William Blake's "The Tyger"

Text:

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art.
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And watered heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Initial Reaction: The tiger is a dreadful and deadly that creates fear in the narrator. The narrator is questioning the evil of the tiger and who created this creature. The narrator wonders if the lamb, a more innocent animal, was created by the same hand. He questions the “immortal” creator—I believe he is questioning God—and his reasons for creating such a creature as the tiger, capable of such destruction.

Paraphrasing:

Tiger! Tiger! Illuminated
In the darkness
What god or creator
Would make such a fearful creature?

In what place
Did you feel such malice?
What was the reason for this creation?
Who dared to handle the fiery creature?

And what creator
Could create sure a beast
And when the tiger came to life
What havoc did it wreak?

How could you continue?
What were you thinking?
What the anvil? what malevolence
Will the tiger commit?

When the world was angry
And sad as well,
Was he proud of this tiger?
Was it the same god who made the innocent lamb?

Tiger! Tiger! Illuminated
In the darkness  
What god or creator
Dared to make such a fearful creature?

SWIFTT:
Syntax/Word Choice: “The Tyger” is composed of six stanzas, each containing four lines, and is written with an aabb rhyme scheme. Many of the sentences are of similar form—interrogative—as Blake asks several rhetorical questions. Also, the first and last stanzas are almost identical, with the exception of a single word, which emphasizes this text and at the end forces the reader to reevaluate these words after reading the rest of the poem. Blake uses words such as “fearful,” “dread,” and “deadly” to portray to the reader that the creature is a beast capable of destruction.
Imagery: Blake uses descriptive words to incorporate imagery into “The Tyger.” For example, describing the creature as “burning bright / in the forests of the night” provokes an image of a tiger literally glowing in a dark, wooded setting (1-2). This description makes the tiger stand out to the reader and allows them to see it as an unearthly figure. The statement “burnt fire in thine eyes” makes the reader visualize the immortal creator as such and allows the reader to grasp the emotion and disposition of this god (6).
Figurative Language: “The Tyger” contains figurative language including subtle alliteration, as well as personification. Alliteration is first apparent in the first stanza, in lines 1 and 4: “Tyger! Tyger! Burning bright” and “frame thy fearful symmetry.” Blake utilizes personification when states, “the stars threw down their spears, / And watered heaven with their tears” (17-18).
Tone: The tone of this poem is inquisitive and accusing, with a touch of dismay towards this creation whose hand formed both good and evil on Earth.
Theme: The theme of “The Tyger” is creation and the ability of divine figure to create evil.

Conclusion: My initial thoughts on “The Tyger” were close to correct. Blake notes the evil in the world, symbolized by the fearful “tyger,” and wonders who created this evil presence. He continues to ask more specific questions about creation, concerning the creator’s thoughts and ability to form such a sinful object. How could he also create the innocent lamb? “The Tyger” from Blake’s “Songs of Experience,” when considered with “The Lamb” in “Songs of Innocence,” talks about the nature of good and evil.