The Lady, Or The Tiger, By Frank R. Stockton

In the short story, “The Lady, or the Tiger” by Frank R. Stockton the reader is presented as a semi-barbaric king who composed a system which exhibited entertainment, but also fate. The antagonistic offender who had a choice between two doors, behind the first was a vicious hungry tiger and behind the other held a fair maiden; who the accused would be immediately wed. Later in the text, Stockton introduces the King’s “semi-barbaric” daughter and her love lover who ironically was made out to be a criminal. Following this the audience was brought upon a question: Did the princess lead her lover to a true gory death or allow him to be with her despiser? The viewers were supplied with immense evidence from the author that the mistress chose for

In reality, the judicial branch of our nation has many cases where jealousy gets the best of some. In this case, Stockton’s princess is said to be imperious and cruel, who clearly wouldn’t allow the “blushing and radiant” lady to strut around with the princesses' beloved clinging to her. One part of the story that shows this, “...when she had seen them walk away together upon their path of flowers, followed by the tremendous shouts of the hilarious multitude, in which her one despairing shriek was lost and drowned!”(Stockton 5) Another example of why the princess would not permit her partner to be with the celibate is because she witnessed them having flirtatious occurences. According to the text, “... that she had seen, this fair creature throwing glances of admiration upon the person of their lover, and sometimes she thought these glances were perceived, and even returned.”(Stockton 4) In response to this she had stated, “she hated the woman who blushed and trembled behind the silent door.”(Stockton 4) Having envy and hatred in your heart can lead you to make immoral decisions. Additionally, the envy she endured for the lady was shown through her actions which also proved she was

This justification could be credible because evidence shows, “...she loved him with an ardor that had enough barbarism in it to make it exceedingly warm and strong.”(Stockton 3) Regardless, Stockton provided many reactions from the princess that would exhibit she was guilty. According to the text, “covered her face with her hands as she thought of her lover opening the door on the other side of which waited the cruel fangs of the tiger!…how much oftener had she seen him at the other door!” (Stockton 5) The princess spent extensive amounts of time considering which door she would lead him to, but she spends more time thinking about the resolution of her partner and the fair maiden together. According to the story, ““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 5) This suggests that her jealousy and hatred could have influenced her more than her undeniable love. The text also tells that the princess was, “...paler and whiter than anyone in the vast ocean of anxious faces about her.”(Stockton 5) The mistresses' reactions towards these thoughts demonstrates she was in fact guilty of leading her so-called “lover” to the den of the