The conflict in Frank R. Stockton’s short story ‘The Lady or the Tiger’ revolves around a young man who is forced to choose between two doors. Behind one door is a beautiful lady, and behind the other is a ferocious tiger. The choice determines his fate: marriage to the lady or death by the tiger.
The primary conflict is internal, as the princess, who loves the young man, must decide whether to guide him towards the door with the lady or the one with the tiger. Her decision is torn between her love for him and her jealousy of the potential lady he might marry. This internal struggle creates a moral dilemma, making the story’s ending ambiguous and leaving readers to ponder the princess’s ultimate choice.