This document contains a professor's notes and questions about the short story "The Lady, or the Tiger?" by Frank Stockton. It discusses how the cruel king in the story uses an arena to deliver justice or rewards through chance, by having accused persons choose between two doors - one hiding a hungry tiger and the other a lady they must marry. It also summarizes the plot elements of the princess falling in love with a commoner, leading the king to imprison the man and sentence him to the arena trial. The notes include the professor's answers to students' questions about characters, events and themes in the story.
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The Lady, or the Tiger?
1. The Lady, or the Tiger?
Frank R Stockton
RS Nagar
Associate Professor
Arts & Commerce College, Kheda
11/13/2020
1
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS
& COMMERCE
COLLEGE, KHEDA
2. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Frank Richard Stokton (1834-1902) an
American writer.
• He avoided educational moralizing
instead used clever humour to highlight
follies such as greed, violence, and
abuse of power.
• He is known for describing the
adventures of his characters in
appealing and straight forward manner.
11/13/2020
2
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
3. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.1: Describe the king in the story The
Lady, or the Tiger?
• Ans.:The king described in the story was
cruel and very much like a savage. He
learned some manners from his Latin
neighbours but mostly he was barbaric,
loud and gruff. He had none of the grace
and polish of his neighbours.
(continue…)
11/13/2020
3
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
4. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.1: Describe the king in the story The Lady, or the
Tiger?
• Ans.…continue)He was a man of great
fancies and even greater enthusiasm.
His personality was calm when
everything was in order. When there
was a little hitch, however, he was
exultant and happy. He loved to correct
wrong things, to make crooked straight,
to crush down the uneven places in life.
11/13/2020
4
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
5. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.2: Why was the king’s arena built?
• Ans.:The king decided that there should
be a way to add culture to the lives of his
subjects. The arena was not for the honour
and glory of gladiators or for beasts to fight
each other to finish or for throwing religious
heretics to the lions. It was meant for the
poetic justice. It was a place where
crime was punished or virtue rewarded-
all by chance. (continue…)
11/13/2020
5
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
6. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.2: Why was the king’s arena built?
• Ans.: (…continue) The accused was give
a chance to open one of the two similar
doors in presence of people. By chance,
a cruel hungry tiger or a lady came out.
Hence, the justice done. Death or
Marriage.
11/13/2020
6
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
7. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.3: What was the ritual that was
followed each time an accused was
presented in the king’s arena?
• Ans.: Each time when an accused
was presented in the king’s arena,
he had to open one of the two
doors. Behind one, there used to be
a hungry fierce tiger and behind
another one, a lady. (continue…)
11/13/2020
7
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
8. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.3: What was the ritual that was followed each time
an accused was presented in the king’s arena?
• Ans.: (…continue) It all depends on
chance. He opens one door and the
fierce hungry tiger may come out
and tore him apart and the hired
mourners wailed up. If the lady
comes out, he was supposed to
marry her with all ceremonies.
11/13/2020
8
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
9. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.4: When the doors of arena were
opened, who used to come out then?
• Ans.: When the doors of arena were
opened behind one door used to come
out a hungry and fierce tiger to tear
apart the accused. From another door
comes out a lady of the same age, whom
the accused was supposed to marry with
all ceremonies.
11/13/2020
9
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
10. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.5: What was the attitude of the people
who gathered on the day of the trial?
• Ans.: The people who gathered on the
day of the trial did not know what would
they witness. The element of
uncertainty made the occasion more
interesting. They used to be eager and
had no doubt that the justice was done
and it is in the hands of accused himself.
11/13/2020
10
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
11. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.6: What kind of the nature did the
princes have? Whom did she love?
• Ans.:The princess was passionate,
fanciful and strong as her father and
was devoted to him.
• She was in love with a young man below
her station. A commoner but brave,
handsome and daring.
11/13/2020
11
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
12. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.7: When the king learned about the
love affair of his daughter, what did he
decide to do?
• Ans.: When the king learned about
the love affair of his daughter, he
sent the young man to prison and
set a date for his trial in the arena.
11/13/2020
12
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
13. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.8: Why had the king thrown the
princess’ lover into the prison?
• Ans.: The king had thrown the princess’
lover into the prison because he was a
commoner and below her in station.
11/13/2020
13
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
14. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.9: Why was the young courtier implicated
for trial? What were the preparation the king
ordered for his trial?
• Ans.: The young courtier implicated for
trial because he loved the royal daughter.
He committed the crime of loving the
princes. The king’s men searched the
fiercest tiger in the realm and for the
fairest maiden in the land so that if he
found to innocent could be married her.
11/13/2020
14
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
15. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.10: How did the princess indicate to
her lover, the door that he was to choose
behind which would be the woman
chosen as a bride for her ?
• Ans.:Her right hand was on a pillow in
front of her. She raised it slightly and
made a small, fast movement to the
right. No one but her lover saw her.
11/13/2020
15
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
16. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.11: In your opinion, what would have
been the appropriate ending to this
story?
• Ans.: The open end, left on the readers’
imagination is interesting one, as given
by the writer.
11/13/2020
16
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
17. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• S.N.1: The King’s method of delivering
justice
• Ans.:He
11/13/2020
17
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
18. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• S.N.2: The description of King’s arena
• Ans.:He
11/13/2020
18
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
19. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• S.N.3: The princes and description of
King’s arena
• Ans.:He
11/13/2020
19
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
20. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.1: Which word best describes the
King?
• A. Cruel
• B. Melancholy
• C. Semi-barbaric
• D. Loopy
11/13/2020
20
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
21. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.2: When every member of the king’s
domestic and political system moved
smoothly in its appointed course, how
did the King behave?
• A. He was barbaric and ruthless
• B. He was calm and genial
• C. He was pompous and angry
• D. He was loving and progressive
11/13/2020
21
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
22. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.3: When an accused walked into the
arena, how many doors was he expected
to choose from?
• A. Three
• B. Six
• C. Two
• D. One
11/13/2020
22
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
23. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.4: What do the hungry tiger behind
the door do once it came out?
• A. Licked its paw and went back in
• B. Stretched in front of the accused and
went to sleep
• C. Jumped to the king and waited to be
patted
• D. Sprang upon the accused and tore
him to pieces
11/13/2020
23
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
24. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.5: What was the accused expected to
do once he was married to the maiden
behind the door?
• A. Hand her over to the king
• B. Make her his salve
• C. Take her home as his bride
• D. Feed her to the tiger
11/13/2020
24
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
25. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.6: What lent an interest to the day of
trial on the part of the onlookers?
• A. Element of humour
• B. Element of uncertainty
• C. Anticipation of bloodshed
• D. Desire for good food
11/13/2020
25
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
26. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.7: What happened to the young man
once the king discovered the daughter’s
affair?
• A. He was immediately cast into prison
and a day was appointed for his trial
• B. He was invited by the king for dinner at
the king’s palace
• C. He was asked to run away with the
princes
• D. He was forced to marry the princess’s
attendant
11/13/2020
26
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
27. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.8: How has the author described the
appearance of the princess’s lover?
• A. Brave, handsome, and daring
• B. Fat, ugly and poor
• C. Pompous, vain and lethargic
• D. Athletic, intelligent and successful
11/13/2020
27
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
28. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.9: Which way did the princess point to
when her lover asked with a questioning
glance?
• A. Left
• B. Right
• C. Above
• D. Between the two doors
11/13/2020
28
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
29. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.10: The author described the
amphitheatre, with its ‘encircling
galleries’, ‘mysterious vaults’ and ‘unseen
passages’ as what?
• A. An agent of social justice
• B. An arena of entertainment
• C. An agent of poetic justice
• D. A dungeon of bloodshed
11/13/2020
29
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
30. The Lady, or the Tiger?
• Q.11: How was the king’s relationship with
his daughter?
• A. He despised her as his stepdaughter
• B. He blamed her for his misfortune
• C. She was the apple of his eye and was
loved by him above all humanity
• D. He loved her only because he was afraid
she would leave him and go
11/13/2020
30
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
31. The Lady, or the Tiger?
True or false
• 1: The king was a man of exuberant fancy
and irresistible authority.
• TRUE
• 2. The arena was built to give the people
the opportunity of seeing performances by
gladiators.
• FALSE
• 3. On every occasion that an accused was
in the arena, the tiger came out of the same
door.
• FALSE
11/13/2020
31
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
32. The Lady, or the Tiger?
True or false
• 4: The king’s daughter had a soul as
fervent and impervious as his own.
• TRUE
• 5. The princess was very satisfied with her
lover because he was handsome and brave.
• TRUE
• 6. The princess knew the secret of the
doors even before her lover’s trial began.
• TRUE
1
11/13/2020
32
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
33. The Lady, or the Tiger?
True or false
• 7: One of the ugliest and oldest woman in
the land was selected as the reward of the
accused youth, should he proved innocent.
• FALSE
• 8. Looking up at the princess, the young
man could not tell if she knew which door
contained the tiger and which the lady.
• FALSE
• 9. The princess hesitated a lot before she
had moved her hand to the right.
• FALSE
1
11/13/2020
33
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA
34. The Lady, or the Tiger?
True or false
• 10: The king gave patient hearing each
time an accused was brought to him for
justice and was keen that proper justice be
provided.
• FALSE
1
11/13/2020
34
PROF. RS
NAGAR,KHEDA ARTS &
COMMERCE COLLEGE,
KHEDA