THE TYGERWILLIAM BLAKE

By; Ghazal and Mira

STRUCTURE & FORM 6 quatrains

Rhyming couplets (symmetry is pronounced in the old fashioned way “simm-a-try”)

trochaic rhythm

Clear simple form which could mimic the articulation of a central thought and the expansion of thought through the questions that are asked.

STANZA I

The repetition creates a chant-like mood to the whole poem.

This is alliteration. It can describe the appearance of the tyger (its bold colours).

Increases mystery of the tyger. At night its quite dark this amplifies “burning bright” , makes the tyger stand out.

Symbols of sight and creation.

Boundary/ to contain the tyger. Or it could be giving the tyger importance. Or giving the tyger a shape that later on relates to the black smith

Immediately conjure references to a creative God 

STANZA II

Alliteration, stressed ‘d’ sounds to exemplify the deepness.

Links to Heaven and Hell – this refers to a distant place, that the tyger was created in.

Notion of daring is introduced, going to be echoed in the final stanza

“hand” can be a reference to the creator’s body part, what he used to create the tyger.

“seize” is often associated with forcefulness , capturing.

The fire being the fierce quality that the tyger possesses.

STANZA IIIBlake refers to certain parts of the creator instead of giving a whole image, amplifying the readers curiosity

“And” continues Blake’s train of thought, this is also done by enjambment.

‘twist’ is a word that conveys a lot of effort, exemplifying the power it takes to create such a creature The repetition of the word

‘dread’ increases the powerful quality of greatness

STANZA IV

Blake refers to the creator as a black smith, it’s an extended metaphor

An anvil is the surface upon which a blacksmith works metal. Blake is wondering upon which “surface” God is shaping this monster. That is, what is the basis for this creation?

Image of artistic-ness

Chain, hammer and furnace are all tools that could have been used to make the tyger, metaphor for tools used by the creator.

What good qualities has the creator given the Tyger, virtues and moral behavior

STANZA V

This could be a reference to the “casting down of the angels when Satan rebelled against god”

This is a closer reference to God as “he” is mysterious and the stanza has many religious connotations

Lamb is a religious symbol for Jesus Christ (the sacrifice). Here the possibility that the lamb was created by the same being who created the tyger.

These are the reactions, the speaker is fascinated with the creator

The last sentence suggests that God can create both good and bad shown by the contrast of the Lamb and the tyger.

STANZA VI

Repeat of the first stanza

“Dare” instead of “Could”. Instead of questioning the ability of the creator Blake questions the “nerve” that he had to create the world with goodness and evil.

Like a refrain, chorus of the chant like poem.