The Tyger

• Context

  • Published in the 'Songs of Experience.'
  • Blake wrote this in a period of disillusionment. He'd been hopeful that the French Revolution would bring about societal change in England but was disappointed with the little progress made.
  • Blake held radical ideas, wished for structural change in society.
  • Born into a family of Dissenters, those who disagreed with many of the Church of England's teachings.
  • Companion poem to 'The Lamb' in the 'Songs of Innocence.'
• Spelling of 'Tyger'

  • 'Tyger' was an archaic spelling, and Blake chose this spelling deliberately for dramatic effect.
  • Makes the creature seem exotic, unusual, alien, unknowable, and different. Suggests it is impossible for mankind to comprehend God's creation.
• Interpretations of the poem

  • Nature of God and faith.
  • Nature of political revolution.
  • Poem about Industrial Revolution.
• Symbolism of the Tyger

  • Ambiguous, malevolent presence.
  • Represents a mysterious aspect of divine creation, and a symbolic representation of God's ability to be violent and frightening.
  • Represents the unknowability of God as humankind cannot fully comprehend the way God operates.
  • Through fiery imagery and language of audacity, it suggests transgression and disobedience. The consequences of this monstrous creation are yet to be realised.
• Symbolism of Fire

  • Helps to characterise the tyger as dangerous and destructive, and to create a tense atmosphere.
  • Symbol of fire suggests that the poem holds the creative act in high regard.
  • Symbolic of a connection to Hell or Satan, suggesting the possibility that Satan may have created the tyger.
  • Through this the speaker suggests that even if Hell or Satan play a part in shaping the world, they're still components of God's larger plan for creation.
• Theme of the Existence of Evil

  • The poem expresses awe at the beauty of God's creation.
  • Poem examines the existence of evil by asking the same question in many ways: if God created everything and is all powerful, why does evil exist?
  • The tyger seems designed to kill, behaving in ways that seem to counter God's laws and ethics.
  • Comparing the tyger to 'The Lamb' it is suggested that both are necessary parts of God's creation.
  • God proves his power because he acts in ways humanity cannot fully comprehend.
• Theme of Creativity

  • Blake revised this poem multiple times to create it in a way that best embodies its complicated questions.
  • The "framing" of "symmetry" suggests a visual artist or engraver (like Blake himself) making sure the proportions of a project are correct.
  • Imagination is characterised as a kind of fire from which things are created, if the creator is brave, strong, and skilled enough.
  • Allusion to Greek myth of Prometheus.
  • Imagination also linking to bravery, links to Blake's life as he was seen as a madman rather than a visionary.
• Ideas of good and evil

  • Blake, following in John Milton's footsteps, suggests that good and evil (or innocence and experience) exist on a spectrum.
  • Satan was an angel before rebelling against God, and Adam and Eve disobeyed God by submitting to the temptation of sin.
  • Goodness is not a permanent state and can be corrupted, which makes Blake question how a benevolent God could allow such flaws in his creation.
  • The tyger represents this flaw.
• Form

  • Six quatrains, the first and last being almost identical with the subtle change of "could" to "dare."
  • Assuming the creator to be God, the one word change speaks to the fact that he is both able and willing to create the tyger.
  • This change also gives a sense of symmetry, conveying a sense of artistry and creativity.
  • Poem consists entirely of questions, suggesting that there is no clear answer, yet the speaker still wants to confirm God's power.
• Meter

  • Strong sense of trochaic meter throughout, and sometimes more iambic at points.
  • The regularity of the stresses makes the lines sound like a beating heart.
  • The meter is engaging, drawing the reader into the imagery and moral argument depicted by the speaker.
• Rhyme scheme

  • Written in rhyming couplets in the form AABB, which also make the poem more memorable.
  • Steady rhyme gives the poem a sense of forward propulsion.
  • Rhyming couplets create symmetry, which is an important idea to Blake throughout his poetry as he often relates to God's intelligent design for the world.
  • Patterned lines reflect God's creativity and that he has a plan, even if it is incomprehensible to humans.
• Speaker

  • Unspecified and never uses the first person.
  • Anonymous speaker is in both intimidated and amazed by the tyger and the incredible powers of whatever creator made such a creature.
  • Restless and doubtful shown by constant rhetorical questions.
  • Anonymous speaker may represent all of humanity, all trying to comprehend God's power and existence.
• "Tyger Tyger, burning bright."

  • Epizeuxis, immediate repetition of "Tyger" and use of direct address with apostrophe, presenting this "tyger" as the central figure.
  • Alliteration creates plosive sounds, seems intimidating and powerful.
  • Links to the sublime as the speaker is in awe of the creature "burning bright" but also terrified of it, suggested by negative connotations of "burning" as a destructive force and "bright" conveying radiance.
  • "burning bright" may also describe the tyger's appearance, a fierce energy.
• "What immortal hand or eye, // Could frame thy fearful symmetry?"

  • Metonym of "hand or eye" representing God, with "hand" alluding to the biblical act of creation and a symbol of strength.
  • Fricatives of "frame" and "fearful" create a sinister and dangerous tone. Linking to the idea of fearing God and his creation.
  • Paradoxical rhyme throughout done by rhyming couplets.
  • "immortal" relates to the all-powerful God linking to Romantic ideas of spirituality and rejection of religion.
  • Rhetorical questions question why God would create such a fearsome creature.
  • "symmetry" conveys artistry.
• "On what wings dare he aspire? // What the hand, dare seize the fire?"

  • "wings" linking to Icarus from Greek mythology who flew too close to the sun with wings made of wax due to overconfidence and underestimating the power of nature.
  • The story of Icarus suggests that God creating such fearsome creatures isn't going to have good consequences.
  • "dare" suggests the idea of humanity exploiting the power of nature for own personal benefit. May link to Prometheus who gave humanity fire.
  • Repetition of "dare" emphasises that the power of nature is superior to that of humanity.
• "What dread hand? & what dread feet?"

  • Repeated rhetorical questions makes the reader question their beliefs in God and religion as a whole.
  • 19th century meaning of "dread" as fear of the Lord, links to awe and terror in the face of God due to his omnipotence, much like the speaker is both intimidated and fascinated by the tyger.
• "What the hammer? what the chain, // In what furnace was thy brain?"

  • Semantic field of industry and craftsmanship links to the industrial revolution.
  • "furnace" is a force of creation and the "hammer" may be a force of destruction, they juxtapose one another. May suggest humans inability to comprehend God's plan.
  • "chain" suggests restraint.
  • Heat of the "furnace" connotes Hell and evil and implies that the tyger was forged with deliberate intent and creative skill.
• "When the stars threw down their spears // And water'd heaven with their tears."

  • "water'd heaven" suggests a sense of sadness, linking to the creation of all sadness in the world through the coming from Satan.
  • Through this the speaker questions whether it was actually Satan who created this monstrous, evil creature.
  • "stars" links to the fallen angels who rebelled against God and later surrendered, they had seen the fearful things God has created.
  • "spears" implies this rebellion.
• "Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?"

  • Almost identical to the first stanza with a slight change in wording from "could" to "dare."
  • This difference suggests the idea of who has the ability to create, and who has the bravery to create such a fearsome tyger.