The Lady or the Tiger

See "The Lady or the Tiger" (short story by Frank R. Stockton) for details/context.

2013

     “The lady, or the tiger?” by Frank R. Stockton makes us rethink the nature of humanity. It brings forth an unanswered question: ‘Between love and jealousy, both emotions felt with as much passion as the other, which will win?’ In the story, the princess is about to lose her lover, either to a radiant maiden, or to a hungry tiger. The choice is hers to make. Although this seems like a hard decision, it really isn’t. Her psychological instincts as a woman, her jealousy for the lady, and her passionate feelings for her lover will lead her to make a doubtless decision. When asked, she will point to the room containing the tiger.

     “But how much oftener had she seen him at the other door! 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!” (Stockton, pg6) Although her lover’s bloody death horrified her, imagining him with the lady was much more vivid. In the quote, her feelings of pain and grieve were described in great detail. It proved that seeing her lover with another lady tortured her to a much greater extent (than the bloody death by the tiger). Every time she thinks about it, she feels the pain of losing her lover to someone else, and pain makes one afraid. It could be inferred that the princess was afraid to see her lover be together with the maiden. In her good conscience, she knows that the heroic and selfless thing to do will be to grant him life, even if he cannot be hers in that life. But the truth is: negative emotions are always stronger. All her fear and misery makes her incapable of doing what is ‘right’. Knowing that she will suffer no matter what she chooses, her instinctive reaction is to lesson her own pain. The life of her lover is no longer her priority.

     “With all the intensity of the savage blood transmitted to her through long lines of wholly barbaric ancestors, she hated the women who blushed and trembled behind that silent door.” (Stockton, pg5) If this isn’t hatred, then what is? To the princess, this was a woman who dared to set eyes on her lover, and perhaps she already stole his heart! Between love and hate, hate is always the stronger emotion. The princess’ jealousy caused her to hate the lady, which overpowers her limited love for her lover. If the princess had truly loved him, she would not have hesitated to do what was better for him�"she would have chosen the lady. But her long and intense mental struggle suggests that the princess simply didn’t love him enough to put his happiness before her own. That being said, choosing the tiger is obviously the less painful choice for the princess. If she chose the lady, she would be in constant reminder of her horrible choice because she would constantly be able to see them together. Each time she does would be like tearing her heart open all over again. But if she chooses the tiger, she will only be living in guilt for a short time after her lover’s death. Slowly, as time passes, the memory will ease and perhaps cease altogether. Logically, choosing the tiger would be far less painful for the princess.

     “Would it not be better for him to die at once, and go to wait for her in the blessed regions of semi-barbaric futurity?” If her lover lived, he would definitely betray their love for he would be instantly married to the lady. If he dies by the tiger however, he would still be hers. He would be dead, but he would still be hers. To the princess, loyalty to their love was worth dying for. Perhaps it was because of her barbaric blood, or that she was just ruthless, but one thing is clear�"she thinks that if letting the man live meant betraying her, he would be better off dead. The princess also envied her lover. Originally they were going to live happily together, but now she alone was left to suffer for the rest of her life while her lover may be given another chance at love. To her, this was unjust. Like her barbaric father, she also seeks fairness, and so it would be perfectly reasonable for her to think that he does not deserve this happiness. Besides, in her point of view, he did indeed commit the crime that he was accused of, and was therefore guilty. Her barbaric blood is responsible for her overwhelming wanting to ‘seek justice’. This is almost like choosing between ‘live as a scum or die as a hero’. Except that the princess is making this choice for her lover, and she seems to believe that death by the tiger is the more dignified choice between the two.

     Jealousy, envy, and hate are all human emotions; sometimes they can be very hard to control. In ‘The lady or the tiger’, the right choice to make would be to point at the door hiding the lady. Then at least her lover would be happy. But the truth is, she wasn’t selfless enough to do it. Her jealousy and hate towards the lady. Her limited love for him. Her instincts as a woman. These factors stand in her way to the ‘right’ choice, but this barrier is too solid for her to knock down. That is why the outcome of this story is predictable. In fact it is certain. Behind the door on the right lies a hungry tiger.