“The Tyger” and “The Lamb” Comparison

William Blake is the narrator of both poems which emphasizes his questioning of creation and religion as themes in the two poems. The simplicity of Blake's use of rhyming couplets in both poems makes them easy to read and remember. The poems have a rhythm similar to a nursery rhyme which makes them appealing to children as well as to adults. In 'The Tyger”, Blake's use of alliteration creates a more forceful image, as in 'Tiger, tiger, burning bright' (Keynes pp. 13-17).

In both poems Blake uses animals and their characteristics to bring across his message, and uses rhetorical questions throughout the poems in order to challenge the reader. For example in 'The Tyger' Blake asks “What immortal hand or eye Could frame thy fearful symmetry?”. Here we are challenged to imagine someone or something so powerful as to be able to create this animal. The first line of 'The Lamb', Blake asks a rhetorical question “Little Lamb, who made thee?” but in this poem Blake gives us the answer in the second stanza. He reminds us that the God who made 'The Lamb', also is like the Lamb. With this he brings religious significance into the poem (Bentley pp. 14-18).

There are a few themes developed in 'The Lamb'. Blake describes the lamb as a symbol of childhood innocence. He also questions about how the lamb was brought into existence, which mentions another theme of divine intervention and how all creatures were created. In 'The Tyger' Blake describes the tiger as being a symbol of evil (Blake pp. 20-21).

The Lamb

Sycophantic tone

Almost patronising

Biblical references; The Beatitudes - 'He is meek and he is mild', from 'Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth', and 'Blessed are mild men' - This could perhaps be Blake's way of showing How the Lamb is blessed, it is special, to be revered.

Innocence is heavily referred to - obviously with regards to the Title of the Selection of poems. 'Little Lamb who made thee?'

Repetition of the 'L' sounds representing the bleating of the Lamb.

The Tyger

Such a powerful creature.

Religion, though it seems out of place with the main subject of a Tiger. - Referencing the use of the almost archaic term 'Thy', a term most commonly found in religious text, therefore can be deemed quasi-religious. Inter textuality.

The aesthetics of the creature are astonishing, awe-inspiring. The power of the creature is shown through its physicality.

Choice of a Tiger instead of a Lion. 'And the lion shall lie down with the lamb'. Decision to be a contrast from the Bible, perhaps accentuating Blake's lost deference towards the religious text.

Devilish imagery.

Comparison

   The Tyger is the experience - the loss of innocence that the Lamb seems to personify. The choice of the 'Little Lamb' can, of course, be in reference to Jesus who was referred to as 'The Lamb of God'. Again, accentuating the quasi-religious element in the poetry.   The Tyger seems to show that evil is unavoidable - inscrutable - complex. The evil is embodied in ...