Final answer:
Option 1 is the correct summary: A king has his daughter's lover thrown into an arena where his fate is determined by the princess. The accused must pick between two doors, one hiding a lady, the other a tiger, with the ending left ambiguous.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best summary of the plot of "The Lady, or the Tiger?" by Frank R. Stockton is option 1) A king has his daughter's lover thrown into an arena where his fate is determined by the princess. In this story, the barbaric king devises a system of justice that involves a public arena and the chance element.
Within the arena, a person accused of a crime must choose between two doors; behind one door is a lady, who, if chosen, signifies the person's innocence, and they must immediately marry her. Behind the other door is a tiger, and if that door is chosen, the accused is deemed guilty and is devoured by the tiger on the spot.
The plot thickens when the princess's secret lover is put to this trial. The princess, knowing what lies behind each door, must signal to her lover which one to choose. The story leaves readers with a cliffhanger, as it ends without revealing whether the princess motions towards the lady or the tiger, leaving his fate unknown and up to the interpretation of the reader.