The Tyger -by William Blake

The Tyger (by William Blake)

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, and 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?

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Bengali Meaning:

টাইগার (দ্য টাইগার) – উইলিয়াম ব্লেক

টাইগার, টাইগার, জ্বলন্ত দীপ্তি
রাত্রির অরণ্যে,
কে এমন অমর হাত বা চোখ
তোমার ভয়ঙ্কর সিমেট্রি গড়ে তুলেছিল?

কোন দূর আকাশ বা গভীরতা,
তোমার চোখের আগুন কোথায় পোড়ায়?
কোন পাখির ডানা সাহস করে উড়ে যেতে?
কে সেই হাত, সাহস করে আগুন ধরাতে পারে?

আর কি সেই কাঁধ, কি সেই শিল্প,
যা তোমার হৃদয়ের স্নায়ু মোড়াতে পারে?
এবং যখন তোমার হৃদয় স্পন্দিত হতে শুরু করল,
কোন ভয়ঙ্কর হাত? কোন ভয়ঙ্কর পা?

কি সেই হাতুড়ি? কি সেই শৃঙ্খল?
কোন আগুনে পুড়ে গিয়েছিল তোমার মস্তিষ্ক?
কি সেই রৌপ্য চাকা? কি ভয়ঙ্কর গ্রাস,
যে তার মরণঘাতী আতঙ্কে আঁকড়ে ধরতে সাহসী!

যখন তারা তাদের তীর নিক্ষেপ করেছিল
এবং আকাশকে তাদের অশ্রু দিয়ে ভিজিয়েছিল,
তখন কি সে তার কাজ দেখে হাসছিল?
যে মেষকে সৃষ্টি করেছিল, কি সে তোমাকেও সৃষ্টি করেছিল?

টাইগার, টাইগার, জ্বলন্ত দীপ্তি
রাত্রির অরণ্যে,
কে এমন অমর হাত বা চোখ,
তোমার ভয়ঙ্কর সিমেট্রি গড়ে তুলেছিল?

Theme:

This poem is a reflection on the paradox of creation, symbolized by the fearsome and majestic tiger. Blake contemplates the creator who made such a powerful and dangerous creature and questions whether the same divine hand could also have created the meek lamb, symbolizing innocence.

Summary: 

“The Tyger” by William Blake is a lyrical poem that explores the theme of creation and the nature of God. It is one of Blake’s most famous works, from his collection Songs of Experience (1794).

In the poem, the speaker is captivated by the awe-inspiring power and beauty of a tiger. He marvels at its ferocity, its strength, and the mystery of its creation. The central question Blake poses is how such a dangerous and fearsome creature could have been created by the same God who made the innocent lamb. The speaker is both fascinated and troubled by the tiger, pondering the nature of its creator and the balance between creation’s beauty and terror.

Blake uses vivid imagery and a rhythmic, almost chant-like structure to convey the majesty and terror of the tiger. Through the poem, he questions the nature of good and evil, the power of the creator, and whether something so fearsome can also be a part of divine design.

The poem ends on an unresolved note, with the speaker still in awe of the tiger’s power and unsure of the answers to his profound questions. “The Tyger” ultimately grapples with the complexities of creation, beauty, and destruction.

Here are some short questions along with answers for the poem The Tyger by William Blake:

1. Who is the poet of The Tyger?

• Answer: William Blake.

2. What is the main theme of The Tyger?

• Answer: The main theme is the mysterious and powerful nature of creation, symbolized by the fierce and majestic tiger. It questions the creator’s purpose and the existence of good and evil.

3. What does the tiger symbolize in the poem?

• Answer: The tiger symbolizes both beauty and terror, power and destruction, representing the duality of creation.

4. What is the speaker’s attitude toward the tiger?

• Answer: The speaker expresses awe and wonder at the tiger’s terrifying beauty and strength, questioning how such a fierce creature was created.

5. In the first stanza, what does the speaker ask the tiger?

• Answer: The speaker asks the tiger, “Tyger Tyger, burning bright, in the forests of the night, what immortal hand or eye, could frame thy fearful symmetry?”

6. What is meant by the phrase “fearful symmetry”?

• Answer: “Fearful symmetry” refers to the perfect yet terrifying balance and beauty of the tiger’s form.

7. Why does the poet describe the tiger as “burning bright”?

• Answer: The phrase “burning bright” suggests the tiger’s intense, fiery energy and its vivid presence, both striking and dangerous.

8. What question does the speaker repeatedly ask throughout the poem?

• Answer: The speaker repeatedly asks who or what could have created such a fearsome and powerful creature.

9. What does the poem suggest about creation and the creator?

• Answer: The poem suggests that creation is mysterious and beyond human understanding. It questions whether the same creator who made the gentle lamb also made the fearsome tiger.

10. What is the significance of the repeated question, “Did he who made the Lamb make thee?”

• Answer: The question contrasts the innocence and gentleness of the lamb with the fierceness and terror of the tiger, raising doubts about the nature of the creator and the dual aspects of creation.

11. Where is the tiger in the poem?

• Answer: The tiger is in “the forests of the night,” suggesting a dark and mysterious setting that complements the fearsome nature of the creature.

12. What is the meaning of the line, “What the hand, dare seize the fire?”

• Answer: This line refers to the creator’s daring to harness such power and danger, comparing it to seizing fire, which is uncontrollable and destructive.

13. What literary devices are used in The Tyger?

• Answer: The poem uses imagery, alliteration, rhyme, and symbolism. For example, “burning bright” is an example of alliteration, and the tiger symbolizes both beauty and fear.

14. What is the tone of the poem?

• Answer: The tone of the poem is awe-filled and questioning, as the speaker contemplates the creation of the tiger.

15. How does the poem end?

• Answer: The poem ends with the speaker repeating the question about the creator of the tiger, leaving the mystery unresolved.

Literary Terms:

William Blake’s The Tyger is a famous poem filled with vivid imagery and powerful literary devices. Below are some key literary terms used in the poem:

1. Imagery: Blake uses rich, sensory language to create images in the reader’s mind. For example, “burning bright” and “fearful symmetry” evoke powerful visuals of the tiger and its majestic yet terrifying presence.
2. Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds, often used to create a musical quality. Examples include:
   • “Tyger Tyger, burning bright” (repetition of “T” sounds)
   • “in the forests of the night” (repetition of “f” and “t” sounds)
3. Symbolism: The tiger symbolizes both beauty and danger, representing the dual nature of creation. The poem explores the idea of a powerful, fearsome creature made by a divine force, questioning the nature of the creator.
4. Rhetorical Questions: Throughout the poem, Blake asks rhetorical questions that don’t expect answers but provoke deeper reflection. For example:
   • “Did he who made the Lamb make thee?”
   • “What immortal hand or eye, Could frame thy fearful symmetry?”
5. Metaphor: Blake uses metaphorical language to compare the tiger to various forces of nature and creation. The tiger itself is a metaphor for the wild, untamed, and possibly destructive forces in nature and life.
6. Personification: The act of giving human qualities to non-human things. In the poem, the “hand” and “eye” of the creator are personified as human features capable of creation and vision.
7. Antithesis: The poem contrasts the “Lamb” (a symbol of innocence and goodness) with the “Tyger” (a symbol of power and fear). The antithesis highlights the complexity of the creator’s design—how both gentle and fierce creatures can exist in the same world.
8. Consonance: The repetition of consonant sounds within words or at the ends of words. For example:
   • “frame thy fearful symmetry” (repetition of “f” and “r” sounds)
   • “hammer” and “anvil” (repetition of “m” and “v” sounds)
9. Allusion: The poem references the Bible, particularly in its exploration of creation, as when it contrasts the tiger with the lamb (a symbol often associated with Christ, representing purity and innocence).
10. Parallelism: Blake uses parallel structure in the poem to create rhythm and balance. For example:
    • “What the hand, dare seize the fire?”
    • “What the shoulder, what the heart?”

These literary elements work together to convey the complex ideas about creation, divinity, and the dual nature of life explored in The Tyger.

Identifying metaphors in the poem Tyger

Line of the Poem	Comparing/ Person/ Thing	Metaphor (Compared to)	Reason to use the metaphors
Tyger Tyger, burning brigh	The Tyger	A flame	To emphasizes the fierce beauty and intensity of the Tyger
What immortal hand or eye	The creator of the Tyger	A god-like figure	To highlight the power and mystery of the creator of the Tyger
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?	The Tyger’s eyes	Fire	To suggest passion and the potential for danger
What the anvil? What dread grasp.	The creator’s hand	An anvil	To represent the stronghold of creativity and the dangers involved
When the stars threw down their spears	The stars	Warriors	To illustrate cosmic forces and their reactions to creation