The Tyger By William Blake Essay Example

no need for such speculation; they believe that God initially made Lucifer beautiful and flawless, just as He fashioned Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. However, like Adam, Lucifer's own transgressions transformed him into his current state. Others, like William Blake, question why a compassionate and loving God would create such a terrifying and malevolent being, one that causes immense harm in the world. William Blake employs vivid imagery, symbolism, and metaphors to delve into the inquiry of whether God creates both evil and good. From the very outset of the poem, readers are confronted with imagery portraying a tiger whose fur blazes like fire, illuminating a pitch-black forest. This depiction suggests that the tiger possesses exceptional power unlike other creatures. Blake proceeds to depict the tiger's fiery eyes, instilling fear in all its prey.

The tiger's fiery gaze creates a negative image, depicting it as a wicked and fearsome creature. In addition, Blake depicts a furnace used to create the tiger's brain. As you read, you can almost feel the heat radiating from the blazing fire and witness the blacksmith retrieving the brain with tongs from within the flames, which gives the tiger its essence of life. Symbolism plays a significant role in conveying the message of this poem to its readers. The tiger, with its fiery eyes and a brain forged in a furnace, serves as the most conspicuous symbol of evil.

Blake utilizes the animal allegorically, not simply observing its creation. He directly addresses the tiger, a creature dwelling in concealed, shadowy realms, known as "forests of the night." This metaphor vividly portrays Satan, referred to by believers, as a fierce and

cunning predator lurking in darkness, seeking prey. In addition, the lamb symbolizes goodness within the world and alludes to Blake’s previous poem, "The Lamb," found in the collection "Songs of Innocence."

According to the poem, the tiger can symbolize Satan, whereas the capitalized Lamb could represent Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. The poem's central question, posed in the last line of the fifth stanza, is whether the same entity who created the innocent lamb could also create such an evil and terrifying creature as the tiger. Prior to this question, the poem suggests that Satan may be responsible for the tiger's creation.

The idea that God is ultimately responsible for the creation of good as well as evil is not presented until this question is asked. The extended metaphor of a blacksmith, with references to a hammer, chain, furnace, and an anvil, is used to compare the creator of the tiger. This metaphor suggests that the creator was deliberate in fashioning every aspect of the creature, just as a blacksmith forges with their furnace and tools. It also connects with the fire references throughout the poem, reinforcing the speaker's belief that the tiger may have been created within fire, possibly the fires of hell.

Blake uses the image of the tiger's eyes to symbolize a distant fire that only someone with wings, like an angel, could reach. The poem raises the question of who would dare to seize such fire. The speaker wonders who would be brave enough to put their hands in the fire created by the tiger. Blake poses unanswered questions throughout the poem, leaving the reader to ponder and draw their own

conclusions about good, evil, and their origins.

To me, the poem goes beyond the concept of evil being created by God. It delves into the deep and troubling questions that theologians ponder. Why does God allow innocent children to die from famine in Niger? The poem portrays a shift from a capable creator to a courageous creator, implying that Blake recognized the necessity of suffering in the world. Blake skillfully prompts us to surpass our existing knowledge and contemplate the enigmatic origins of the world and everything within it.

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