The structure of Aunt Jennifer's Tigers consists of the first stanza, which is about the proud tigers, the second stanza, which is about terrified Aunt Jennifer, and the third stanza, which refers first to Aunt Jennifer and then to the tigers. By starting the poem with the tigers and ending with the tigers, the poet is containing the real life within the fantasy life, the reverse of what we know about Aunt Jennifer, whose inner life is in fact contained within her outer life.
Adrienne Rich's connotation involves the use of carefully selected words and phrases to develop the theme of Aunt Jennifer's Tigers. The idea of death is explored at the beginning of the third stanza in showing that even Aunt Jennifer's death will not bring closure nor change to her role in a patriarchal society. Death is eternal and the idea of her terrified hands lying still ringed with the marriage she was burdened with in life reveals to the reader that she is timid, frightened by her inferiority, and condemned forever by the experiences in the marriage that ruled her. This is reflected in the line, "Find even the ivory needle hard to pull- (6), in which Rich is presenting the reader with the consequences of living as a subordinate in a marriage that is a burden "ultimately the woman will be unhappy, and will remain so until death, which is not a release. Another example is when Rich uses the tapestry as a way of expressing Aunt Jennifer's inner self. Aunt Jennifer cannot escape in her real life because of "The massive weight of Uncle's wedding band- (7). Although the tigers are above the men, Aunt Jennifer is pinned down, as is evident by the fact that, "Uncle's wedding band Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer's hand- (7-8). .
In essence, Aunt Jennifer feels trapped by both the marriage and the culture that supports the marriage. Furthermore, Aunt Jennifer's hands are "terrified,"" (9) overwhelmed by the power that her husband, and society, have over her.