Blake's Poem the Tyger

¶ … Tyger, by William Blake. Specifically, I will begin by addressing the outer, or obvious, meaning of the poem. Following this discussion, I will give a thorough, and detailed analysis of the inner meaning of the poem, The Tyger, by William Blake. At a very superficial reading, the outer, obvious, subject of the poem is, of course, a tiger. The author wonders at the beauty and raw power of the tyger.

This is seen in the following lines "burnt the fire of thine eyes," "Tyger burning bright, In the forests of the night." Blake asks who created the tiger, and wonders at who could possible create such a beast. "What immortal hand or eye, dare frame thy fearful symmetry." Further, Blake asks if God, the creator was happy to see his handiwork, the tyger. However, like virtually all important poems, The Tyger certainly has a deeper meaning than is suggested by a superficial reading.

In the next section of this essay, I will delve into the inner, or hidden meaning of Blake's poem. The Tyger is one of the most rigorously analyzed and popular poems of modern times, suggesting that there is, indeed, a much deeper possible understanding to the poem. Ultimately, The Tyger is a poem that delves into the theme of the nature of creation. The poem is an obvious play on an earlier poem of Blakes', entitled The Lamb, which dealt with the lighter, more humane side of creation.

The two poems show the contrary sides of human nature, and of the human soul. Interestingly, the poem deals with the author's response to the Tyger, so it can be seen as the author attempting to understand the dark side of human nature that he witnesses. The tiger, or evil's, reaction to the world is not discussed. In The Tyger, Blake uses very simple language, and simple, an almost hypnotic rhythm, to bring forth the complex ideas contained within.

The opening stanza is simple and clear in its delivery: "Tyger burning bright, In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye, Could frame thy fearful symmetry?" In this simple stanza, Blake is saying much more than it seems. He is asking, almost pleading with the creator, to explain how he could create such evil. In this poem, the tyger can be seen as a symbol for the evil side of human nature. Blake asks God how he could create such a concept as evil.

This is a question that most of us have asked in our lives "If there is a God, how could he create both extreme good and unspeakable evil?" In the poem, Blake's tone varies from terror to awe towards the tyger's creator.

The horror is seen clearly in the lines "And what shoulder, & what art, Could twist sinews of thy heart?" The awe is seen in the lines "What immortal hand or eye, Could frame thy fearful symmetry," and "What hand dare seize the fire." In viewing the creator with such awe and terror, Blake celebrates what he views as the awesome power of the creator. Despite his.