Close Reading and Interpretation of The Blake's Poem

The Tyger by William Blake

The first things that came to mind when I read the title The Tyger, was fierce, quick, and exotic. After I read it, I thought of a tiger out on the prowl. Also, an innocent lamb - and is the creator of both the lamb and tyger happy with himself, and this sight? Blake’s way of writing this poem is rhyming on the last 2 lines of each stanza. He surprisingly does not use alliteration, but repetition of the first and last stanzas. I think this emphasizes the stereotype of the tiger’s personality that you portray when you read the poem. There are also many personifications of the tiger, because Blake talks about fire in his eyes, and the dreaded heart, hand and feet of the lamb. Also, the stars and heaven is personified as well.

When Blake uses the commas and questions in the middle of his poem, he wants the reader to pause, and think about how all of this relates to what is going on - the kill, and how one innocent view on it has so many arising questions - how could the creator be happy with this scene? There are many exclamation marks, because it is horrific! The tiger kills the lamb, and especially for one who has not seen this before it is terrifying. There is a new stanza after every train of thought, after every block of questioning. The adjectives come before the nouns which make you think descriptively of the noun in the line. Surprisingly, there are also no fragments, it is a complete thought that disturbs whoever watched the kill.

The sensory details about the description of the tyger include what the creator has instilled inside of him - what drives him to be this fierce animal and make this kill? The emotions and imagery that Blake pertains to are mainly about the creator “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?”

This peom really is questioning where we all came from. We were all made by someone of a higher power, but who are they? Are they happy with what they have created on this earth - innocence disturbed with violence? The speaker is most likely an innocent bystander, who just happens to see the tiger go in for the kill. The poem is spoken to the reader, and has an innocent, questioning and confusing tone to it. The bystander is so broken because of what they just saw! This poem reminds me of when I first killed my deer. I didn’t know it was going to be so horrific. It is a part of life that you must learn, and get used to. Now, I even enjoy going and hunting with my friends.