The Tyger

“The Tyger” by William Blake The poem “The Tyger” by William Blake is from the song of Experience. This poem sends an evil tone through dark images, fearful words, symbols, and personification. The poem’s focus is the speaker questioning a terrifying tiger what kind of superior being could have made it. One literary device that William Blake uses is dark imagery. In one line of the poem, he says, “what dread grasp, dare its deadly terrors clasp” (15-16). He brings terrifying images to the readers’ minds creating a frightening tone. Another line from the poem that portrays dark imagery is, “in the forests of the night” (22). Forests usually instill fear in people with their mystery, and the night enhances that fear with even more mystery. Blake’s dark imagery shows more of his anti-establishment. William Blake uses fearful words as well as the dark images to create an evil tone. Another literary device that Blake utilizes is fearful words or tone. One word that is throughout the poem that can bring fear is the many uses of the word “burn”. He uses it in the first line, “burning bright” (1). He also uses it in line six when he says, “Burnt the fire of thine eyes” (6). Then he repeats the first line in the end of the poem. Burn and burnt are usually used to scare people. They can be signs that represent hell and the devil. The word is used so repetitively to bring fear and fright. He also uses the word “night” throughout the poem, which can also bring a dark tone to the poem. William Blake also uses the word “furnace” (14), which can remind people of hell. In addition, the symbols William Blake uses help create a gloomy tone. There are many symbols throughout this poem. Some of the symbols he uses are the hammer, the chain, the furnace, and the anvil. They are all tools, which symbolize the creation of the tiger from the lamb. In addition, they could symbolize the darkness of this poem. Normally, when you hear of God making something, they are more