THE TYGER 

WILLIAM BLACK

:By
Safa Dana Lana Ahmaro
: INTRODUCTION
Published in 1794 as one of the Songs of Experience, Blake's "The
Tyger" is a poem about the nature of creation, much as is his earlier
poem from the Songs of Innocence, "The Lamb." However, this
poem takes on the darker side of creation, when its benefits are less
obvious than simple joys. Blake's simplicity in language and
construction contradicts the complexity of his ideas. This poem is
meant to be interpreted in comparison and contrast to "The Lamb,"
showing the "two contrary states of the human soul" with respect to
creation. It has been said many times that Blake believed that a
person had to pass through an innocent state of being, like that of
the lamb, and also absorb the contrasting conditions of experience,
like those of the tiger, in order to reach a higher level of
consciousness. In any case, Blake's vision of a creative force in the
universe making a balance of innocence and experience is at the
heart of this poem.
*It important to remember that Blake lived in a time that had
never heard of popular psychology as we understand it today. He
wrote the mass of his work before the Romantic movement in
English literature. He lived in a world that was in the opening
stages of the Industrial Revolution, and in the midst of political
revolutions all over Europe and in America. As we look at his
work we must in some way forget many of the ideas about
creativity, artists, and human nature that we take for granted
today, and reimagine them for the first time as, perhaps, Blake
did himself. It is in this way that Blake's poetry has the power to
astound us with his insight.
WILLIAM BLAKE

*William Blake was born in London on November 28, 1757, to

parents James Blake and Catherine Blake. Two of his six brothers
died in infancy.

*From early childhood, Blake talked about having visions. Although

his parents tried to dissuade him from "lying", they noticed that he
was different from his peers and did not force him to attend a
traditional school, and he learned to read and write at home.

*In 1826, Blake received a commission to illustrate for Dante

Divine Comedy. However, that was cut short due to his sudden
death of the 12th of August in 1827.
:THEMES
Creativity

*Though "The Tyger" is specifically about how the nature of God's creation can be reconciled
with the existence of the fearsome tiger, it's also about creativity more generally. Everything
about the creation of the tiger suggests effort, skill, artistry, and imagination on the creator's
part, suggesting that these qualities are necessary to create anything as frighteningly beautiful
as the tiger. What's more, the speaker also hints that good creation—in art, for example—
needs to incorporate this more dangerous and intimidating side of the world. Without that
complexity, the poem suggests, a work of art won't be fully honest and authentic.

*The poem is itself, of course, the product of intense creativity. Blake revised and revised this
poem, trying to pin it down to the exact form that best embodies its complicated questions.
This artistry is mirrored by some of the word choices made throughout. For example, the
"framing" of "symmetry" (lines 4 and 24) suggests a visual artist or engraver (like Blake
himself) making sure the proportions of a project are correct. This type of language, which
characterizes creativity as both effort and skill, is also found in the third and fourth stanzas.
The fourth stanza in particular describes a metal workshop, where beautiful things are made
under intensely hot and pressured conditions.
Along these lines, it's also important to note the way in which the creation of
the tiger is consistently linked with fire. Indeed, the tiger itself is a kind of fiery
creature, testament to the intense imagination with which it was created.
Imagination itself is characterized as a kind of fire from which things can be
created, if the creator is brave, strong, and skilled enough. There may even be
an allusion to the Greek myth of Prometheus here, who tricked the gods,
stealing fire and giving it to humanity. However, Prometheus was not rewarded
for his ingenuity; instead, he was condemned to eternal punishment.

The imagination, the poem ultimately suggests, is the location of a miraculous

but dangerous kind of creative strength. That's why it takes bravery—the
willingness to "dare," as the poem would put it—to create anything of any
worth out of the "fire" of creativity. This interpretation of creativity certainly
rings true with the story of Blake's life: for all his commitment, effort, and
genius, he was thought of more as a madman than a visionary during his
lifetime.
* The Existence of Evil
Like its sister poem, “The Lamb,” “The Tyger” expresses awe at the marvels of God’s
creation, represented here by a tiger. But the tiger poses a problem: everything about it
seems to embody fear, danger, and terror. In a series of questions, the speaker of “The
Tyger” wonders whether this creature was really created by the same God who made
the world’s gentle and joyful creatures. And if the tiger was created by God, why did
God choose to create such a fearsome animal? Through the example of the tiger, the
poem examines the existence of evil in the world, asking the same question in many
ways: if God created everything and is all-powerful, why does evil exist?

The speaker tries to reconcile the tiger's frightening nature with the idea of a loving
God, but this attempt leads only to a series of seemingly unanswerable questions. The
tiger is presented as an impressive figure and seems to be part of God’s design for the
world. It “burns brightly” and has a “symmetry,” a quality which Blake often
associates with beauty and purposeful intent on God’s part. But that “symmetry” is
also “fearful.” The tiger seems designed to kill and inflict pain. In other words, the
tiger behaves in a way that seems counter to God's laws and ethics. The tiger’s
association with fire (“burning brightly,” for example) underscores this point—it’s
visually impressive but dangerous to get close to.
The poem then meditates on the specific moment of the tiger’s creation
(“when thy heart began to beat”). It questions God’s motivations in making
the tiger, even considering the possibility that it wasn’t actually God who
made the tiger. The speaker struggles to understand how a God that made the
small, vulnerable lamb could also choose to make a being that would surely
eat the lamb given half a chance. In other words, the speaker struggles to
understand why God would create something that seems to have destruction
as its very purpose.

The poem leaves this line of questioning unanswered, though the questions
are themselves made very clear and stark. They are, essentially, handed over
to the reader to consider; the speaker doesn’t know for sure why God has
created something that seems evil. However, by detailing the tiger’s
fearsomeness and by directly comparing it to the innocent and gentle lamb,
the poem hints that perhaps both creatures are necessary parts of God’s
creation. That is, perhaps the majesty of God’s work requires these kinds of
oppositional forces. By giving the tiger the same kind of consideration as the
lamb, the speaker suggests that without fear and danger, there could be no
love and joy.
Stanza I
Lines 1-2
"Burning bright" may describe the appearance of the Tyger , or it
may on a deeper level describe a kind of energy or power that this
Tyger has.
The Tyger's presence in "the forests of the night" further increases
the mystery and power of the creature – it’s elusive, while at the
same time burning with some sort of inner force.
Lines 3-4
The "immortal hand or eye," symbols of sight and creation,
immediately conjure references to a creative God
To "frame," here, is probably to contain
"Fearful" references the scariness of a tiger, big and powerful and
mysterious).
Symmetry is a classical quality of the divine, as well as the defining
factor of artistic beauty.
Stanza 2
Lines 5-6
These lines ask where the Tyger was created, adding to the
growing image the reader has of the Tyger.
The use of "distant deeps or skies" seems to refer to an
otherworldly place
The metaphor of "burning" from line 1 returns with the
burning "fire" of the Tyger’s eyes, adding to the power and
fearfulness of the image.
Lines 7-8
The Tyger, a big, powerful, mysterious creature, must have a
pretty big, powerful, mysterious creator.
The "hand" as well as "fire," returns from line 3 and the
image of flying on wings is added, alluding to supernatural
power
Stanza 3 & 4
Lines 9-12
What "shoulder" roughly means what kind of bodily
strength could create the Tyger
What "art" refers to the skill that could put the Tyger all
together.
Lines 13-16
These lines further question how the Tyger was created.
William uses the metaphor of the blacksmith, who forms
metal with a hammer, furnace and anvil.
Stanza 5 & 6
Line 17 and 18
The same "he" reappears here as in line 7, but in a more
Christian setting, referencing God than the other stanza.
The "Lamb" is a traditional Christian symbol for Jesus
Christ.
Lines 21-24
The last stanza mimics the first stanza, to add a certain
rhythm to the poem.
Blake seems to challenge the courage of whatever/whoever
tried or tries to contain or "frame" the big, powerful,
mysteriousness of the Tyger.
Setting
The setting of "The Tyger," or at least the worlds this poem
seems to conjure up, are extremely varied. In general,
though, it takes place in the abstract, without much more
than "Forests of
the night," and "distant deeps or skies," to give the reader
any sense of location.
Imagery
Visual: "Could frame thy fearful symmetry"
"Did he smile his work to see?"
"Could twist the sinews of thy heart?"
"What dread grasp"
"Dare its deadly terrors clasp"
 Tone/Shifts
Creepy
This poem has used the old Shakespeare English to give a creepy,
eerie tone, which is strange and frightening to the reader.
Evidence:
"In what furnace was thy brain"
"In the forests of the night"
"Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?"
Chanting/Recitation
This poem gives the reader a chanting effect while reading it.
Maybe trying to show the tiger's pace.
Conclusion
"The Tyger" is a poem made of questions. In fact, the poem
resembles an interview in some ways.
Addressing "The Tyger", the speaker questions it as to its
creation – "Who made you Mr. Tyger?" "How were you
made? Where? Why? What was the person or thing like
that made you?"
The speaker wanted to find out more about the mysterious
Tyger who has many unknown qualities
The poem is often interpreted to deal with issues of
inspiration, poetry, mystical knowledge, God.
THE END
Thank you ♥