Songs of Experience: The Tyger by William Blake

Context

• "The Tyger" is part of William Blake's Songs of Experience, published in 1794.
• The poem reflects Blake's exploration of the complexities and dualities of creation, contrasting with the innocence depicted in his Songs of Innocence.
• Blake was deeply engaged with themes of creation, divinity, and the nature of good and evil, often questioning the intentions and morality of the creator.
• The poem addresses the fearsome and sublime aspects of the natural world, symbolized by the tiger, and raises profound questions about the nature of the creator and the creation process.

Structure and Form

• The poem consists of six quatrains.
  • Each stanza follows an AABB rhyme scheme.
• Written in trochaic tetrameter, providing a rhythmic and chant-like quality.
• The regular meter and rhyme scheme enhance the poem's musicality and emphasize the repetitive, interrogative nature of the questions posed.

Key Themes

Creation and the Creator

• "What immortal hand or eye, / Could frame thy fearful symmetry?"
• Questions the identity and nature of the creator who made the tiger.
• Blake explores the duality of creation, where beauty and terror coexist.

Good and Evil

• "Did he who made the Lamb make thee?"
• Contrasts the tiger with the lamb, symbols of ferocity and innocence, respectively.
• Raises questions about the nature of good and evil and their origins.

Divine Power and Artistry

• "In what furnace was thy brain? / What the anvil? what dread grasp."
• Uses imagery of a blacksmith to describe the creation of the tiger, emphasizing the power and skill involved.
• Suggests a divine and fearsome process of creation.

Nature and the Sublime

• "Tyger Tyger, burning bright, / In the forests of the night;"
• Describes the tiger with imagery of fire and night, evoking a sense of awe and terror.
• Reflects the Romantic fascination with the sublime and the power of nature.

Questioning and Mystery

• "What the hammer? what the chain, / In what furnace was thy brain?"
• The poem is filled with questions, emphasizing the mystery and complexity of creation.
• Blake invites readers to ponder the nature of existence and the creator's intentions.

Similar Poems

• "Songs of Experience: London" by William Blake: Shares themes of social critique and the harsh realities of urban life, focusing on the suffering caused by societal institutions.
• "Songs of Innocence: The Lamb" by William Blake: Directly contrasts with "The Tyger," exploring themes of innocence, creation, and the benevolent aspects of the creator.
• "Ode to the West Wind" by Percy Bysshe Shelley: Explores themes of transformation and change, reflecting on the power of nature and the potential for renewal in society.
• "Ode on Melancholy" by John Keats: Addresses themes of transience, beauty, and the interplay of joy and sorrow, reflecting the tension between innocence and experience.

Line by Line Analysis

Stanza 1

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

"Tyger Tyger, burning bright, / In the forests of the night;"

• Repetition and alliteration emphasize the tiger's presence and its fiery, intense nature.
• "Burning bright" suggests both physical brightness and an inner ferocity, while "forests of the night" adds a sense of mystery and danger.

"What immortal hand or eye, / Could frame thy fearful symmetry?"

• Questions the divine or supernatural creator of the tiger.
• "Fearful symmetry" highlights the paradox of beauty and terror coexisting in the tiger's form.

Stanza 2

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?

"In what distant deeps or skies. / Burnt the fire of thine eyes?"

• The imagery of "distant deeps or skies" suggests the tiger's origins are cosmic or otherworldly.
• "Fire of thine eyes" emphasizes the tiger's fierce and intense gaze.

"On what wings dare he aspire? / What the hand, dare seize the fire?"

• Questions the boldness and power of the creator who dared to make such a fearsome creature.
• The imagery of wings and fire alludes to the myth of Icarus, hinting at the dangers of overreaching ambition.

Stanza 3

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?

"And what shoulder, & what art, / Could twist the sinews of thy heart?"

• Imagines the physical and artistic effort required to create the tiger.
• "Twist the sinews" suggests a painstaking and powerful process.

"And when thy heart began to beat. / What dread hand? & what dread feet?"

• Emphasizes the moment of creation and the fearful nature of the being who made the tiger.
• The repetition of "dread" reinforces the sense of awe and terror.

Stanza 4

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

"What the hammer? what the chain, / In what furnace was thy brain?"

• Uses blacksmith imagery to describe the creation of the tiger, highlighting the power and intensity of the process.
• "Furnace" and "anvil" suggest heat, force, and a transformative process.

"What the anvil? what dread grasp. / Dare its deadly terrors clasp?"

• Continues the blacksmith metaphor, emphasizing the dangerous and formidable nature of the tiger.
• "Deadly terrors" reinforces the tiger's fearsome qualities.

Stanza 5

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

"When the stars threw down their spears / And water'd heaven with their tears:"

• The imagery of stars and tears suggests a cosmic or divine event, possibly the fall of rebellious angels or a moment of celestial sorrow.
• Adds a layer of mythological and emotional depth to the poem.

"Did he smile his work to see? / Did he who made the Lamb make thee?"

• Questions whether the creator felt satisfaction or regret at creating the tiger.
• Contrasts the tiger with the lamb, exploring the duality of creation and the coexistence of innocence and ferocity.

Stanza 6

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

"Tyger Tyger burning bright, / In the forests of the night:"

• Repeats the opening lines, reinforcing the central image and themes of the poem.
• The repetition creates a chant-like, hypnotic effect.

"What immortal hand or eye, / Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?"

• Reiterates the central question about the nature of the creator and the act of creation.
• "Dare frame" emphasizes the boldness and audacity required to create such a fearsome and beautiful creature.