The Lady, or the Tiger? Flashcards
by Frank Stockton — tap or click to flip
Flashcard Review
Flashcards: The Lady, or the Tiger?
What is the basic premise of the king's justice system?
An accused subject must open one of two identical doors in an arena: behind one is a hungry tiger, behind the other is a lady he must immediately marry.
How is the young man brought to trial?
The semi-barbaric king discovers the youth has been romantically involved with his daughter, the princess, and immediately throws him in prison to await trial in the arena.
How does the princess learn the secret of the doors?
Using gold and the force of her will, she bribes someone to reveal which door hides the tiger and which conceals the lady.
How does the youth know the princess has discovered the secret?
When he enters the arena and meets her eyes, his 'quick perception' — the bond of two souls — tells him she has succeeded in learning the secret.
What gesture does the princess make, and what does it signify?
She raises her hand and makes a slight, quick movement toward the right, silently telling her lover which door to open.
Why does the princess hate the lady behind the door?
The lady is one of the fairest damsels of the court, and the princess believes — or imagines — that she has exchanged glances and brief words with the princess's lover.
What two outcomes torture the princess's imagination?
She is horrified by the vision of her lover being torn apart by the tiger, but equally tormented by the image of him joyfully marrying another woman.
Does the story reveal which came out of the door?
No — the story ends without resolving the question, leaving the reader to decide based on their own understanding of the princess's character.
How is the king described at the opening of the story?
He is called 'semi-barbaric' — influenced by civilized Latin neighbors but still ruled by large, unrestrained fancy and absolute authority.
How does the narrator describe the princess's soul?
Her soul is described as 'fervent and imperious,' matching her father's nature, and she has enough barbarism in her to make her love exceedingly warm and strong.
What is the social status of the princess's lover?
He is a courtier of fine blood but low station — the classic romantic hero type who loves above his rank.
What role does 'chance' play in the king's system of justice?
Chance is treated as impartial and incorruptible — the randomness of which door the accused opens is said to reveal guilt or innocence with perfect fairness.
What is the central thematic conflict the story poses to the reader?
The story asks whether love is capable of true selflessness or whether jealousy and possessiveness will override it — and leaves the answer deliberately unresolved.
What does the story suggest about the nature of civilization and barbarism?
The king's system appears orderly and fair on the surface but is fundamentally cruel; the story implies that 'civilized' institutions can mask barbaric impulses.
How does jealousy function as a theme in the story?
The princess's jealousy of the lady behind the door is explored at length, making the reader question whether she would send her lover to death rather than into another woman's arms.
What narrative technique does Stockton use to end the story?
He uses an open or ambiguous ending, directly addressing the 'fair reader' and refusing to resolve the central question, making the reader an active participant in judgment.
What is the effect of the narrator directly addressing 'fair reader' near the end?
It breaks the fourth wall and shifts responsibility onto the reader, implicating them in the moral dilemma rather than allowing passive consumption of the story.
How does Stockton use irony in the king's justice system?
The system is presented as perfectly fair and impartial, yet it is entirely barbaric and arbitrary — the 'fairness' of random chance is deeply ironic as a measure of guilt or innocence.
What is the function of repetition in the story's climactic deliberation section?
Stockton repeatedly contrasts the horror of the tiger with the agony of the lady scenario, using parallel structure to show the princess is equally tormented by both outcomes.
What does the word 'semi-barbaric' mean as applied to the king?
It means partly civilized and partly savage — the king has adopted some refined ideas from neighboring cultures but retains an unrestrained, autocratic nature.
What does 'imperious' mean as used to describe the princess?
Imperious means domineering and accustomed to command — the princess has a powerful, commanding will that matches her father's absolute nature.
What does 'moiety' mean in the phrase 'moiety of barbarism in her nature'?
Moiety means a portion or half — the narrator is saying the princess's inherited share of her father's barbaric nature kept her from staying away on the day of trial.
What does 'untrammelled' mean as used to describe the king's ideas?
Untrammelled means unconstrained or unrestricted — his ideas were large and free, not checked by tradition or outside authority.
What is the story's famous closing line?
'Which came out of the opened door — the lady, or the tiger?' — the narrator poses the question directly to the reader and refuses to answer it.
What line best captures the princess's anguished deliberation over jealousy?
'How in her grievous reveries had she gnashed her teeth, and torn her hair, when she saw his start of rapturous delight as he opened the door of the lady!'