Title: Compare And Contrast The Lamb And The Tyger by William Blake.

How representative are these poems of Blakes other work in !ongs of "nno#en#e and
of $%perien#e&
This essay will analyse' #ompare and #ontrast two poems by William Blake' #alled
The Lamb and The Tyger. " will be looking at how Blake (ses imagery' str(#t(re
and form to #reate effe#ts. " will then go on to e%plore the shepherd and The )ly to
see how representative the te#hni*(es (sed are of Blakes other work in this sele#tion.
"n the late +,
th
#ent(ry' the world was #hanging and developing fast: Agri#(lt(ral
improvements' A#ts of en#los(re whi#h drove several families off the land' and the lost
of the #olonies in -orth Ameri#a among others were h(ge #hanges for Britain.
.ifferen#es between so#ial #lasses were vast and riots were very #ommon so the
British government was really #on#erned abo(t it. They were afraid that the /evol(tion
whi#h took pla#e in )ran#e in +0,1 #o(ld inspire ideas in the poor and dis#ontented
people of Britain. The fa#t is there were h(ge #on#ept(al and e#onomi#al #hanges'
s(#h as the development of #apitalism and the importan#e of reason above
s(perstition' as well as the in#reasing #on#ern with so#ial 2(sti#e.
3ther important iss(es s(#h as 4ethodism' a religion whi#h emphasi5ed self6respe#t to
the new proletariat b(t did not *(estion politi#al or so#ial in2(sti#es on earth7 the rapid
in#rease of trade and the ideas of 8ohn Wilkes' who tho(ght that free spee#h was a
basi# right as well as the parti#ipation in politi#s' were important fa#tors d(ring the +,
th
#ent(ry.
Blake was born in +090 in a family who re2e#ted the Ch(r#h of $ngland' however the
bible was #onsidered of s(preme relevan#e for them. William Blake didnt go to s#hool
b(t he did his own st(dies at home and he felt really happy abo(t this' sin#e he was
anti6a(thoritarian. At the age of ten he was sent to drawing s#hool and later' in +00:
he started his work as an engraver. )rom his early #hildhood' Blake e%perien#ed
visions related to the bible and religion. His writing refle#ts this ba#kgro(nd in several
points. As regards #on#epts' themes and style he was e%tremely infl(en#ed by his
reading of the bible7 if we fo#(s on his anti6a(thoritarian view of life we #an take into
a##o(nt the per#eption Blake had abo(t women' and ra#e. He believed in e*(ality as
regards both7 finally we may mention William Blakes opinion abo(t the "nstit(tions of
his time as well as the Ch(r#h of $ngland' whi#h were always refle#ted in his work as
#orr(pted.
The Lamb appears to be abo(t a #hild who is talking or singing to a lamb in an
inno#ent way' perhaps playing. The #hild asks to the lamb abo(t the #reation' b(t in a
deeper level this poem has an intense meaning abo(t Blakes #on#ept of ;od or 8es(s
Christ and a #lear intention. "t shows (s' thro(gh this sort of inno#ent des#ription of the
#hild and the lamb' that he believed ;od had #reated and blessed (s. We #an also
per#eive that there are not real answers to the *(estions the #hild asks to the lamb' he
is only giving the response he has re#eived from Christianity and that makes (s think
abo(t a p(re and na<ve #reation' b(t also do(bt abo(t the basis of it.
!imilarly' The Tyger is apparently abo(t the #reation' and the pla#e where it took
pla#e' in this #ase the #reation of the tiger' b(t we #an easily identify how this se#ond
poem takes a far distan#e from the previo(s one. Blake refers here to a dark side of
#reation' things are not tender b(t horrifying' and there is a s(ggestion of the power of
;od as a p(nisher. "n this poem it is not shown the mer#y of the good father we #o(ld
imagine in The Lamb. 4oreover we find in this poem a dist(rbing *(estion: =.id he
who made the Lamb make thee. "s the same ;od the one who #reated the lamb than
the one who forged the tiger&
The mood or tone of the two poems is very different. The Lamb has a spirit(al mood'
#alm' and it seems a #ate#hism lesson or a #hild>s riddle whi#h is more obvio(s in the
se#ond stan5a. "n the se#ond poem the mood #hanges to a mysterio(s one' sin#e the
lyri# eye asks different *(estions abo(t the origin of the tiger. "t is also a powerf(l and
energeti# mood whi#h goes in #res#endo. The tone is not as kind and deli#ate as in
The Lamb' b(t harsh and intense.
Blakes poetry is f(ll of striking images. "n The Tyger the vis(al image of a wild animal
b(rning bright in the middle of darkness makes the reader feel #(rio(s or maybe
s#ared by the mysterio(s tiger whi#h seems to be setting on fire' be#a(se we may
relate the fire with danger and evil. !in#e the very first moment we are witnesses of the
way in whi#h the lyri#al eye addresses the #reat(re' here we have an e%ample of
apostrophe. We do not have a positive image of the tiger' on the #ontrary' we may
think it is a symbol of !atan. "n the first stan5a we #an find an all(sion to ;od: What
immortal hand or eye' Co(ld frame thy fearf(l symmetry&. We also have a vis(al
image of distant deeps or skies. The make referen#e to Hell or Heaven' and there is a
new all(sion' this time to hell when Blake writes: What the hand' dare sie5e the fire&
The se#ond stan5a shows (s an a(ditory image: And when thy heart began to beat?
and a metaphor of the Bla#ksmiths when referring to the hammer' the f(rna#e' and the
#hains. The first lines of the first stan5a are related to Christianity and they are shown
thro(gh vis(al images and we have the lamb' the symbol of 8es(s Christ. Then the last
lines are #y#li#al' they ret(rn to the first point: Who made yo( tiger& Who dare to make
yo(& All this fig(rative lang(age #reates a feeling of #(riosity and (n#ertainty on the
reader as well as a harsh image of the tiger. We per#eive the tiger as a very big animal'
whi#h grows more and more as we #ontin(e reading the poem.
"n The Lamb we have a metaphor. The lambs wooly #oat is #ompared with #lothing
of delight' whi#h #o(ld be #onsidered as an e%ample of personifi#ation sin#e the
lamb is being #ompared to a h(man being who dresses with #lothes. We have
to pay attention to the way the lyri#al eye' the #hild' addresses the lamb thro(gh
rhetori#al *(estions as if this one #o(ld (nderstand him' we #an noti#e the
presen#e of apostrophe too. These devi#es make (s feel the tenderness of the
sit(ation. The des#ription of the bright wool of the lamb makes (s feel as if we
#o(ld to(#h the animal @ta#tile imageA.We #an hear the animal thanks to an
a(ditory image: ;ave thee s(#h a tender voi#e. And we #an dete#t again
personifi#ation when referring to the lands#ape: 4aking all the vales re2oi#e.
These images make (s note that is be#a(se the life of the lamb that the vales
re2oi#e.
"f we #ompare we may find more imagery in The Tyger than in The Lamb. This
#o(ld be be#a(se whereas the former is simple in its images b(t deep in
meaning' the se#ond one shows as a very des#riptive and more spe#ifi# idea of
how the tiger is like. This is not any tiger' maybe is not a tiger at all and Blake is
very #lear abo(t the #hara#teristi#s this wild animal posses be#a(se they are
more #omple% than the lamb ones.
Both poems take the form of a #onversation with the animal. "n the first poem the #hild
talks to a tame animal7 in the se#ond the lyri#al eye addresses a wild animal. We may
note that the tender lamb was #reated by the Lord whereas the tiger was forged or
framed. The Lamb is str(#t(red in two stan5as with a refrain whi#h #reates in the
poem a song6 like atmosphere. The first stan5a asks a series of *(estions and the
se#ond one gives a possible answer for those *(estions. $a#h stan5a is #omposed of
five rhyming #o(plets and has a strong' reg(lar rhythm. Catale%is is present in the
str(#t(re. The (se of repeated words and phrases makes the lines more powerf(l. The
meter is tro#hai# tetrameter and the rhyme s#heme of the poem is: AA BB CC .. AA.
The alliteration of the l so(nd in little lamb gives a deli#ate6so(nding start to the
poem. Then we have alliteration of the m so(nd in: He is meek and he is mild so(nd
whi#h resembles to the one prod(#ed by lambs.
The Tyger is str(#t(red in si% *(atrains in rhymed #o(plets' its meter is reg(lar and it
has a tro#hai# rhythm by moments. The rhyme s#heme is AA BB CC .. AA. The
repetition of the word what at the beginning of senten#es or #la(ses makes (s notes
the anaphora: What dread hand and what dread feet& What the hammer& What the
#hain&. There is alliteration of the b so(nd in b(rning bright' of thed so(nd in
distant deeps7 of the w so(nd in what wings7 and of the f so(nd in #o(ld frame
thy fearf(l symmetry& . All of these #ontrib(te to the rhythm of the poem and the
#hara#ter and intensity of the message.
The lang(age (sed in The Lamb is simple and related to nat(re' to the r(ral life. "n
#ontrast' The Tyger is more des#riptive' #omple% and related to the forge and the
body of the animal and maybe its #reator. $ven the (se of the word tyger instead of
tiger #alls o(r attention. This de#ision makes (s think abo(t the intention Blake had
when pi#king this anti*(e form of the word' maybe be#a(se he wanted to give a more
metaphori# sense to the animal.
" will fo#(s now on The )ly and on The !hepherd. This first poem differs from
The Tyger in str(#t(re and theme. "t is more likely to #ompare and find similarities
between it and The Lamb be#a(se both #ontain a kind or apparently inno#ent
#onversation with an animal that finally ends in a deep message. "n the #ase of The
Lamb it is a #hild who speaks to the animal' b(t in The )ly we have a man. This
differen#e may be related to the fa#t that the last poem belongs to !ongs of
$%perien#e where life is seen from a different point of view. As in The Tyger we may
note that in The fly an animal is addressed thro(gh apostrophe' b(t in a different way.
This time the lyri#al eye asks other kind of *(estions and #ompares himself to the
animal. Both poems' The )ly and The Tyger have rhetori#al *(estions' however in
The )ly they prod(#e a dissimilar effe#t on the reader7 it seems as if the lyri#al eye
#o(ld #onvin#e (s abo(t the final #on#l(sion.
The )ly is #omposed by five stan5as' it begins with an ABCB *(atrains and rhyme
#hanges in the last stan5a to be#ome AABA' a pair of rhyming #o(plets. This #a(ses
an effe#t on the reader' who #an easily dete#t something of relevant meaning is
in#l(ded there. We may note that Blake gives spe#ial importan#e to the last verses. "n
The Tyger as well as in The Lamb the last verses are repeated in order to
emphasi5e the message he #onsiders important. This also happens in the last two lines
of The !hepherd whi#h lang(age and theme are very similar in a way to The lamb.
Both are pla#ed in a r(ral and pea#ef(l pla#e where life seems simple' b(t we will deal
with The !hepherd and its similarities with The Lamb later on. ;oing ba#k to The
)ly' at a first sight we may #onsider it simple' b(t then we see the #omple%ity of the
s(b2e#t. "t starts with a man talking to a fly after he has a##identally killed it' then he
#ompare himself to the fly by saying: Am not " A fly like thee&3r art not tho(&A man
like me&. And in the third stan5a we have the way of living both beings have' dan#ing
and drinking (ntil they die' en2oying the life (ntil some other being' (n#ons#io(s of their
e%isten#e makes them pass away. !o this poem is abo(t the *(ality and intensity of
h(man life' be#a(se as we #an see in the last stan5a we all are mortal and we have to
en2oy o(r lives f(lly and being #ons#io(s abo(t it. The mood of the poem is tho(ghtf(l
and dark sin#e it makes (s think abo(t the f(ga#ity of life.
"n this poem we have alliteration of the m so(nd in man and me7 simile between the
fly and the man:' imagery in the mention of s(mmer and in' metaphor: Am " a happy
fly' and in some blind hand as a symbol of death. !o if we #ompare with the
previo(s poems we will see that alliteration is not s(#h important here' b(t metaphor
and symbolism take a main role. An important detail is the presen#e of the word wing
whi#h is also (sed in The Tyger: 3n what wings dare he aspire& and in other
Blakes poems s(#h as The Angel. Bersonifi#ation is present in: 4y tho(ghtless
hand and in Till some blind hand.
The !hepherd is a poem abo(t religion and the role of 8es(s Christ in it. The (se of
lang(age is very similar to the one in The Lamb. "n fa#t' the lamb is also mentioned
here: )or he hears the lambs inno#ent #all. The lands#ape des#ribed makes the
reader feel pea#e and tran*(ility as in The Lamb. The poem #onsists of two
*(atrains' ea#h following the ABCB rhyme s#heme. The first stan5a talks abo(t the
!hepherd #alling for the sheep d(ring the day' the se#ond stan5a talks abo(t the
!hepherd as a prote#tor for the sheep d(ring the night. The mood is pea#ef(l. The
shepherd represents 8es(s Christ and the sheep are the h(man beings. Again
symbolism and imagery are very important as in The Lamb and The Tyger. The
repetition of the word sweet in: How sweet is the !hepherds sweet lotC whi#h
involves alliteration of thes so(nd makes (s feel 2oy when pi#t(ring the lands#ape. We
have alliteration of the h so(nd in: )or he hears the lambs inno#ent #all. There is a
repetition of the #onstr(#tion He hears whi#h allows (s to feel in a more vivid way the
a(ditory image of the #all and the reply. As we see this poem is very similar to The
Lamb in many ways.
"n #on#l(sion these poems e%plore different ideas abo(t ;od' man' life and nat(re.
They not only travel aro(nd Blakes tho(ghts b(t the ones of different kind of people
from their own point of view@a man' a #hildA .Anyone #an take the role of the fly the
lamb' the tiger' the sheep' or the lyri#al eye who addresses the animals. $vil and good
are inside of (s in different sit(ations of o(r life' b(t ;od has blessed (s with e%isten#e.
Thro(gh Blakes poems we have the opport(nity to look life from an inno#ent
perspe#tive' learn that maybe we #an lose o(r balan#e if we live life always with this
inno#en#e' and that e%perien#e #an #hange o(r tho(ghts thro(gh some kind of
dis#los(re of a more mat(re way of thinking. "t is important to pay attention to the way
Blake (ses fig(rative lang(age and str(#t(re. When we have pea#ef(l' 2oyf(l' inno#ent
poems' alliteration is fre*(ent and ni#e lands#apes agreeably des#ribed thro(gh
imagery. When we have dark poems Blake may (se even more imagery as in the #ase
of The Tyger in order to transmit the #omple%ity of the animal or not as in The )ly
where we dont find as m(#h images maybe be#a(se meaning is really important and
there is an answer to the *(estions of the poem. Blakes ideas show a ;od who is
inside of (s and who prote#ts (s' b(t he also refle#ts abo(t the fa#t that the same ;od
has #reated good and bad #reat(res. William Blake asks himself abo(t the meaning of
life and death and the pla#e of the good father in this game. He shows passion for
religion. He really thinks that be#a(se the lamb is alive the vales re2oi#e' and he
deepens in the #ontrary poles the world presents.
After all " a #hild D tho( a lamb' We are #alled by his name We are all the same' ;od
#reat(res ' #reat(res of nat(re' good or evil' meek or fearf(l7 tame or wild.