essay on the lady or the tiger

A Summary and Analysis of Frank R. Stockton’s ‘The Lady, or the Tiger?’

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

‘The Lady, or the Tiger?’ is a widely studied short story by the American writer Frank R. Stockton (1834-1902). This classic short story, which was first published in The Century magazine in 1882, began life as a story Stockton told at a party; he published it when it received a strong response from his friends.

In ‘The Lady, or the Tiger?’, we are presented with an ancient system of justice whereby a suspected criminal has to choose one of two doors. Behind one is a lady, whom he will marry; behind the other is a tiger, which will devour him.

Plot summary

Some time in the past, a ‘semi-barbaric’ king has an arena built, in which justice is administered. Any man arrested on suspicion of committing a crime has to choose one of two doors in the amphitheatre, without knowing what is concealed behind the two doors. All he knows is that behind one door is a lady, and behind the other door, a tiger.

Behind one door is a lady, who has been handpicked from the population as a suitable bride for the man. If he chooses this door, he will be married to the lady immediately in a wedding ceremony performed in front of the crowd. Even if he already has a wife, he must marry this new bride and be with her.

The alternative is far worse. For behind the other door is a tiger, which – if he chooses this door – will leap upon him and devour him in front of the audience. This is the king’s way of serving justice in his realm: effectively, he places responsibility for their fate into the criminal’s own hands, although of course it is purely a matter of chance as to which ‘prize’ they get.

One day, the king learns that his daughter, the princess, has fallen in love with a young courtier. He is horrified that a princess could have been led astray by a commoner like this, and he has the young man arrested. It is announced that he will face his justice before the whole kingdom, in the arena, and men are immediately dispatched to find a suitable potential bride for him. Meanwhile, the fiercest tiger in the whole land is sought out.

The princess, who loves the young man, is at the arena on the day of her lover’s ‘sentencing’. When the young man sees the princess, he can tell that she has done as he expected her to do: that she has used money and her powerful status at court to discover which door hides the lady and which the tiger. When he makes eye contact with her, he asks her, ‘Which?’, and she gestures to her right.

So she has signalled which door he should choose. But at this point, the third-person narrator of the story tells us that he cannot tell us whether the princess directed her lover to choose the ‘lady’ door or the ‘tiger’ door. He tells us, though, that she knows the identity of the lady concealed behind one of the doors, and it’s a beautiful lady at court who is clearly attracted to the young man; what’s more, the princess has suspected for a while that her lover likes this lady, too.

So, did she help him to escape the fate of the tiger’s jaws, and effectively give the man she loves to another woman, with whom he will probably be perfectly happy? Or did her jealousy get the better of her, and she gestured to the door behind which the tiger waits to devour him? The narrator leaves this question unanswered, instead encouraging us to think for ourselves about which decision the princess would have made.

In many ways, ‘The Lady, or the Tiger?’ resembles a fable or fairy tale, and indeed the story’s author, Frank R. Stockton, wrote a number of fairy tales for children. But this is a fairy tale with a difference, since Stockton concludes the story without providing us with the final denouement. We are left wondering what the fate of the young man was: did he marry a beautiful woman (albeit not the princess), or was he eaten alive by a tiger?

But in subverting the reader’s expectations on the final page, Stockton is doing more than providing a nice talking-point for dinner-party conversations (to hark back to the supposed origins of the story). Instead, he is tacitly inviting us to pause and consider narrative conventions by taking a step back from the story itself and acknowledging that it is just that: story, narrative, fiction.

The princess, king, and youth who appear in the story never existed, and are merely products of an author’s imagination. So, too, then, are their fates, including the unspecified fate of the youth who loved the princess. Most stories are what the French literary theorist Roland Barthes calls readerly texts: they provide the reader with everything he or she needs to understand the story, and the reader can passively sit back and simply enjoy being entertained.

By contrast, writerly texts – to use Barthes’ term – are those fictions which engage the reader more actively in the events of the story or novel. In a writerly text, the reader will have to work harder to make sense of the narrative. For the most part, critics apply Barthes’ term ‘writerly’ to the works of those authors who deliberately make us work hard from page one: Samuel Beckett, James Joyce, and other modernists.

What is curious about ‘The Lady, or the Tiger?’ is that it begins, in Barthesian terms, as a readerly text, but then at the last moment Stockton subverts our readerly expectations and the story becomes a writerly text, throwing the onus on us to determine what we think happened to the young man.

If Stockton had simply told us that what door the man had opened, we would have been told what the princes had decided to do. But by withholding this crucial piece of narrative information from us, Stockton makes us examine the princess’s mental and emotional state more closely, based on the information we have been given, in order to deduce what she would be most likely to have done.

Of course, we still cannot answer the question posed in the story’s title, ‘The Lady, or the Tiger?’, for certain (and note how even the question mark in the story primes us for a more active role than we might otherwise be used to when reading, or even analysing, a short story). This is what makes the story such a perennial favourite in classrooms: readers are unlikely to reach a consensus on what the princess decided to do.

But in withholding this information, Stockton created, in ‘The Lady, or the Tiger?’, a forerunner to many twentieth-century modernist stories which would be similarly open-ended and ambiguous. Perhaps even without fully realising it himself, Stockton toppled the author from his godlike pedestal and made us , the readers of his story, the final ‘authors’ of the story’s conclusion.

In this, too, he anticipates Barthes, whose 1960s essay ‘ The Death of the Author ’ would argue that the godlike authority of the author must be resisted in favour of ‘the birth of the reader’.

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“The Lady or the Tiger?” by Frank R. Stockton: A Critical Analysis

“The Lady or the Tiger?” by Frank R. Stockton first appeared in The Century Magazine in 1882. This captivating story presents a unique form of justice.

Introduction: “The Lady or the Tiger?” by Frank R. Stockton

Table of Contents

“The Lady or the Tiger?” by Frank R. Stockton first appeared in The Century Magazine in 1882. This captivating story presents a unique form of justice – a young man accused of a crime must choose between two doors. Behind one, a ferocious tiger awaits. Behind the other, a beautiful lady stands ready to be his bride. The tale’s brilliance lies in its ambiguous ending, where the reader must decide the young man’s fate. The story’s exploration of love, justice, and the unpredictable nature of choice has inspired debates and analysis for over a century, making it a true classic of American literature.

Main Events in “The Lady or the Tiger?” by Frank R. Stockton

The king’s twisted justice.

• A “semi-barbaric” king, fascinated by spectacle, designs a unique system of justice (“poetic justice”). An accused criminal faces two identical doors in his grand arena.
• Behind one door, a vicious tiger awaits, ready to punish the guilty (“…a hungry tiger, the fiercest and most cruel that could be procured…”).
• Behind the other, a carefully selected maiden stands, a reward for the innocent (“…the most suitable to his years and station…”).

Love and Transgression

• The king’s own passionate daughter falls for a handsome young man of lower status, a grave offense in their society.
• The king, unwavering in his ideals, casts the lover into prison and sets a date for his trial in the arena.

The Secret of the Doors

• The princess, consumed by love and jealousy, refuses to be a passive observer. Using her power and resources, she discovers the secret of the doors.
• She learns which door conceals the tiger and which holds a beautiful maiden, a rival for her lover’s affection (“…one of the fairest and loveliest of the damsels of the court…”).

The Fateful Moment

• On the day of the trial, the young man looks to the princess, knowing she has the power to save or condemn him (“…his eye met hers as she sat there, paler and whiter than anyone…”).
• With a subtle gesture, the princess guides his choice (“She raised her hand, and made a slight, quick movement toward the right.”).

The Unsolved Riddle

• The young man, trusting the woman he loves, confidently opens the indicated door.
• The story abruptly ends, leaving the reader with the burning question: Did he meet the lady or the tiger?

The Princess’s Dilemma

• The reader must grapple with the princess’s tortured heart. Would she choose to save the man she loves but see him married to another, or would her jealousy propel him towards a gruesome death? The story offers no easy answers.

Literary Devices in “The Lady or the Tiger?” by Frank R. Stockton

• Allusion : A reference to a well-known person, place, or thing in history, literature, or culture. In “”The Lady or the Tiger?””, an allusion is made to the “barbaric” traditions of ancient cultures.
• Ambiguity : The use of language that has multiple possible meanings, leading to uncertainty or confusion. The ending of “”The Lady or the Tiger?”” is ambiguous, leaving the reader to decide what happens next.
• Characterization: The process of creating and developing a character in a story. The characters in “”The Lady or the Tiger?”” are well-developed and distinct, with the princess being a particularly complex character.
• Conflict : The struggle between opposing forces that drives a story’s plot. The central conflict in “”The Lady or the Tiger?”” is the young man’s trial and the dilemma of whether to choose the door with the lady or the tiger.
• Flashback : A narrative device that interrupts the chronological sequence of events to present an earlier scene. “”The Lady or the Tiger?”” includes a brief flashback to the trial of another man accused of a crime.
• Foreshadowing : The use of hints or clues in the narrative to suggest what will happen later. The princess’s jealous and possessive nature foreshadows the possibility that she may have chosen the door with the tiger.
• Hyperbole : The use of exaggerated language to create emphasis or effect. The description of the young man’s love for the princess as a “monstrous” passion is an example of hyperbole.
• Imagery : The use of descriptive language to create mental images or sensory experiences for the reader. The descriptions of the young man’s trial and the arena are rich in sensory imagery.
• Irony : The use of language or situations that are contrary to what is expected or intended. The irony of “”The Lady or the Tiger?”” lies in the fact that the young man’s fate depends entirely on chance, rather than the justice he expects.
• Metaphor : A figure of speech that describes something as if it were something else. The description of the princess’s heart as a “wild animal” is a metaphor.
• Personification : A figure of speech in which an inanimate object or abstract idea is given human qualities. The description of the arena as a “monster” that the young man must face is an example of personification.
• Point of view : The perspective from which a story is told. “”The Lady or the Tiger?”” is told from a third-person omniscient point of view, allowing the reader access to the thoughts and feelings of multiple characters.
• Setting : The time and place in which a story takes place. The setting of “”The Lady or the Tiger?”” is a kingdom with a unique and unusual justice system.
• Symbolism : The use of objects or images to represent or suggest something else. The doors in “”The Lady or the Tiger?”” are symbolic of the choice between love and death.
• Theme : The underlying message or meaning conveyed by a story. Themes in “”The Lady or the Tiger?”” include the power of choice, the consequences of jealousy, and the limitations of justice.

Characterization in “The Lady or the Tiger?” by Frank R. Stockton

The semi-barbaric king:.

• Exuberant, with a mix of barbaric cruelty and touches of refinement (“…semi-barbaric king, whose ideas…were still large, florid, and untrammeled…”).
• A strong believer in his own sense of justice and fairness (“…an authority so irresistible that, at his will, he turned his varied fancies into facts…”).
• Obsessed with spectacle and the entertainment of his subjects (“But even here the exuberant and barbaric fancy asserted itself…”).
• Unwavering in his adherence to the arena system, even when it affects his own family.

The Princess:

• Possesses her father’s passionate nature (“…as blooming as his most florid fancies, and with a soul as fervent and imperious as his own…”).
• Deeply in love with the young man, defying social norms (“…she loved him with an ardor that had enough of barbarism in it to make it exceedingly warm and strong…”).
• Driven, resourceful, willing to manipulate the system to influence the outcome (“…she had possessed herself of the secret of the doors…”).
• Torn between her love, a desire for revenge, and a fierce jealousy – the central conflict of her character.

The Young Man (The Lover):

• Brave and handsome (“…handsome and brave to a degree unsurpassed in all this kingdom…”).
• Deeply in love with the princess, willing to risk his life for this forbidden relationship.
• Implicitly trusts the princess, even to the point of accepting his own potential doom.

Minor Characters

• The Tiger: A symbol of brutality, punishment, and the potential for gruesome violence.
• The Lady: A potential bride, representing a socially acceptable outcome. However, she is also the object of the princess’s jealousy and remains largely undeveloped.
• The People: The masses who are entertained by the arena’s blend of justice and spectacle, highlighting the societal acceptance of the king’s syste

Major Themes in “The Lady or the Tiger?” by Frank R. Stockton

Writing Style in “The Lady or the Tiger?” by Frank R. Stockton

• Descriptive language and vivid imagery: Stockton paints vivid pictures for the reader, bringing the arena, the king, the princess, and the young man to life through his words.
• Suspenseful narrative structure: The story builds suspense from beginning to end, with the reader eagerly awaiting the accused man’s decision and its dramatic consequences.
• Third-person omniscient point of view: Stockton gives the reader access to the internal thoughts and feelings of the king, the princess, and even the accused, creating a layered and multi-dimensional experience.
• Irony and ambiguity: The story is laced with irony, especially with its ending that intentionally leaves the reader hanging. This open ambiguity forces the reader to grapple with their own internal answers.
• Engaging, imaginative, and thought-provoking: The writing style successfully invites the reader to contemplate not only the story’s events but deeper questions about love, jealousy, justice, and the power of choice.

Literary Theories and Interpretation of “The Lady or the Tiger?” by Frank R. Stockton

• Reader-Response Theory: The reader-response theory focuses on the role of the reader in interpreting a text. In “”The Lady or the Tiger?”” the reader is left to decide the outcome of the story, which allows for a range of interpretations and responses.
• Psychological Criticism: Psychological criticism focuses on the psychological motivations and behavior of the characters in a story. In “”The Lady or the Tiger?””, the princess’s jealousy and the king’s desire for control are examples of how psychological factors influence their actions and decisions.
• Structuralism : Structuralism is a literary theory that emphasizes the underlying structures of a text. In “”The Lady or the Tiger?””, the story’s structure is crucial to its meaning, with the narrative structure of the story mirroring the choice the accused man must make between the two doors.
• Feminist Criticism: Feminist criticism examines the representation of women in literature and seeks to uncover gender-based inequalities and biases. In “”The Lady or the Tiger?””, the princess’s agency is limited by her father’s patriarchal rule, and the story can be read as a critique of the limitations placed on women in a patriarchal society.
• Deconstructionism : Deconstructionism is a literary theory that examines how the meaning of a text is constructed and deconstructed through language. In “”The Lady or the Tiger?””, the ambiguity of the ending allows for multiple interpretations, highlighting the idea that meaning is not fixed or stable, but rather constantly in flux.
• Postcolonial Criticism : Postcolonial criticism examines the relationship between literature and the legacy of colonialism. In “”The Lady or the Tiger?””, the story can be read as an allegory for the imperialist mindset of Western colonial powers, with the king representing the colonizer and the accused man representing the colonized.

Topics, Essay Questions and Thesis Statements about “The Lady or the Tiger?” by Frank R. Stockton

Short Question-Answers about “The Lady or the Tiger?” by Frank R. Stockton

• What is the significance of the princess in “The Lady or the Tiger?” and how does her character challenge traditional gender roles?
• The princess in “The Lady or the Tiger?” is a significant character as she holds the power to determine the accused man’s fate. Her character challenges traditional gender roles by displaying agency and making a difficult decision that ultimately shapes the story’s outcome. In a society where women are expected to be submissive and passive, the princess stands out as a strong and independent character who is not afraid to take matters into her own hands. Her decision to send the accused man to either the tiger or the lady demonstrates her power and influence in a society where women are often marginalized. The princess’s character highlights the importance of challenging gender norms and expectations in order to break free from societal constraints.
• What is the role of choice in “The Lady or the Tiger?”?
• The role of choice in “The Lady or the Tiger?” is a commentary on the complexities of human nature and the consequences of making difficult decisions. The accused man is faced with a life or death situation, and his choice ultimately determines his fate. However, the story suggests that even the princess’s choice is not easy, as she must decide between her love for the accused man and her jealousy towards the lady. The story highlights the unpredictable and often unfair nature of choice, and how it can shape our lives in unexpected ways. It also raises questions about morality and the consequences of our actions, as the outcome of the story hinges on the choices made by the characters.
• How does the structure of the story mirror the choice the accused man must make between the two doors?
• The structure of “The Lady or the Tiger?” mirrors the choice the accused man must make between the two doors, highlighting the theme of the unpredictable and complex nature of choice. The story is divided into two distinct parts, with the first part describing the accused man’s trial and the second part focusing on the princess’s decision. The structure creates a sense of tension and uncertainty as the reader is left to wonder what lies behind each door. The use of suspense and ambiguity in the story’s structure reflects the difficult and often unpredictable nature of the choices we must make in life. The ending, which leaves the reader to decide the outcome, further emphasizes the complexity of choice and the uncertainty of its consequences.
• What is the significance of the ending of “The Lady or the Tiger?” and how does it contribute to the story’s overall meaning?
• The ambiguous ending of “The Lady or the Tiger?” contributes to the story’s overall meaning by highlighting the complexity of human nature and the role of choice in shaping our lives. The reader is left to decide the outcome of the story, with no clear answer provided. This lack of resolution reflects the unpredictable and often unfair nature of choice, and how it can shape our lives in unexpected ways. The ending also raises questions about the morality of the characters’ actions and the consequences of their choices. Ultimately, the story suggests that life is full of difficult choices and uncertain outcomes, and it is up to each individual to navigate these challenges with wisdom and courage.

Literary Works Similar to “The Lady or the Tiger?” by Frank R. Stockton

• “ The Most Dangerous Game ” by Richard Connell: Both stories present a central character confronting a high-stakes, life-or-death scenario governed by chance and external forces. While Stockton focuses on a perversion of justice, Connell’s work explores the dynamics of predator and prey.
• “ The Necklace ” by Guy de Maupassant: This short story shares the theme of an ambiguous, unresolved ending with Stockton’s work. Both explore desire, unforeseen consequences, and the ironic twists of fate that can shape individuals’ lives.
• “The Discourager of Hesitancy” by Frank R. Stockton: As a continuation of “The Lady or the Tiger?”, this story offers further insight into the characters and world of the original. It provides added layers of commentary on the themes presented.
• “ The Lottery ” by Shirley Jackson: Both stories employ ambiguity to expose the potential darkness within seemingly innocuous traditions. They provoke critical thought about social conformity and the potential cruelty present within established systems.
• Sophie’s Choice by William Styron: Although a novel, this work resonates with “The Lady or the Tiger?” in its central focus on a devastating moral dilemma. Like Stockton’s princess, Sophie faces an unthinkable choice, forcing the reader to confront the complexities of human decision-making under harrowing circumstances.

Suggested Readings: “The Lady or the Tiger?” by Frank R. Stockton

• Bander, Elaine. “Stockton’s ‘The Lady, or the Tiger?’ An Unanswerable Question.” Short Story Criticism , edited by Thomas J. Schoenberg and Lawrence J. Trudeau, vol. 105, Gale, 2008, p. 223.
• Gilead, Sarah L. “Magic and Skepticism in ‘The Lady, or the Tiger?'” The Stocktonian , vol. 2, no. 4, 1983, pp. 7-8.
• Marshall, Donald G. “Justice in The Lady, or the Tiger?” The Stocktonian , vol. 8, no. 3, 1989, pp. 4-5.
• “Critical Overview.” The Lady, or the Tiger? – Encyclopedia.com , [invalid URL removed].
• The Stocktonian. Pomerantz Stockton Center at Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. https://library.stockton.edu/UniversityArchives/collections
• Cummins, June. “The Lady Or the Tiger? and Other Logic Puzzles: Including a Mathematical Analysis.” Prometheus Books, 1988.
• Johnson, Gerald W. “The Lady, or the Tiger?” Frank R. Stockton: A Critical Biography. Benjamin Franklin, 1980, pp. 99-107.

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“The Lady, or the Tiger?” by Frank Stockton Essay

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Introduction

Works cited.

The dilemma of a difficult and dramatic moral choice has long been known to captivate the human mind, and writers know this well. The short story The Lady or the Tiger? By Frank R. Stockton is a perfect example of an almost quintessential dilemma on the most thrilling of choices: the one which involves love and death. The story is set in an unspecified land ruled by a semi-barbaric king and describes a peculiar legal procedure invented by him based on his own understanding of justice: an arena where the convicts are tried. Instead of the trial by battle, the accused are offered to choose one of two doors: behind one, a fierce tiger awaits to kill the unfortunate human, and behind the other – salvation in the form of a lady who would become his wife.

However, once the lover of the king’s daughter is given the dreadful choice, the princess secretly interferes with the chance and gives the man a hint to open the door on the right. And while it is tempting and comforting to consider the possibility of her sparing his life instead of directing him to his death, upon closer inspection there is little doubt that she has guided him to the tiger.

It is tempting to imagine that she wanted to save him. But this version is mostly driven by the reader’s humanity. The text, on the other hand, offers little backing to the happy ending. We know that the princess loves the man dearly. We also witness her hesitation at the end of the story. She hesitates to imagine the “cruel fangs of the tiger” (4).

However, these are not her thoughts. Instead, they are speculations by the author. And this short part is the only proof of her compassion. She is passionate, there is no doubt about it. But her passion is burning, not heart-warming. She is determined, but mostly for her own sake, not for him.

On the other hand, her barbaric nature is prominent throughout the story. She is resolute about making things go her way. For instance, she obtains the secret of the doors with “gold, and the power of a woman’s will” (3). A whole paragraph is devoted to her anguish and jealousy triggered by other girl’s mere glances at her man. She thinks he even returns them. However, she acknowledges that all this may exist only in her imagination.

Besides, she did not come to the trial to support the man – she was “terribly interested” (3). There is even a phrase “She had lost him, but who should have him?” (4). It clearly shows that for her there is no happy ending. She does not show any respect for his life. In her eyes, the choice is between redemption and a tantalizing “justice”. The latter will become the salvation to him and the torture to her.

The princess is truly the daughter of a barbaric king. She displays all the features that suggest power, determination, calculation, and passion. It is humanity and compassion that she is lacking, at least on the pages of the story. But power and courage are not enough to overcome the desire for vengeance if the heart lacks warmth. If by any chance it was the lady whom the man found behind the right door, it could be only by chance or a momentary burst of passion. If on the other hand, the princess acted upon a long-thought-out decision (and we are told by the author that she did), there is little doubt which decision it was: the tiger.

Stockton, Frank. The Lady or the Tiger? , 1882. Web.

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The Lady or the Tiger?

Frank stockton.

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Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Frank Stockton's The Lady or the Tiger? . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

The Lady or the Tiger?: Introduction

The lady or the tiger: plot summary, the lady or the tiger: detailed summary & analysis, the lady or the tiger: themes, the lady or the tiger: quotes, the lady or the tiger: characters, the lady or the tiger: symbols, the lady or the tiger: theme wheel, brief biography of frank stockton.

Historical Context of The Lady or the Tiger?

Other books related to the lady or the tiger.

• Full Title: “The Lady or the Tiger?”
• When Published: 1882
• Literary Period: Victorian
• Genre: Short story; fairy tale; children’s literature
• Setting: An unnamed semi-barbaric kingdom, especially the king’s public arena located within the kingdom
• Climax: The princess instructs the young man to open the door on the right in the arena, and he does so—but does the lady or the tiger greet him?
• Antagonist: The king’s semi-barbaric and unjust administration of justice by chance as manifested in the public arena; the deviousness of human passion and jealousy
• Point of View: Mostly third person limited, with an essay on the princess’s decision toward the story’s end that includes the first person

Extra Credit for The Lady or the Tiger?

A Famous Admirer. The Englishman Robert Browning, perhaps the greatest of all the Victorian poets, admired Stockton’s fairy tale. He claimed to have “had no hesitation in supposing that such a princess under such circumstances would direct her lover to the tiger’s door.” Such a claim, of course, probably tells us more about Browning than Stockton’s princess.

Sequel. Stockton composed a sequel to “The Lady or the Tiger?” entitled “The Discourager of Hesitancy,” in which a monarch and his companions travel to the semi-barbaric kingdom of the earlier story to ask whether the young man opened the door to find the lady or the tiger. In turn, “a high officer” presents them with yet another tale that ends with yet another dilemma, promising to answer the question of the lady or the tiger only if the monarch and his companions can decide the solution to this second dilemma. “At the latest accounts,” the narrator reports at the end of the sequel, “the five strangers had not yet decided.”

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Literary Theory and Criticism

Home › Literature › Analysis of Frank R. Stockton’s The Lady, or the Tiger?

Analysis of Frank R. Stockton’s The Lady, or the Tiger?

By NASRULLAH MAMBROL on May 27, 2021

Frank R. Stockton (1834–1902) originally entitled this story “The King’s Arena,” and after its appearance in 1882, it became the most famous story ever published in Century Magazine. Related by a caustic first-person narrator  who clearly disagrees with the feudal nature of kings and courtiers who set themselves above commoners, the story takes place in an unnamed barbaric country. The king discovers that a handsome young man, a commoner, whose low social rank prohibits his marrying royalty, has fallen in love with the king’s daughter—a crime that, the author remarks wryly, became common enough in later years. The trial of the young man takes place in the king’s arena. He must choose to open one of two doors. Behind one waits a ferocious beast who will tear him to pieces; behind the other, is a beautiful maiden who will marry him immediately. If he chooses the beast, he is automatically guilty; if he chooses the maiden, he proves his innocence.

Frank R. Stockton/Wikimedia

Of all those in the arena—including the king— only the clever princess has discovered the secret of what lies behind each door. She has made her decision to send a signal to the young man, and she does so, indicating the door on the right. In reaching her decision, the princess has agonized between the dreadful images of the savage and bloody death, and of the young man married to the beautiful maiden of whom the princess is intensely jealous. The young man moves immediately to the door the princess has indicated, and the story ends with the narrator’s question to the reader: “Which came out of the door,—the lady, or the tiger?” (10). Although similar to a surprise ending, the final sentence differs in that it leaves the reader without a denouement. Five years later, Stockton followed with “The Discourager of Hesitancy” (1887), which promises to solve the puzzle, but in fact this story, too, leaves the question unanswered.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Stockton, Frank R. “The Lady, or the Tiger?” In The Lady, or the Tiger? And Other Stories. New York: Scribner, 1914.

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The Lady, or the Tiger?

25 pages • 50 minutes read

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Literary Context: 19th-Century American Humorists

Following the War of 1812, American authors sought to distance themselves from British cultural norms and set out to create a distinctly American literary identity. Writers like Washington Irving, George Washington Harris, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and later Mark Twain founded a new tradition of American humor that was rooted in realist fiction. Generally, this new American humor was characterized by its representation of regional customs and dialects, and the celebration of the cultural variety of the different states.

Frank R. Stockton, who took part in the 19th-century effort to develop an American body of literature, borrowed from different narrative traditions such as folk tales, children’s stories, and literary satire . His short stories, at once irreverent and humorous, investigate power, justice, and violence while avoiding didactic moralizing. The humor in Stockton’s tales is often driven by their exaggerated tone , which emphasizes the storyteller—or the form—as much as the content of the story.

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The Lady or the Tiger?

by Frank Richard Stockton

The lady or the tiger themes, barbarism vs civilization.

The question of barbarism vs civilization is a major theme in "The Lady, or the Tiger?" Throughout the story, characters are described as "barbaric" to the extent that they are not easily controlled and are given to extreme emotional passion. In contrast, they are described as "civilized" insofar as their behavior is seen as educated and refined.

The king is equal parts barbaric and civilized. Thus, he is "semi-barbaric." In other words, neither force gains the power to determine his character completely. The civilized half of his character has been influenced by "distant Latin neighbors" who have helped to polish and sharpen his ideas (45). Additionally, he has adopted the idea of the public arena from his Latin neighbors. This method of judgment also reduces his barbarism. Despite this, the barbaric half of the king's character is obvious. His ideas are "large, florid, and untrammeled" and he is "a man of exuberant fancy" (45). Whatever the king decides on becomes a fact as a result of his great power.

The most immediate expression of the king's barbarism is how he uses the idea of the public arena in his kingdom. Rather than make it a place where the kingdom can enjoy a public celebration or the arts, he turns it into the kingdom's court of justice. In the public arena, prisoners must choose between two doors, leaving their fate up to chance. Should the prisoner choose the door hiding a tiger, the entire kingdom must then witness the prisoner's bloody death. This form of "justice" reflects the king's barbarism, as he greatly enjoys the spectacle of watching the prisoner be forced to unwittingly choose his own fate. The narrator explains how the arena works: "the fate of the accused person would be decided in the king's arena, a structure which well deserved its name, for, although its form and plan were borrowed from afar, its purpose emanated solely from the brain of this man, who, every barleycorn a king, knew no tradition to which he owed more allegiance than pleased his fancy, and who ingrafted on every adopted form of human thought and action the rich growth of his barbaric idealism" (46).

Like the king, the kingdom is "semi-barbaric" as well. The king's subjects greatly enjoy this system of justice, which appeals to their barbarism but which also "refine[s]" and "culture[s]" their minds (45).

The king's daughter, the princess, is also "semi-barbaric." The narrator describes her as a young woman "as blooming as [the king's] most florid fancies, and with a soul as fervent and imperious as his own" (47). The princess 's barbarism causes her to passionately love her lover: "she loved him with an ardor that had enough of barbarism in it to make it exceedingly warm and strong" (47). It is thanks to the princess's barbarism that she is in the arena watching her lover choose his fate: "had it not been for the moiety of barbarism in her nature it is probable that lady would not have been there, but her intense and fervid soul would not allow her to be absent from an occasion in which she was so terribly interested" (48). Additionally, the princess's barbarism is what causes her to hate the lady hiding behind the door whom her lover might wed: “The girl was lovely, but she had dared to raise her eyes to the loved one of the princess; and, with all the intensity of the savage blood transmitted to her through long lines of wholly barbaric ancestors, she hated the woman who blushed and trembled behind that silent door” (49).

Because "The Lady, or the Tiger?" ends on a question, we are not sure if the princess succumbed to the "barbaric" or "civilized" side of herself. The "barbaric" side would likely have influenced her to send her lover to his death over having to share him with a lady whom she hates. Her "civilized" side might have led her to save him, choosing her own heartbreak over her lover's death. Because these attributes are equally strong inside of the princess, as they are in her father, it is hard to tell which door she chose.

"The Lady, or the Tiger?" depicts a unique form of "justice" which we do not often see represented in contemporary society. What marks the form of justice in the king's arena is that it is completely up to chance. No one decides the fate of the prisoner; it depends on nothing but his own luck. In this way, it is also impartial: luck or chance does not care which door the prisoner chooses. In the story, the narrator refers to this kind of justice as a "poetic justice" in which the fate of the prisoner is decided by "an impartial and incorruptible chance" (45-6). That chance cannot be "corrupted" means that those in power do not have a say over the outcome of the trial and every prisoner is given an equal opportunity to save their own life—except, of course, when the princess gets involved.

According to the narrator of "The Lady, or the Tiger?" this form of justice is perfectly fair: "Its perfect fairness is obvious. The criminal could not know out of which door would come the lady: he opened either he pleased, without having the slightest idea whether, in the next instant, he was to be devoured or married. On some occasions, the tiger came out of one door, and on some out of the other" (47). The prisoner's fate is also immediately decided and set in stone, and therefore cannot be changed. He is married or murdered right there in front of the entire kingdom.

Thus, readers are left with an interesting question: is this form of justice truly "fair"? Is it fairer than the justice that we see in the modern world, where the fate of an accused person is decided by a judge or jury? In our current system of justice, there is the worry that the accused fate will be hindered by the jury's biases. Though there are often procedures in place to check that bias (e.g. screening a jury, choosing jury members that do not have personal stakes in the trial, etc), the court can never be certain that these procedures are 100% effective. In the end, those with more power are often given more of a say and different people receive different kinds of justice in the courtroom.

Is a justice that is based on chance any better? Obviously, it is not—innocent prisoners might be sent to their death simply because they had been accused of a crime. Similarly, guilty prisoners might be rewarded simply because they happen to choose the door that is hiding the princess. The only benefit to this kind of justice system seems to be the fact that it is "impartial" and "incorruptible"—but is it, really? The princess, thanks to her power, is able to corrupt the justice system and mold it to her own ends.

The princess's intrusion in the "perfect fairness" of this justice system also offers its own message. Because she is so powerful, she is able to use her power to discover what is behind each door. No one in the kingdom has ever done this before, not even her father. As a result, the fate of her lover is not left up to chance but is instead completely in her hands. She has the power to save him or send him to his death depending on her will. Perhaps the message of the princess's intrusion is that justice can never really be impartial as long as it is being dealt out by humans. Humans have a natural tendency to have biases, knowingly or unknowingly, and there will always be someone with enough power to tip the scales of justice in their favor.

Hand-in-hand with the theme of justice comes the theme of power. Because this story is about the workings of a kingdom, we are given a setting in which a few characters (i.e. the king and the princess) are given great power, and the rest of the characters (i.e. the subjects) have very little. The king has so much power, in fact, that the quality of life of his subjects is entirely dependent on his fancy. As the narrator tells us, the king is powerful enough that every single one of his whims can be converted into fact: "He was a man of exuberant fancy, and, withal, of an authority so irresistible that, at his will, he turned his varied fancies into facts. He was greatly given to self-communing; and, when he and himself agreed upon any thing, the thing was done" (45).

He has the power to decide whether or not his subjects will prosper or suffer. In fact, the kind of justice that each subject receives is dependent upon whether the king is interested in their case: "When a subject was accused of a crime of sufficient importance to interest the king, public notice was given that on an appointed day the fate of the accused person would be decided in the king's arena" (46). The king has the power to upend tradition as he pleases and make new traditions of his own. The narrator writes, the king "knew no tradition to which he owed more allegiance than pleased his fancy" (46). Additionally, because the king takes so much pleasure in his justice system, he does not allow anything to postpone the spectacle of the punishment or the reward: "It mattered not that [the prisoner] might already possess a wife and family, or that his affections might be engaged upon an object of his own selection; the king allowed no such subordinate arrangements to interfere with his great scheme" (46). For anyone who might be stepping into the king's arena, "there was no escape" (47).

There is only one character in the story whose power matches that of the king. That is his daughter, the princess, who is able to completely subvert the king's system according to her own interests. Because of her great power, she is able to figure out which door is hiding the princess and which door is hiding the tiger: "Possessed of more power, influence, and force of character than any one who had ever before been interested in such a case, she had done what no other person had done,—she had possessed herself of the secret of the doors. . . [G]old, and the power of a woman's will, had brought the secret to the princess" (48). Here, it is suggested that the princess's power is not only in her status but also in her gender: it is thanks to her "woman's will" that she is able to discover the secret.

The princess's discovery of the truth has given her a power that no one—not even the king—has before possessed in the kingdom. She now has the power to determine whether her lover lives or dies. Her lover goes confidently, without doubt, in the direction that the princess sends him: "Without the slightest hesitation, he went to the door on the right, and opened it" (50). In this way, the princess's power is absolute. She holds an entire life in her hands. This power is what makes the central question of "The Lady, or the Tiger?" so interesting. She has upended the "perfect justice" of the king's arena and has turned it instead into a matter of her own will. Very few people will ever hold that much power. It is hard to imagine what someone with that much power would choose.

Human Nature

Another theme of "The Lady, or the Tiger" is human nature. In fact, the story's question depends upon the reader's understanding of human nature more than anything else. The story does not give us a definite answer to the question of the young man's fate at the end of the story: that question is left for readers to interpret and judge for themselves. The reader's judgment about what happens at the end of the story depends entirely on what they think the princess will do.

As the narrator tells us, "the more we reflect upon this question, the harder it is to answer." Deciding whether the princess chooses her lover's death or her lover's marriage to another "involves a study of the human heart which leads us through devious mazes of passion, out of which it is difficult to find our way" (50). In fact, as the narrator tells us, we cannot think about this question in terms of what we would do ourselves; instead we must consider the character of "that hot-blooded, semi-barbaric princess, her soul at a white heat beneath the combined fires of despair and jealousy" (50). The princess, who is so powerful, nonetheless does not have the power to decide who she can love. Here, her power has failed. As the text asks, "she had lost him, but who should have him?" (50).

The fact that the princess gestures towards the door on the right without hesitation does not mean that she had not spent countless days thinking about the question of which door to choose. In fact, "she had known she would be asked" and prepared her decision accordingly (50). In order to answer this question, the reader must know the princess intimately—something that is impossible to do. The narrator himself does not know the answer. He writes, "[t]he question of her decision is not one to be lightly considered, and it is not for me to presume to set myself up as the one person able to answer it" (50). As a result, he leaves the question with us readers. We each will have our own interpretations of the princess's decision, depending upon how we have read her character.

The Lady or the Tiger? Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Lady or the Tiger? is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

"She could never see 'her' man married to another, what is the writer trying to tell us about the character of the princess by using inverted command for the word "her" in this sentence?

In context, she is possessive.

The King built a public arena where men accused of a crime must choose one of two doors. Behind one of the doors is a lady; behind the other is a tiger. If the prisoner chooses the door with the tiger, he is assumed to be guilty, and he will be...

Study Guide for The Lady or the Tiger?

The Lady or the Tiger? study guide contains a biography of F Stockton, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Lady or the Tiger?
• The Lady or the Tiger? Summary
• Character List

Essays for The Lady or the Tiger?

The Lady or the Tiger? essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Lady or the Tiger? by F Stockton.

• The Lady Or The Tiger?: An Analysis of Relationships Between Characters

Lesson Plan for The Lady or the Tiger?

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Lady or the Tiger?
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Lady or the Tiger? Bibliography