On popular demand for the explanation of the famous poem by William Blake, here comes 'The Tyger'.
THE TYGER (from Songs Of Experience)
By William Blake
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare sieze the fire?
And what shoulder, & what art.
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears,
And watered heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
The poem was published in 1794, as one of the Songs of Experience, which is a contrast to the Songs of Innocence inclusive of ‘The Lamb. While the latter portrays innocence, peace, joy and childish bliss; ‘The Tyger’ talks about the darker, ferocious and beast-like aspect of Creation.
According to Blake’s perceptions, a person must remain innocent and child-like, even in the midst of contrasting conditions of experience in order to dispel ignorance! The series of poems are a reflection of this thought. Thus, Blake delves into the inner-most chambers of human psychology and ethics, in an era when it was not as advanced as it is today.
The title, ‘The Tyger’ uses the archaic spelling of the fierce beast of the jungle, in order to alert the readers that the poem is beyond the superficial title it uses. It is an attempt to gradually help the reader travel through the numerous kinds of imagery and themes that are a part of the poem.
The poem was written in the era when the Industrial Revolution had made its way into Europe and had greatly altered life. Phrases like ‘hammer’, ‘chain’, ‘anvil’, ‘furnace’ and the like refer to a heavenly workshop. It is a direct attack on the encroachment brought about by the widespread industrialization, which threatened the pastoral world Blake was brought up in. It also hints at the French Revolution and its impact on the world.
The poet also focuses on a profound philosophical note in the poem—the theme of the existence of contradictory elements like peace, love, humanity, as opposed to hardships, hatred, evil, threats, etc. The composition of God’s universe and the Concept of Forgiveness that is portrayed through the Lamb and Punishment that is portrayed through the ‘Tyger’ are also major ideas reflected in the poem.
Thus, ‘The Tyger’, though an 18th century poem, finds relevance even in today’s fast-paced modern world, where humanity is clearly demarcated into Good and Evil and forces a co-existence of both on the Paradise God intended for Man.
