two doorways with an elegant woman standing in one and a large tiger head in the other

The Lady, or the Tiger?

by Francis Richard Stockton

Start Free Trial

Student Question

Did the Courtier end up with the lady or the tiger in "The Lady, or the Tiger?"

Quick answer:

The ending of "The Lady, or the Tiger?" is intentionally ambiguous, leaving the courtier's fate unknown. The princess must choose which door he opens, knowing one hides a lady and the other a tiger. Her decision is complicated by her love for him and her jealousy. The story invites readers to debate whether she would save him from death, allowing him to marry another, or choose the tiger to prevent losing him to someone else.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

The point of the story is that the reader never actually finds out what happened. The Princess knows which door hides the Lady and which hides the Tiger. Thus, she will be making the decision for the Courtier. We know she loves him, but also that she is passionate and jealous in disposition. Neither choice will make her happy. If she points to the tiger door, her beloved dies. If she points to the other door, he marries someone else and she is left feeling jealous and miserable. You could argue either side of the question:

Lady: In this case, your main line of argument would be that, if the Princess genuinely loves the Courtier, she would not want him to die a painful death and thus would decide to save him, even if it meant his marrying someone else.

Tiger: In this case, you would emphasize the hot-blooded and jealous nature of the Princess and argue that she would prefer the Courtier dead than married to someone else. You could also argue that she would know this choice would please the King, who is her father.

Get Ahead with eNotes

Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.

Get 48 Hours Free Access
Approved by eNotes Editorial