely new wife and be wedded right away , or a vicious tiger wait to tear open his flesh . In this story Frank uses and displays many unique literary devices that add spice to the story. The main devices are mood , symbolisim and also point of view , by using these he keeps the on their toes and leaves them wanting more. Stockton usage
At the end of “Lady or the Tiger” the author Frank R. Stockton ended with a cliffhanger. Was it the lady or the tiger behind the right door? It was most certainly the tiger behind the door the princess told her lover to choose. The princess loved the young man unconditionally but she would get very jealous when the fair lady and her lover would talk or even make eye contact. The fact that she was also semi-barbaric made her jealousy even worse. The princess told her lover to choose the door with the tiger behind it because if not, her jealousy would have taken over if she saw the young man and fair lady get married.
In the story of love and jealously written by Frank Stockton, a semi barbaric princess falls in love with a youth, but because the youth is not a prince, their love is forbidden and his life is put on the line. When their romance is revealed, as punishment, the youth has to choose between two doors. One where a beautiful lady awaits to marry him, or the other door, where a hungry tiger lays to devour the youth. In the story the youth chooses the door the princess wants him to choose, but the story ends with the final question; which door the princess chooses: the lady or the tiger? Even though after reading the story, undoubtedly the youth chooses the door with the tiger.
In the short story, “The Lady, or the Tiger?” written by Frank R. Stockton, it talks about a semi barbaric king who puts people on trial if they commit a crime using a system in which people go in an arena. They then have a choice to pick a door where it will be either a lady or a tiger. To summarize the “Lady or the Tiger” the princess wanted to be with her lover, but the king didn’t appreciate his daughter being with the man, so the king put her lover on trial. The princess had a choice; have her lover be eaten by a tiger or have her man married to another lady. Stockton gave evidence for both sides, but the struggle of the princess to choose whether her lover will die, or be married to another woman right in front of her, the evidence points
This princess did indeed have a barbaric nature. Would her intense, savage blood of her family triumph the slight tenderness that she possessed in her soul? The door was opening. People on the outside of the great stadium were breathless as they listened vigilantly for the lady or the tiger. The hinges buckled upon the wooden door’s weight. Many people peered through their sweaty fingers; breaths quivering, waiting for the bloody scream from the man. The princess had known what door she had picked and almost second-guessed her choice. Brutally waiting, the King was on the edge of his seat. He was ready for a show.
“ The lady or the tiger by Frank R Stockton has readers ponder for as long as time, a semi barbaric king uses poetic justice to decide if a person on trial is innocent or guilty. When the subject was accused they are led to two doors, and they must decide either one as their fate. Behind one door is a fierce tiger, behind the other is a fair maiden to whom the accused is married to immediately.The princess falls in love with a handsome courtier. The king discovers this and the courtier is sentenced to choose his fate. The king chooses the fiercest tiger in all the kingdom, and the fairest maiden to be behind the doors. The princess knows the maiden and has felt jealousy regarding to her lover. Through bribery, the princess learns which door
Then suddenly the tiger had jumped out onto him. He could not do anything but struggle for his life. Before the Tiger had finished him off all he did was stare into the princess’s eyes and feel betrayed. Digging his razor sharp fangs into the man’s neck he mouthed one last word “Goodbye”. Then like that the tiger dragged the man’s dead body into his cage.
Right or Left? In the story, The Lady Or The Tiger, the king places you in the coliseum, where you will decide your fate. The King's judicial system is not fair because you cant either be forced into marriage or get ripped to pieces by a tiger, and it's also used to entertain the townsfolk.
What came out of the door on the right? Is it the Tiger, or is it the Lady? Frank R. Stockton, author of “The Tiger or The Lady” left this unclear, stating that the story could go either way while giving us background information to the princess’s mind before her lover’s potential execution. Did the princess give him the pleasure of moving on, or did she send him to his death? The possibilities of the Tiger being the outcome of the door on the right outweigh the maiden because the princess is jealous, believed that it is the right thing to do, and hated the thought of awarding a girl who she thought already loved the accused.
Every heart stopped beating, every breath was held, eye was fixed upon that man. Without the slightest hesitation, he went the door on the right hand and opened as a huge tiger came out. Some people felt happy and some people felt sad. As, the man shocked as the watched the tiger run towards him. Everyone watched in stock as the tiger tore the man into pieces. The man was sacred as he fought for his life. Although it all happened in 10 minutes, to everyone it felt like 10 hours. The whole stadium went silent as they watched the man lose his life. The king felt happy about the man’s choice but also sad to see his daughter crying.