Tyger Tyger Flashcards
‘Burning Bright’
Alliteration and Metaphor hooks the reader, emphasising the Tyger’s power and captivates the nature of the creature.
‘Immortal hand or eye’
is an allusion to emphasise that whoever created this tiger must be more powerful than God, as Blake’s questioning of God.
‘fearful symmetry?’
juxtaposition emphasises both Blake’s fear and his awe, shown through the question to God
‘deeps or skies’
allusions to heaven or hell to question why God created this ferocious animal.
‘burnt the fire…dare seize the fire’
imagery emphasises the risk that God took creating this animal saying why did God make such a dangerous creature. The word ‘dare’ emphasises the bravery needed to create this animal.
‘began to beat’
alliteration represents the tiger’s heart beating. This line is written with iambic tetrameter to portrays the tigers rhythmic heartbeat but also the growing curiosity of the poet.
‘dread…dare its deadly’
alliteration emphasises the horrors of the creature
Power of God is represented through black smith semantic field of ‘anvil’ and furnace’
This metaphorically depicts God as a blacksmith. Suggesting him as all-powerful and intricate when he purposely made this tiger. Also highlights how the tiger is like a material that can only be modified by fire.
The six stanzas of quatrains emphasises…
Regular rhythm highlights the power of the tyger
‘fearful’
‘immortal hand or eye’
‘did he smile his work to see’
Emphasises the power of God
Trochaic Tetrameter…
Creates a supernatural feel for the reader, adding to the idea of God in the poem
The first and last stanza is only different by one word
Emphasises the creator’s fearlessness in making the tiger as he thinks it’s more about bravery not skill.
Repetition
Emphasises the questions to god will never be answered
‘stars threw down their spears’
personifying the stars emphasises how upon creation of the tiger the heavens don’t approve
‘And water’d heaven with their tear’
Suggests that the stars are unhappy with the creation of this tiger
‘Did he who made the lamb make thee’
Shocked that goodness can have the same creator as the creator of a fearful tiger. How could God make both such contrasting creatures (one that is hunted and one that hunts). In Christianity sheets are seen as pure and innocent, contrasting to the tiger.
Final Stanza
Same as first stanza suggesting no real answer has been found
Replacement of ‘Could’ to ‘Dare’
Suggests the speaker feels it is less about skill but more about bravery.
What is the rhythm of the poem?
Regular Rhythm
What does the unstressed syllable at the end of each line do?
Creates a sense of incompletion
What is the rhyme scheme?
AABB and could reflect the symmetry of the tiger and that God has a perfect plan.
Compares With…
Prayer Before Birth
War Photographer
