Poem Analysis of William Blake's "The Tyger"

Micah Rodney
Fielding 3rd
November 17, 2005
Poem Analysis

The Tyger and The Lamb:
The Religious Context of Blake’s “The Tyger”

“The Tyger” by William Blake is a romantic poem that
expresses the writer’s religion (or philosophy) through
emotional imagery and symbolism. The poet is
obviously a very religious person with a very religious
mindset. The imagery is not visual, but rather appeals
to the emotions or the spirit, the Tyger is a symbol of
the awesome power of God, and the poems flow and
almost overloading of similar metaphors keeps the
reader at its mercy.

The imagery leads the reader to the workshop of God,
with such lines as “frame thy fearful symmetry?” (l. 4),
“what art” (l. 9), and “Did he who made the Lamb make
thee?” (l. 20). Throughout the poem tools are mentioned
in the construction of the tyger. Tools such as “hammer”
and “chain” (l. 13), and the “anvil” (l. 13). We are led to
believe that the tyger is a trophy forged by a great
blacksmith; a creator. And the dominant nature of the
poem not only glories the tyger, but the creator as well.
Lines like “what the hand, dare seize the fire?” (l. 8) and
“did he smile his work to see?” (l. 19).

The symbolism of the poem also helps support the
hypothesis that “The Tyger” is a religious poem. An
interesting clue into the religious nature of the poem
is that “Lamb” in line 20 is capitalized. In this context,
the “Lamb” is often used as a reference to Jesus
Christ; the Lamb of God. If this is the case, and the Lamb
is in fact a metaphor for Christ, then the creator is a
metaphor of God. The poet almost announces it himself
when he says “what immortal hand or eye” (l. 3) (which is
an obvious reference from the Bible, to the hand and eye
of God) and “when the stars threw down their spears, and
water’d heaven with their tears” (ll. 17-18). The tyger could
simply be a literal tyger, but it could also be a metaphor for
the human race. If that is the case then the “dread hands”
and “dread feet” (l.12) is a denouncement of the human race.
Humans are “burning bright, in the forests of the night” (ll. 1-2)
in that we are set in our vain ways, but are surrounded by evil
(i.e. the night), and that we have forgotten our connections with
God. This adds a sense of mirth to the statement “did he smile
his work to see?” (l. 19).

“The Tyger” by William Blake is a religious poem. It is a
testament to the poets belief in God (almost certainly the
Christian God, but it may be any form of higher power), and
acknowledgement of the sin of men. It is reminiscent of the
Book of Job, where God tells Job (after Job has cried unto God
for an explanation of Job’s misfortune) that he is just one of his
creations. The poem calls the reader to reflect on the fact that
while we may seem to be happy with our vain possessions, we
are just creations of God.

Civil War Letter Response

Micah Rodney

Mrs. Fielding

English 12

12/05/05

A Living Man’s Dying Message


This letter, written on July 14, 1861, is the last a Civil War
soldier, Sullivan, sent to his wife, Sarah. Sullivan was in the
Union army, and part of a company that was about to head
out to battle. He believed that he would not survive the
encounter and decided to write a “last letter” to his wife
“Lest I should not be able to write you again,” (Paragraph 1).
His goal is to comfort his wife and give her instruction should
he die. To comfort her, he says many romantic things like
“never forget how much I love you, and when my last breath
escapes me on the battlefield, it will whisper your name.”
(Paragraph 7) He died on the battlefield three nights later.

He describes his wife, Sarah, as a doting mother and wife.
This letter is very personal. Sullivan declares his love for
her by saying (among other things) “Sarah, my love for you
is deathless, it seems to bind me to you with mighty cables
that nothing but Omnipotence could break…” (Paragraph 6).
Sullivan wrote out of fear and, if such a thing exists, intuition
of his coming doom, but mostly out of a love for his family.
Guilty of the way he has taken his family for granted, he asks
his wife to “Forgive my many faults, and the many pains I have
caused you…How gladly would I wash out with my tears every
little spot upon your happiness…” (Paragraph 8).

Many other men may have written similar notes of love to
their wives, family, and friends. This letter also leads one to
believe that many men, like Sullivan, exist who would put duty
before personal desire. Sullivan feels bound by his duty to God
and country; “Not my will, but thine O God, be done. If it is
necessary that I should fall on the battlefield for my country,
I am ready.” (Paragraph 2). Sullivan is a Patriot and probably what
one would call an “All-American Man” of the time. He has a deep
belief in “how strongly American Civilization now leans upon the
triumph of the Government, and how great a debt we owe to those
who went before us through the blood and suffering of the
Revolution.” (Paragraph 2) This passage tells how soldiers respected
the soldiers before them, and how they feel compelled to complete
their duty no matter what. That is how some soldiers feel about war.
Even though they are bound to the earth by their family and loved
ones, to protect them (and their way of life) they will gladly die.

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