Apostrophe: Use of apostrophe directing speaker's prose to the tiger.
Metaphor: The tiger has "eyes of fire"
Anaphora: Repetition of "What" at the beginning of sentences or clauses (What dread hand, what the chain, etc.)
Allusion: The immortal hand or eye (God or Satan, Creation or Destruction; Distant deeps or skies; the underworld, heaven.
The overall theme of the poem seems to be that the universe is in a continual process of creation/destruction/creation. Each is a necessary part, and really there is no good or bad about what happens in the natural world, because the natural world is amoral -- it simply is a system in which things must happen in a circular manner. The mood is both somber and stately, with the rhyme scheme propelling the reader through the prose with a lilt, one might even say hymn-like. Repetitive readings of the poem seem to show that the work is more about this creation issue, in this case, the creator of the Tiger, than of the Tigers actions. To actualize, though, humans must go beyond the concept of small positives and negatives and move into a broad sense of time and chronology -- in the creation of a star, some matter is rearranged in order to make it possible for other life; so too must this happen in a micro-scape. Blake does not give us the answer, at least in this poem, but only postulates that an answer is there, and available. We are, however, left with a seminal thought: did the same creator create both the lamb and the Tiger? If so, then the plan for the Tiger must be Creator inspired.
For Blake, in a way similar to Nietzsche and his idea of the overman, the human imagination is the gateway to self-actualization, to infinity, to eternity. Anyone is capable of it. In another, very visual way, we...
William Blake Although he was misunderstood and underappreciated throughout his lifetime, William Blake and his work only truly became influential after his death in 1827 (William Blake, 2014). Although he is best known for his poetry, Blake also created a significant amount of art work and other publications throughout his life. Despite the fact that his work found no profound audience during his life, Williams Blake was nonetheless a visionary, whose
William Blake was never fully appreciated in his own time but is still an influence on literary, political and theological analyses long after his death. While the amount of modern literary criticism that now exists should hold testament to his importance, Blake and his visions, pastoral-like settings and illuminated writings shaped the modern literary canon and paved the way for others. Specifically his works "The Divine Image," its companion poem
William Blake was born in London in 1757, the son of a hosier. He attended a drawing school and was subsequently apprenticed to an engraver from 1772-9, before attending the Royal Academy as a student from 1779 to 1780. During this time he made his living as an engraver, producing illustrations for the book trade, and was also composing and illustrating his own poetical works. He married Catherine Boucher in
The fact that the unnamed narrator, who could not have been more than five or six years old, shows a young boy's chilling resignation to his fate. These passages therefore show how thoroughly social conventions can "brainwash" society members, especially those who experience the most brutal oppression. This acquiescence to social convention is seen most clearly in Tom Dacre's dream. The ideal of a boy playing and running shows by contrast
Tyger Blake's "The Tyger" William Blake is a well-respected English painter, poet, and printmaker whose works went greatly unrecognized during his lifetime, but who has since been recognized as a major contributor to literature and art. Blake was born on November 28, 1757 in London and died on August 12, 1827. Through his work, Blake sought to express his political and religious views and often illuminated these works with illustrations that emphasized
Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American writer well-known for his macabre poems and short stories. Written before his death in 1849, "Annabel Lee" keeps in line with many of his previous poems and centers around the theme of the death of a beautiful woman. "Annabel Lee" features an unnamed narrator pining for the lost Annabel Lee with whom he claims he has an eternal bond. In "Annabel Lee," the narrator
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now