'The Tyger' (Edexcel IGCSE English Literature)

‘The Tyger’

Below you will find a guide to William Blake’s poem titled ‘The Tyger’ from the Edexcel International GCSE English Anthology (part 3: unit 1, section B). This guide includes:

• Overview: a line-by-line breakdown of the poem, including its possible meanings and interpretations

• Form, Structure and Language: an exploration of the techniques and poetic choices that William Blake has used

• Themes: an exploration of the themes and ideas in the poem

• Comparing Poems: suggestions on which poems to compare it to

Overview

Find out more about the poem to confidently answer an essay question in your exam by reading: 

• A summary of the poem 

• A “translation” of the poem, section-by-section

• A commentary of each of these sections, outlining Blake’s intention and message

A summary of the poem ‘The Tyger’

‘The Tyger’ was written by the famous English poet William Blake and was published in 1794. The poem is formed of questions that the speaker asks about the nature of God and His creation and, in particular, the tiger. The poem questions whether the same God that created innocent and vulnerable creatures such as a lamb could create such a fierce and fearsome animal such as the tiger. The premise of the poem is the question of why God has allowed evil to exist, and it explores the power of God and nature.

‘The Tyger’ analysis

Lines 1–4

Translation

• The speaker asks the tiger who created him

Blake’s intention

• The opening stanza sets up the main theme by asking the question of who created the tiger

• The stanza begins with an epizeuxis with the repetition of the word “tyger” and the poem uses apostrophe as it addresses a creature that cannot respond

• The use of alliteration and metaphor in “burning bright” describes the tiger as a creature that is on fire or alight:

  • It also encapsulates the dangerous and captivating nature of the creature

• The “forest of the night” contrasts the “bright” image of the tiger, implying that even in the darkness, the tiger is alight and dangerous

• The word “immortal” acknowledges that such a fearful and powerful creature must have been created by an entity more powerful than God:

  • The word “fearful” reinforces this idea and questions why an “immortal” being would create something so dangerous

• While the poem focuses on the tiger, the speaker is questioning God’s reasons for creating anything evil

Lines 5–8

Translation

• The speaker is asking where the tiger was created

Blake’s intention

• This stanza also consists of numerous questions about the creation of the tiger, which suggests the speaker never discovers the answer

• The phrase “distant deeps or skies” suggests the speaker believes God may have searched the the skies and the earth to create the tiger:

  • It could be referring to heaven or hell and the speaker is uncertain from where the tiger has originated 

• The metaphor of flying could suggest God’s ambition when creating the tiger

• The word “dare” suggests a bravery and power necessary to create the animal:

  • The word “seize” suggests a decisive action

• While this stanza still ponders the ferociousness of the tiger, it focuses heavily on the power of God

Lines 9–12

Translation

• The speaker is thinking about the strength needed to create the tiger

Blake’s intention

• The conjunction “And” indicates the speaker’s thoughts and sense of wonder as this stanza is a continuation of the last

• It reflects on the physical effort and strength necessary to create the tiger

• By referencing the “heart”, the speaker could be referring to the tiger’s perception of the world: 

  • It could suggest the creator placed a love for killing into the tiger’s heart

• The third line refers to the tiger’s heart beating for the first time:

  • The line is written in iambic tetrameter, which could mimic the rhythm of the tiger’s heart but, more importantly, reflects the speaker’s growing curiosity

• The final line could be referring to both the tiger and the creator as “dread feet”:

  • The speaker links the tiger and its creator, suggesting that whatever created such a ferocious being must also be ferocious 

Lines 13–16

Translation

• This stanza focuses on the craftsmanship behind the creation of the tiger

Blake’s intention

• In this stanza, the speaker tries to imagine the tools and equipment needed to create the tiger:

  • The metaphor of a blacksmith describes God and the image created is that of an industrial factory

• This could tie in to the historical context of the poem as Blake lived in London during the time of the Industrial Revolution:

  • The rhythm of this stanza could also reflect the banging of the hammer

• The words “hammer”, “chain”, “furnace” and “anvil” all link to a factory image but also create an image of the tiger as something made from material that only fire could modify

• The image of God in this stanza is unusual as it likens him to a blacksmith with a strength and a ferociousness to create something dangerous:

  •  The exclamation mark emphasises the speaker’s shock and awe 

Lines 17–20

Translation

• This stanza focuses on what happened after the creation of the tiger was complete

Blake’s intention

• This stanza begins by personifying the stars and describing their reaction upon the creation of the tiger:

  • It could signify that the heavens do not approve of what has been created

• The second line suggests the stars are unhappy with the creation of the tiger as they weep

• The second question asks whether the same God who made the lamb also made the tiger:

  • The speaker has taken two contrasting animals, one who is hunted and one who is the hunter to ask how God could have created such contrasting creatures

• Historically and theologically a lamb represents gentleness, innocence and purity but also, in Christianity, it represents Christ and his sacrifice:

  • Therefore, the speaker is asking how God could have created good but also evil

Lines 21–24

Translation

• The final stanza goes back to the first and asks the tiger who created him

Blake’s intention

• The final stanza returns to the same question as the first stanza, which is the creation of the tiger

• The return to the first stanza could suggest that no real answer has been found by the speaker for his questions:

  • He is still unsure as to why God would create such a creature

• The replacement of the word “could” in the final line with “dare” suggests the speaker feels that it is less about skill but more about bravery and daring

Form, Structure and Language

When you consider how William Blake uses form, structure and language, try to link your analysis of these elements to focus on how he presents his ideas and why he has made these choices in ‘The Tyger’. You will gain more marks if you focus on Blake’s themes rather than on individual poetic techniques. 

Here are some suggestions for key aspects of the poem you might want to consider: 

Form

The poem consists of 24 lines, which have been split into six quatrains. 

Structure

Each of the six quatrains in the poem consists of two rhyming couplets. 

Language

The writer uses a range of language techniques to emphasise the power of God and the sinister nature of the tiger.

Themes

While knowing the poem is important, you also need to be able to show the examiner that you can write an informed, personal response. Therefore, you need to develop a solid understanding of the theme, main ideas and events depicted.

It is still important to have an awareness of background information that is relevant to the themes in the poem, even though you are not explicitly assessed on context. This can help you develop a sustained, critical understanding of the text. 

To help you do this, the section below has been divided into two main themes that Blake explores in 'The Tyger':

• The Power of God and Creation

• The Existence of Good and Evil

The Power of God and Creation

• Blake first published a collection, Songs of Innocence, and a subsequent collection in 1794, Songs of Experience, which offered a contrary view to his earlier work:

  • Both collections explores the nature of soul, religion and humanity

• ‘The Tyger’, from Songs of Experience, was written to contrast his earlier poem called ‘The Lamb’, which appears in Blake’s Songs of Innocence collection

• Blake did not get the recognition he deserved during his lifetime and many considered him to be a madman

• The speaker in ‘The Tyger’ explores the more ominous, powerful and mysterious aspect of Divinity and creation

• Through the poem, Blake challenges the common beliefs of the 18th century regarding God and religion as God was depicted as a shepherd:

  • However, Blake presents a multi-layered God who has the ability to be kind but also fierce 

• The tiger is repeatedly linked with fire which could signify its power but also the intense process required for its creation

• The word “dare” suggests that God has the ability to create the tiger but also the strength to create such a formidable creature

• Ultimately, the questions that the poem asks are left unanswered:

  • It suggests that humans lack the ability or insight to comprehend God’s intentions, leaving the question of why the tiger exists unanswered

The Existence of Good and Evil

• The poem is an expression of awe at God’s ability to create and also at his creation of a tiger

• However, the central animal in this poem symbolises fear, danger and violence:

  • The speaker reflects on the existence of good and evil and questions whether God, who created “the Lamb”, also created the sinister tiger

• The speaker marvels at God’s ability to create a creature that is “bright” and full of “symmetry”

• However, the speaker uses words such as “burning”, “fearful” and “dread” to highlight how evil and dangerous the tiger is

• The speaker’s personification of the stars highlights how good and evil collide:

  • Stars normally symbolise goodness and heaven and the speaker claims that they “threw down their spears” in reaction to the tiger being created

• It could also suggest the stars attempt to kill the tiger before it causes any damage:

  • This image could reflect good versus evil

• The poem’s questions leave the reader thinking about why good and evil exist but in the knowledge that they both do

Comparing Poems

In your exam, you will be required to compare two poems from the anthology so you must have a good knowledge of poetic form, content and meaning to compare the poems effectively. 

You must be able to explore links and connections between texts, which includes looking at both poets’ use of language, form and structure. 

In ‘The Tyger’, Blake’s main ideas are centred around defiance and grief; therefore, the following comparisons would be a good starting point:

• ‘The Tyger’ and ‘Prayer Before Birth’

• ‘The Tyger’ and ‘War Photographer’

For each pair of poems, you will find:

• Comparison summary

• Similarities and differences between the ideas presented in each poem

• Evidence and analysis of these similarities and differences

‘The Tyger’ and ‘Prayer Before Birth’

Comparison summary:

Both poems touch on the concept of evil. In ‘The Tyger’, the speaker is marvelling at God’s ability to create an animal as sinister as the tiger and is an exploration of evil creation. However, in ‘Prayer Before Birth’, the speaker is asking to be saved from the cruelties in the world.

Similarities:

Differences:

‘The Tyger’ and ‘War Photographer’

Comparison summary:

Both poems include a speaker who notices and wonders on the evil that exists in the world. In ‘The Tyger’, the speaker uses the image of the tiger as a symbol of evil and ferocity that exists in the world. In ‘War Photographer’, the speaker of the poem focuses on a photographer who has taken pictures of people in deprived and poverty stricken parts of the world to highlight the evil and depravity that exists.

Similarities:

Differences: