the tyger Flashcards
“Tyger Tyger, burning bright, / In the forests of the night”
-Imagery: The tiger is described as “burning bright,” evoking fiery imagery that symbolizes vitality, passion, and danger. The juxtaposition of “burning bright” with “forests of the night” creates a stark contrast between light and darkness, emphasizing the tiger’s intense presence even in shadowy, mysterious surroundings.
Analysis: The repetition of “Tyger Tyger” (epizeuxis) conveys awe and fascination. The “forest” suggests an untamed, enigmatic world, while the “night” implies danger or the unknown.
-This imagery highlights the tiger as a paradoxical creature—both beautiful and terrifying—and introduces themes of divine creation and mystery.
“What immortal hand or eye, / Could frame thy fearful symmetry?”
-Imagery: The phrase “fearful symmetry” combines beauty (“symmetry”) with terror (“fearful”), encapsulating the tiger’s dual nature. The “immortal hand or eye” evokes divine or supernatural imagery, suggesting a creator with immense power and daring.
Analysis: This oxymoron reflects Blake’s central question about the paradoxical nature of creation—how could a divine being create something so awe-inspiring yet dangerous? —The word “frame” suggests deliberate craftsmanship, raising questions about intention and purpose in creation.
“In what distant deeps or skies / Burnt the fire of thine eyes?”
-Imagery: The “distant deeps or skies” alludes to heaven and hell, while “fire of thine eyes” reinforces fiery imagery associated with passion and intensity. This metaphor likens the tiger’s eyes to flames, symbolizing its fierce vitality.
Analysis: Blake uses this imagery to explore the origins of the tiger’s creation. The mention of “deeps or skies” suggests uncertainty about whether its creator is benevolent or malevolent. The fire symbolizes both destructive power and divine energy, reflecting Blake’s fascination with the duality of existence.
“And what shoulder, & what art, / Could twist the sinews of thy heart?”
Imagery: Industrial imagery such as “twist the sinews” evokes a craftsman shaping the tiger with physical strength and skill. Words like “shoulder” and “art” emphasize both brute force and creative finesse.
Analysis: This stanza reflects on the effort required to create such a powerful creature. By referencing the tiger’s heart, Blake implies that its ferocious nature is deeply ingrained—possibly instilled by its creator. This imagery underscores themes of divine craftsmanship and the paradoxical coexistence of beauty and destruction.
“Did he who made the Lamb make thee?”
Imagery: The comparison between the lamb (symbolizing innocence) and the tiger (symbolizing experience) highlights their contrasting qualities through juxtaposition. The lamb evokes gentleness and purity, while the tiger embodies ferocity.
Analysis: This rhetorical question connects The Tyger to Blake’s earlier poem The Lamb. It raises profound theological questions about God’s nature—how can one creator produce creatures so vastly different? This comparison emphasizes themes of innocence versus experience and challenges readers to consider divine paradoxes.
form
- This regularity in form and rhythm creates a musical, nursery rhyme-like quality, which contrasts with the profound and unsettling themes of divine creation and the duality of existence
Rhyme Scheme: The rhyme scheme is consistent throughout (AABB), creating a rhythmic and melodic quality that resembles nursery rhymes or folk songs. This contrasts with the dark and profound subject matter, emphasizing the paradox of beauty and danger.
structure
Symmetry in Stanzas: The poem’s structure is symmetrical, reflecting the tiger’s balanced dichotomy of good and evil. The first and final stanzas are almost identical, except for the replacement of “could” with “dare,” suggesting a shift from questioning ability to questioning courage.
End-Stopped Lines: Most lines are end-stopped, which gives the poem a rigid, constrictive feel. This rigidity mirrors the deliberate craftsmanship involved in creating the tiger and emphasizes the controlled power behind its existence
tone-
-The main tone of The Tyger is one of awe and fear, as the speaker grapples with the tiger’s beauty and ferocity, as well as the mysterious power of its creator. A key quote that captures this tone is: “Tyger Tyger, burning bright, / In the forests of the night.”
-establish a tone of admiration and fascination. The speaker marvels at the tiger’s beauty and power, using fiery imagery to highlight its mesmerizing and dangerous nature
-Blake uses this tone to highlight the paradox of creation—how something so beautiful can also embody destructive power. It reflects the speaker’s struggle to understand the intentions of the divine creator responsible for such a creature.
