The Tyger Poem Analysis

Majestic Wonder Are we ever meant to learn the answers to the who, what, where, and how of our existence? William Blake’s poem “The Tyger” questions creation in the 24-lined poem. The poem consists of 6 stanzas that include 6 quatrains with a rhyme pattern of AABB. Blake uses a variety of poetic devices, that include symbolism, personification, imagery, alliteration, and metaphor to show the theme, which is the wonder of creation. Blake starts the first quatrain with the use of alliteration in the first line, “Tyger! Tyger! burning bright” (1.1). The beauty and power of this majestic beast amaze the narrator. Burning bright is describing the gorgeous fire color fur of the tiger. It continues with the use of imagery, “In the forests of the night,” (1.2). This is referencing the kingdom of the intimidating beast. While night gives

This symbolizes the twisted heart of the tiger, full of killer instinct and blood lust. When the tiger heart began beating was God filled with horror as he grazed upon the paws and into the eyes of the tiger? “And, when thy heart began to beat, / What dread hand? And what dread feet?” (3.3-4). This engages alliteration and imagery, as it elicits a terrifying scene in the minds of the readers. The entire fourth quatrain contains symbolism referring to God or whatever created the tiger, “What the hammer? What the chain? / In what furnace was thy brain?” (4.1-2), he is questioning the creator himself, on what he was thinking when he crafted this brute. The narrator then questions how God made the tiger, “What the anvil? what dread grasp?” (4.3). Blake uses alliteration in the next line, “Dare its deadly terrors clasp?” (4.4). This is about the skills the tiger uses for