a short summary on the poem tiger tiger burning bright
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In this poem first stanza poet describes the appearance of tiger and in the second one he says that immortal being who made the ferocious tyger how come he made the lamb
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Lines 1-2
Tyger Tyger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
These first lines set up to whom the poem is addressed: the "Tyger."
It begins with the repetition of the name ("Tyger, tyger"). The repetition creates a chant-like mood to the whole poem, which contributes to the mysteriousness. Reading it, you can’t help but get the feeling this poem is about way more than the biggest cat in the world.
What is this about "burning bright, / In the forests of the night"? Tigers don’t burn. When you see crazy or unexpected metaphors like this – which always happens with Blake – slow down and chew on them for a minute.
"Burning bright" may describe the appearance of the Tyger (tigers have fiery orange fur), or it may on a deeper level describe a kind of energy or power that this Tyger has.
The Tyger's presence in "the forests of the night" further increases the mystery and power of the creature – it’s elusive, while at the same time burning with some sort of inner force.
Lines 3-4
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
These lines introduce the central question of the poem: what "immortal" being or force is able to contain or produce the Tyger’s sublime form? Big stuff, we know.
The "immortal hand or eye," symbols of sight and creation, immediately conjure references to a creative God (in pretty much all cases with Blake, "God" refers to the Christian God). If this is so, then questioning whether God could do anything is a direct attack on the omnipotence of such a God.
To "frame," here, is probably to contain, kind of like putting a picture in a frame. When you frame something, the boundaries are clear, the object isn’t going anywhere.
"Fearful symmetry," is a very nuanced quality to have. "Fearful" references the scariness of a tiger, but also alludes to the sublime. The sublime is an old notion of really big, powerful, mysterious stuff that terrifies us because it’s big, powerful and mysterious. The first BIG example that should come to mind: God, or the divine (that stuff is big and powerful and mysterious).
Symmetry is a classical quality of the divine, as well as the defining factor of artistic beauty.
So, there are lots of doors open with the first stanza. Just hold on, it’ll be OK. If there is one thing Blake does, it’s open doors, but it can be hard to keep track of where each one might lead as you read through the poem.
Lines 5-6
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
These lines ask where the Tyger was created, and also add to the growing image the reader has of the Tyger.
The use of "distant deeps or skies" seems to refer to an otherworldly ("distant") place, perhaps a kind of Hell ("deeps") or Heaven ("skies").
The metaphor of "burning" from line 1 returns with the burning "fire" of the Tyger’s eyes, adding to the power and fearfulness of the image.
Lines 7-8
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?
These lines are where a lot of people just totally get knocked off the tracks.
Who the heck is "he"? It may be God, it may be the poet, it may be the artist, it’s unclear – what "he" is for sure, is the creator of this Tyger. The Tyger – that we know is a big, powerful, mysterious thing – must have a pretty big, powerful, mysterious creator.
The "hand" returns from line 3 as well as "fire," and the image of flying on wings is added, alluding to supernatural power, but not necessarily a divine one.
Also, the notion of daring is introduced, which will be echoed in the last stanza.
Lines 9-12
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?
This stanza continues the questioning of who/what the creator of the Tyger is (notice the "And" continues the thought from the previous stanza).
What "shoulder" roughly means what kind of bodily strength could create the Tyger ("twist the sinews of thy heart").
What "art" refers to the skill that could put the Tyger all together.
Lines 11 and 12 are more mysterious, in that they're really vague. From earlier in the poem we know that hands and eyes frame (stanza 1), hands seize (line 8), shoulders twist (lines 9 and 10), but what do these hands and feet do after the heart begins to beat? Whose hands and feet? Again, not sure.
Whatever the answer, the use of "dread" increases the same big, powerful, mysterious quality known as "the sublime."
Lines 13-16
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp!
These lines further question how the Tyger was created.
Blake uses the metaphor of the blacksmith, who forms metal with a hammer, furnace (fire), and anvil.
The stanza is very rhythmic, adding further to the chant-like quality that we talked about in lines 1-2.
We also get the sense that the pace and volume is picking up, since the questions are now coming faster and Blake uses his first exclamation point.
Tyger Tyger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
These first lines set up to whom the poem is addressed: the "Tyger."
It begins with the repetition of the name ("Tyger, tyger"). The repetition creates a chant-like mood to the whole poem, which contributes to the mysteriousness. Reading it, you can’t help but get the feeling this poem is about way more than the biggest cat in the world.
What is this about "burning bright, / In the forests of the night"? Tigers don’t burn. When you see crazy or unexpected metaphors like this – which always happens with Blake – slow down and chew on them for a minute.
"Burning bright" may describe the appearance of the Tyger (tigers have fiery orange fur), or it may on a deeper level describe a kind of energy or power that this Tyger has.
The Tyger's presence in "the forests of the night" further increases the mystery and power of the creature – it’s elusive, while at the same time burning with some sort of inner force.
Lines 3-4
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
These lines introduce the central question of the poem: what "immortal" being or force is able to contain or produce the Tyger’s sublime form? Big stuff, we know.
The "immortal hand or eye," symbols of sight and creation, immediately conjure references to a creative God (in pretty much all cases with Blake, "God" refers to the Christian God). If this is so, then questioning whether God could do anything is a direct attack on the omnipotence of such a God.
To "frame," here, is probably to contain, kind of like putting a picture in a frame. When you frame something, the boundaries are clear, the object isn’t going anywhere.
"Fearful symmetry," is a very nuanced quality to have. "Fearful" references the scariness of a tiger, but also alludes to the sublime. The sublime is an old notion of really big, powerful, mysterious stuff that terrifies us because it’s big, powerful and mysterious. The first BIG example that should come to mind: God, or the divine (that stuff is big and powerful and mysterious).
Symmetry is a classical quality of the divine, as well as the defining factor of artistic beauty.
So, there are lots of doors open with the first stanza. Just hold on, it’ll be OK. If there is one thing Blake does, it’s open doors, but it can be hard to keep track of where each one might lead as you read through the poem.
Lines 5-6
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
These lines ask where the Tyger was created, and also add to the growing image the reader has of the Tyger.
The use of "distant deeps or skies" seems to refer to an otherworldly ("distant") place, perhaps a kind of Hell ("deeps") or Heaven ("skies").
The metaphor of "burning" from line 1 returns with the burning "fire" of the Tyger’s eyes, adding to the power and fearfulness of the image.
Lines 7-8
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?
These lines are where a lot of people just totally get knocked off the tracks.
Who the heck is "he"? It may be God, it may be the poet, it may be the artist, it’s unclear – what "he" is for sure, is the creator of this Tyger. The Tyger – that we know is a big, powerful, mysterious thing – must have a pretty big, powerful, mysterious creator.
The "hand" returns from line 3 as well as "fire," and the image of flying on wings is added, alluding to supernatural power, but not necessarily a divine one.
Also, the notion of daring is introduced, which will be echoed in the last stanza.
Lines 9-12
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?
This stanza continues the questioning of who/what the creator of the Tyger is (notice the "And" continues the thought from the previous stanza).
What "shoulder" roughly means what kind of bodily strength could create the Tyger ("twist the sinews of thy heart").
What "art" refers to the skill that could put the Tyger all together.
Lines 11 and 12 are more mysterious, in that they're really vague. From earlier in the poem we know that hands and eyes frame (stanza 1), hands seize (line 8), shoulders twist (lines 9 and 10), but what do these hands and feet do after the heart begins to beat? Whose hands and feet? Again, not sure.
Whatever the answer, the use of "dread" increases the same big, powerful, mysterious quality known as "the sublime."
Lines 13-16
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp!
These lines further question how the Tyger was created.
Blake uses the metaphor of the blacksmith, who forms metal with a hammer, furnace (fire), and anvil.
The stanza is very rhythmic, adding further to the chant-like quality that we talked about in lines 1-2.
We also get the sense that the pace and volume is picking up, since the questions are now coming faster and Blake uses his first exclamation point.
Akshi111:
thank u .u help me A lot :-)
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