The short story, “The Lady or the Tiger?” by Frank R. Stockton illustrates a princess’s choice on whether she will send her lover to death or to the arms of another woman. The author excludes the ending and fate of the man, and instead, he leaves it to the reader to determine. After further analysis of the story, the reader can conclude that the princess chose the door with the tiger behind it.
To begin, the princess must have chosen the door housing the tiger because she finds herself insanely jealous of the lady. The princess cannot stand the thought of the accused man choosing her as “this fair creature throw[s] glances of admiration upon the person of her lover.” She knows that the girl finds her lover attractive and, she infers that he could quite possibly return her affection as “she thought these glances were perceived, and even returned.” She cannot live knowing a woman beneath her ranking obtains her lover after all, and the damsel receives what she wanted while the princess suffers in sadness. The princess also hates the woman as “the girl was one of the fairest and loveliest of the damsels of the court.” The princess knows the damsel’s beauty equally matches her own, and she finds herself loathing the girl. To know that her lover may marry a woman who could prevail just as wonderful as the princess drives her insane as she knows the prince may feel the same content with the damsel as he does with her.
Secondly, the princess would choose the door with the tiger