the tyger Flashcards
Q: What is the main theme of The Tyger?
A: The poem explores themes of creation, duality, the power of God or a higher force, and the nature of good and evil.
Q: How is The Tyger structured?
A: The poem consists of six quatrains (four-line stanzas) with a regular AABB rhyme scheme, creating a rhythmic, chant-like quality.
Q: What is the significance of the opening line “Tyger Tyger, burning bright”?
A: The repetition and alliteration emphasize the tiger’s striking, powerful presence, while “burning bright” suggests its fiery, divine energy.
Q: How does Blake use rhetorical questions in the poem?
A: The poem is structured as a series of questions, such as “What immortal hand or eye / Could frame thy fearful symmetry?”, highlighting the mystery behind the tiger’s creation.
Q: What does the phrase “fearful symmetry” suggest?
A: It conveys the tiger’s perfect yet terrifying balance of beauty and danger, symbolizing the duality of creation.
Q: How does Blake reference industrial imagery in the poem?
A: Phrases like “What the hammer? What the chain?” evoke the image of a blacksmith forging the tiger, implying a powerful creator working with immense force.
Q: What is the significance of the line “Did he who made the Lamb make thee?”?
A: This contrasts The Tyger with Blake’s earlier poem The Lamb, questioning how the same creator could make both a gentle, innocent creature and a fearsome, powerful one.
Q: How does the poet create a sense of awe and fear?
A: Through vivid imagery and strong diction, such as “What dread hand? & what dread feet?”, emphasizing the tiger’s terrifying majesty.
Q: How does the poem reflect Blake’s views on creation?
A: It suggests that creation is both beautiful and destructive, prompting questions about the nature of God or a higher power.
Q: What is the effect of repetition in the poem?
A: The repeated phrase “Tyger Tyger, burning bright” reinforces the poem’s hypnotic rhythm and the tiger’s striking, otherworldly nature.
Q: How does the poem’s meter contribute to its meaning?
A: The regular trochaic meter (stressed-unstressed pattern) mimics the tiger’s powerful and rhythmic movements, adding to the poem’s intensity.
Q: How does The Tyger compare to War Photographer?
A: Both question the nature of creation and destruction—The Tyger in a divine sense, and War Photographer in a human, war-related context.
