Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
An epic beginning to an incredible poem. The capitalization of the second Tyger indicates strength and simply a bite that I think has to be maintained in reciting. The alliteration of the hard consonant sounds also capture attention – rarely has this common poetic device worked so well.
The Tyger is burning bright – a first reference to fire that is a constant recurring theme in the poem. Blake had been working on a Narrative of Surinam by Stedman in his working life which described the tyger’s eyes as emitting flashes like lightning.
In the forests of the night;
Some interesting considerations for this line. Why use the plural forests? Forest of the night would have been sufficient for most poets? Perhaps Blake’s own visionary experiences play a part here as well as the commonly accepted 18th century view of Heaven and Hell being different lands – Blake used themes of Heaven in Hell and Hell in Heaven several times. A simpler explanantion might just be that he preferred the assonance of the plural form, just as Byron later preferred the singular in his poem The Destruction of Sennacherib: ‘The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold’, rather than the more likely plural Assyrians.
In his biography of Blake, Ackroyd opines that there is also an interpretation regarding the literal literary creation: ‘From the forests of the night is derived the dark charcoal that is used to forge the iron for Blake’s copper plates’. This seems unduly superficial to me and while Ackroyd urges readers to recall Blake’s subscription to Swedenborg’s theories on the one hand, he also seems to sweep the likely connection to one side on the other.
The Essay on William Blake Tyger Dare Hand
WILLIAM BLAKE 1757-1827 William Blake was a British poet, painter, visionary mystic, and engraver, who illustrated and printed his own books. Born in 1757 he stayed in London nearly his whole life. He began a life of crafts at the age of ten he was sent to one of the best drawing schools in England, Henry Pars'. At the age of 14, he took up the art of engraving as an apprentice. His artwork was ...
I am inclined to the view that Blake saw his visions as an insight into the Forests of the night.
What immortal hand or eye,
There could only be one possible creator in Blake’s mind but it sets a suspicion of doubt at this point in the poem. I find the use of ‘hand or eye’ rather than hand and eye interesting. It might simply be that Blake disliked the sound of ‘hand and’ but it does focus some thought on the possible different creative processes for both his art and poetry. His engraving required mechanical aptitude but his art needed vision.
Could frame thy fearful symmetry.
The Could in this line has also to be considered in the context of Dare in the final stanza.
Frame would have been a natural thought process for Blake in the creation of art. Fearful in relation to the Tyger is self-evident but symmetry? Webster’s Dictionary says of symmetry: also: beauty of form arising from balanced proportion. This possible explanation of fearful beauty appeals to me.
Stanza the second
In what distant deeps or skies
Again an interesting likely reference to Heaven and Hell and continuing the doubt regarding the creation of such a beast from the question posed in the first stanza.
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
Fire again. The continuation of the metaphor almost certainly now transcends the original inspiration, if indeed this was from the Narrative of Surinam.
The burning eyes in Heaven or Hell, or the burning eyes in Heaven in Hell and Hell in Heaven?
On what wings dare he aspire?
Back to the creator now. A subtle shift from the capability implied by ‘Could frame…’ to the requirement for courage suggested by ‘dare he aspire’. On what wings indeed, this is a solitary reference and not easy to be conclusive about. Blake was visited with visions of Angels (and as a child by God) from time to time which may have led him to see the creator also with wings.
What the hand, dare seize the fire?
The shift to courage is now made completely in this repetition. The metaphor of forge for the creation process now begins.
The Essay on Creators Faults In The Creation
The Creator's Faults in the Creation Often the actions of children are reflective of the attitudes of those who raise them. In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelly, Dr. Victor Frankenstein is the sole being that can take responsibility for the actions of the creature that he creates. He is the only person that takes part in the creation of the creature. Even though the crimes are committed by the ...
Throughout this stanza too, there are strong consonants to maintain the flow of the poem: ‘distant deeps’ ‘Burnt’ and the strong t in ‘What’, for example. In reading, I like to accentuate these sounds, perhaps over-emphasize but the result is effective, I believe.
Stanza the third
And what shoulder, & what art
The shoulder is a clear reference to the physical prowess required in the forging process. To then supplement the physical power by going on ‘& what art’ is a stunning continuance of the twin aspects of creation mentioned above.
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
So it requires physical prowess and art to ‘twist the sinews of thy heart’; this is suggestive to me of both the general metaphorical sense of heart together with (again) the physical contrast. This comparison and contrasting reach to the heart of the poem for me.
And when thy heart began to beat
What dread hand? & what dread feet?
A concentration now on the physical elements. It prepares the reader/listener for the forging process to be elaborated on in:
Stanza the fourth
What the hammer? What the chain?
The staccato questions suggest a quick-fire delivery to me.
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp,
The creation metaphor now completes its passage. All the elements of creation in the forge have been contemplated. The physical strength of the smith. The tools, hammer, chain and anvil. This coupled with an artistic vison
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
‘Dare’ reappears and the thread of a courageous, rather than simply a capable creator is developed.
Stanza the fifth
The crescendo of the poem approaches.
When the stars threw down their spears
And water’d heaven with their tears
The Essay on ‘How do the stylistic elements reinforce meaning in Blake’s poems The Lamb and The Tyger’?
William Blake composes two beautiful pieces of work that exemplify his ideas on the nature of creation. The two pieces, The Lamb and The Tyger, are completely opposite views, which give questionable doubt about most people's outlook of creation. ‘The Tyger’ concentrates on the dangers to be faced in life and nature while ‘The Lamb’ celebrates nature as seen through the innocent eyes of a child. ...
Wonderful lines. Why were the spears thrown down? In fear? revulsion? I am sure the inspiration of stars throwing down spears was by seeing shooting stars in the night sky as many have suggested. But the meaning? Blake depicted in an engraving of a creation scene from Job the stars shedding tears. The (almost) reversal does suggest shock, surprise and revulsion at what has been created.
The magnificent build up is now over and the epicenter of the poem reached.
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
I find it interesting that while Tyger is capitalized and Lamb is capitalized, the word ‘he’ for the creator is not. The extent to which this may be suggestive is unclear to me. It may simply be a device to avoid undue emphasis on the word when reading – I am sure the capitalization elsewhere is deliberately to produce accentuation. If the poem had been produced 100 years later, one might be forgiven for thinking there was an element of Darwinism creeping in. Blake had a clear belief in creation but perhaps the creator is known by his creations?
I have read a number of theories suggesting that the poem indicates that the Tyger embodies evil. This could certainly be true. I have also read that the poem leaves the issue unfinished, an open question. I disagree.
Tyger, Tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare thy fearful symmetry.
To me, there is further depth than simply the creation of evil by God (creator).
I think the poem touches the heart of the most troubling issue that racks theologians. How can God allow, for example, the death of an innocent child through famine in Ethiopia. The change in the poem from simply a capable creator to a brave creator suggests, to me, that Blake saw a necessity for balance in the world – he once wrote that active evil is better than passive good.
The poem tells me that Blake saw and appreciated that a brave creator knew the need for misery in the world as well as joy and for fear as well as fearlessness.
