Though in most fairy tales the princess ends up with her handsome, common-folk lover, all evidence points in the direction that this was not the case with Lady or the Tiger by Frank R. Stockton. Stockton leaves the reader to interpret whether the princess directs her lover to open a door containing a tiger that will tear him to shreds or to a different door containing a beautiful woman that the young man will immediately marry. Although most people vie for a happy ending, one can determine through clear evidence that the tiger came out, not the maiden. The whole kingdom can see that the princess loved the man, but this further supports the case that the tiger came out, for if she can't have him, no one can. In addition, Stockton describes the …show more content…
9). Considering the king is barbaric enough to create the arena, it is likely that the princess has a character that is barbaric enough to send her lover to the tiger. This is further proven in the quotation “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 on an occasion in which she was so terribly interested” (par. 13). Opponents may argue that love may have overcome her barbarism, but there is no evidence in the story that can be used to prove this. Additionally, when describing how the king feels about his daughter, the author writes “As is usual in such cases, she was the apple of his eye, and was loved by him above all humanity” (par. 9). The semi-barbaric king, although he loves his daughter unconditionally, still sent the love of her life to the arena. While the princess does love the man, her barbaric demeanor could allow her to do something that will hurt her lover like her father did to