Analysis of William Blake’s A Poison Tree Essay Example

highlights a connection between personal growth and the growth of a tree. Surprisingly, these struggles remain relevant today with the same consequences as they did in 1794. The second stanza delves into the emotional turmoil humans experience when angry with others.

The author explores various emotions like fear, sadness, and happiness in this text. They also highlight the negative qualities of anger, such as its ability to be cunning and manipulative for personal gain. Blake's quote "And with soft deceitful wiles," (Blake, 1794, Line 8) illustrates the satisfaction derived from resolving a conflict or fight through deceptive means. Moreover, the author recognizes that one can deliberately provoke a fight to manipulate or intimidate others into meeting their desires.

Blake then continues to the third stanza, where he expresses the climax of his anger and hostility by again referencing the tree. The author acknowledges how consumed his thoughts are by this anger, stating that it grows and feeds constantly day and night (Blake, 1794, Line 9). He further employs the symbolism of an apple in the tenth line of his poem, describing how the anger eventually bears a bright apple. Throughout the poem, Blake consistently portrays the anger and its effects as comparable to a tree.

This line is highly symbolic, representing its own existence and the immense energy it possesses. The apple appears to the reader as a manifestation of anger, assuming a tangible form. Additionally, the apple serves as a means for the reader to comprehend the gravity and influence of anger upon us. It is no longer merely part of the tree, but rather an independent entity. Blake proceeds to

discuss the apple's ownership, highlighting that his enemy recognized it as his own apple – a symbol of distress, torment, and suffering. This is where the concept of ownership and responsibility is conveyed in the writing: “And he knew that it was mine” (Blake, 1794, Line 12). In the final stanza, Blake leaves the reader to come up with their own interpretation of how this situation concludes. He creates a scene in which the enemy confronts him, set against a dark night that obscures clear vision, as expressed in this verse: “When the night had veiled the pole;” (Blake, 1794, Line 14). The poem then mentions the welcoming of morning, implying relief from the darkness previously experienced.

Blake (1794) writes in his poem, "In the morning glad I see/ My Foe outstretched beneath the tree" (Line 14-15), expressing satisfaction as the enemy is killed by the tree's poison. The poem narrates the development of an argument, providing insights into opportunities for resolving the conflict and emphasizing the importance of addressing it promptly to avoid dire consequences. It serves as an enlightening piece that urges readers to tackle problems from the outset, preventing them from escalating into irreparable damage.