Poetry Analysis - "The Tyger" by William Blake

Poem:

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 seize 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 water'd 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?

I found the name of this poem on the lost of "recommended/required poems/ list on Mr. Tso's Poetry Unit document and was intrigued by the interesting name of the poem. I wondered whether or not the subject of this poem was actually a tiger, or if it were something completely unrelated to the aforementioned beast. By first guess turned out to be correct, as the poem focusses around a tiger, particularly the features strengths of this animal that the poet found admirable and worthy of their mention.

The poem seems to revolve around the many aspects of the tiger, from their powerful gaze to their hypnotizing patterns on their pelts. The work also often questions what divine being up above would create such a fearsome, terrifying creature, and whether they look down at their work in awe or fear. The reoccurring subject often hovers somewhere nearby the general idea of "Who would make such a thing?", while at the same time conveys a sense of awe as they ask for the answers to their questions.

After reading this poem several times, I can say that one of my favourite characteristics of this poem has to be the way both respect and terror are combined effortlessly in the questions. Each of the questions comes with a sense of wonder and amazement for the tiger and whoever the architect of the tiger was, while at the same time displays horror, questioning how some being could possibly fathom designing an animal that shows off such savagery.