The Lady or the Tiger?
http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/LadyTige.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lady,_or_the_Tiger%3F
http://www.enotes.com/lady-or/
http://www.bookrags.com/The_Lady_or_the_Tiger%3F
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_R._Stockton
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The comment on the short story of
"The Lady or the Tiger?"
Written by Frank Stockon.
1. Plot Summary
The "semi barbaric king" of an ancient land utilized an unusual form of administering justice for offenders in his kingdom. The offender has to face two doors. One of these doors covers a dangerous tiger and the other cover a beautiful girl.
The offender then is asked to pick one of these two doors. If he pick the door which behind it a woman, the offender will be declared as innocent and have to marry this woman; regardless of his social status. If he picks the second one which covers the furious tiger, the offender will be declared as a guilty and the tiger will cut and tore him into pieces.
One day the king discovered that his dear daughter is loved by one of his courtiers, so the king stated a decision to his courtier to cast the suitor in the prison, making to him a trail. Through this time the princess who falls in love with this youth could to get the secret of the two doors.
On the day of the trail, the offender enter the arena, requested his lover to sign to him the safe door, but before that, she afraid to save him then he will be lost from her and then marry her enemy who behind the door, and if she leaves him to the tiger, the tiger will tore him. Finally she indicates to one of these doors. The question is "who does go out the door she indicated the tiger or the lady"?
2. Setting
The story is set in an imaginary time and place, in a kingdom whose king is "semi barbaric." The atmosphere is frightening.
3. Characters:
There are three characters: king, his daughter and the courtier.
A. King:
The king is "a semi barbaric" who invented a new way to reign his kingdom With justice by building an arenas with two doors. One of these doors covers a furious tiger and the other cover a beautiful girl.
The offender has to choice one of these two doors.
B. King's daughter (Princess)
She represents the woman nature. She is very jealous and loves her lover madly. We don't know if she signs to the safe door or the dangerous door.
C. Courtier.
Is a young beautiful brave man who loves the princes and is discovered by the king, then is cast in Jail until his trial in that arena. He realizes that the princess knew what is behind the two doors so he hesitated and ask her by sign which is the safe door.
4. Themes
Choices and Consequences
The "semi barbanic" king has set up the arena in such away the prisoner's choice will determine his fate; regardless of his guilt or innocence.
Either he will be eaten by a hungry tiger or he will instantly marry a beautiful girl.
The element of choice absolves the king from any responsibility in this situation and intrigues the audience, who eagerly anticipate the prisoner's fate. Not knowing whether they will witness a bloody spectacle or a wedding puts them in a state of suspense. Because the young man is allowed to make his own choice, all others are absolved of guilt. Whether or not his choice and its consequence are just never occurs to them.
5. Point of view
The story is told in third _ person narrator omniscient point of view. The writer uses the pronouns such as he, she.
This means the narrator knows the thoughts and actions of all the characters.
The narrator sets the story in fairy_ tale mode" in the very olden time" the addresses the reader directly in the first person made, after the young man makes his choice. The narrato comments on the story and the princess's decision the aim of the writer doing to leave the end for us to make us decide what the solution is the logical end.
6. As for answering the questions of the writer" If there was a tiger or a lady behind the right door"
I think. There are two prospects:
The first prospect is that I think. The right door which the princess pointed to contains of the tiger because the princess was not only semi_ barbaric but also was so jealous. It is the strongest prospect according to the human nature of the women.
The second prospect is that the right door contains of the beautiful girl; because, the king wouldn't like that this love story to that his daughter will know the secret of the tow doors and then will inform her lover about the safe door so he decides to move the tiger from one door to another at the last moment to make sure that the young man will be cut and eaten alive by the tiger.
Raid Al-Farra.
University No. 05111754 / Call phone No. 0599453967
Under the supervision of
Dr. Alaa' AL-Ghoul.
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