The climax in Frank R. Stockton’s short story ‘The Lady or the Tiger’ occurs when the protagonist, the princess, faces a crucial decision that will determine her lover’s fate. After he has been put on trial and must choose between two doors, one hiding a beautiful lady and the other a fierce tiger, the tension reaches its peak.
As her lover stands before the doors, the princess knows which door conceals the lady and which holds the tiger. Her emotions are torn between love and jealousy; she wants to save her lover but is also deeply envious of the lady who would take him away from her. The climax culminates in her giving him a subtle signal to choose the door she indicates. This moment is gripping because it encapsulates her inner turmoil and the stakes of their love, leaving the reader in suspense about the outcome of her choice.