By:Taylor Morris & Morgan Losquadro

THE LAMB & THE TYGER

William Blake lived a fairly ordinary life, l iving in London for most of it and never traveling. He was sent to one of London’s best drawing schools as a child and made a living through a combination of engraving and giving art lessons. Blake both illustrated and printed most of his writings from scenery and events he created in his mind that portrayed to his poems, making them all the more extraordinary.

WILLIAM BLAKE

1. Where i s t he poe t f rom?Bo r n o n N o v em b e r 2 8 , 1 7 5 7 i n Lo n d o n E n g l a n d 2. How l ong d i d he l i ve ?N o v emb e r 2 8 , 1 7 5 7 - A u g u s t 1 2 , 1 8 2 7 ( 7 0 y ea r s ) 3. How do t he poe t ’ s l i f e ex per i ence s a ffec t h i s poet ry?I t s a y s t h a t w h en Wi l l i a m wa s y o u n g , h e wo u l d h a s v i s i o n s a b o u t s ee i n g Go d a n d a n g e l s i n t h e t re es , a l o n g w i t h b e i n g a b l e t o t a l k t o h i s d e c e a s e d b ro t h e r Ro b e r t . T h i s s a i d t o b e i n t e rn a l wo r l d o f i ma g i n a t i o n , wo u l d b e a p r i me m o t i v a t o r t o h i s p o e ms a n d h i s l o v e f o r w r i t i n g . H e a l s o s t a r t e d s h o w i n g i n i n t e r es t i n a r t a n d d r a w i n g a t a n e a r l y e a c h , w h i c h p r o v i d ed a l a rg e c o n t r i b u t i o n t o h i s c a re e r a s a p o e t a n d w r i t e r. 4. De sc r i be the k inds o f poems and any ot he r l i t e ra t u re he compose d . H e i s s a i d t o w r i t e a t y p e o f p o e t r y , k n o w n a s p ro p h e t i c p o e t r y. T h i s t y p e o f p o e t r y i s p o e t r y t h a t r e l a t e s t o p ro p h ec y , o r p re d i c t i n g w h a t w i l l h a p p e n i n t h e f u t u r e . A l s o , d u r i n g t h e t i m e p e r i o d o f W i l l i a m B l a ke , Ro m a n t i c i s m p l a y ed a l a rg e ro l e i n c o n t r i b u t i n g t o p o e t r y a n d w r i t i n g . 5. What i s go ing on h i s t or i ca l l y and po l i t i ca l l y i n h i s cu l t u re dur i ng h i s l i f e t i me ? H ow doe s th i s a ffec t or

i nflue nce h i s wr i t i ng? T h e l i f e o f Wi l l i a m B l a ke wa s d u r i n g t h e s a me t i m e a s t h e Ro m a n t i c i s m e r a , a n d d u r i n g t h e I n d u s t r i a l Rev o l u t i o n t h a t wa s t a k i n g p l a c e i n E n g l a n d . T h es e e v en t s m a d e i t v e r y h a rd f o r W i l l i a m t o w r i t e h i s p ro p h e t i c p o e ms . A l s o , p eo p l e s u c h a s H en r y Fu s e l i , J o h n F l a x ma n , a n d To m Pa i n e , we re i mp o r t a n t c u l t u r a l a n d s o c i a l c o n t a c t s o f Wi l l i a m B l a ke d u r i n g h i s l i f e t i me . 6. What a re t he cu l tu ra l be l i e f s a nd re l i g i ons dur ing t h i s t i me pe r i od?A g e o f E n l i g h t en me n t , t h e c h u rc h wa s g o i n g t h r o u g h a p e r i o d o f re f o rm a t i o n . 7. Was t he poet f amous dur i ng h i s l i f e t i me?Du r i n g t h e l i f e t i me o f Wi l l i a m B l a ke , h e wa s n o t re f e r re d t o a s a f a m o u s p o e t . Pe o p l e re f e r re d t o h i m a u n i q u e a n d s t r a n g e . W h e re a s t o d a y h i s wo r k h i s mu c h m o re a p p r ec i a t e d a n d f a mo u s . 8. What k i nds o f “s t ra nge “or ecc ent r i c cha rac t e r i s t i c s d id t h i s poet d i sp l ay?Wi l l i a m B l a ke wa s i n s p i r ed b y a n g e l s a n d t h e i m a g i n a t i o n a s h e wo u l d wa l k t h r o u g h t h e s t re e t s o f t h e c i t y a n d p r o c l a i me d t o s e e a n g e l s a n d t o h a v e d i s c u s s i o n s w i t h s p i r i t s . H e a l s o b e l i e v ed t h a t h e h a d t h e p o wer o f p ro p h e c y , t h u s wh y h e i s c o n s i d e red a p r o p h e t i c p o e t . W i l l i a m B l a ke a l s o b e l i ev e d t h a t G o d l o o ked t h ro u g h t h e w i n d o w a t h i m c a u s i n g h i m t o s c re a m . Wi l l i a m B l a ke w a s c o n s i d e re d v e r y i n s a n e a n d s t r a n g e a s b o t h a p o e t a n d p e r s o n . 9. Was t he poet ma r r i e d? D i d he have ch i ld re n?Ye s , h e wa s ma r r i e d t o a l a d y b y t h e n a me o f Ca t h e r i n e B o u c h e r. T h ey d i d n o t h a v e a n y c h i l d ren . 10 .What i s your ov era l l i mpress i on o f th i s poe t a nd what i mpac t do you th i nk he had i n h i s l i f e t i me ve rsus

now i n your l i f e t i me ?Wi l l i a m B l a ke h a d a v e r y u n i q u e f o rm o f w r i t i n g . D u r i n g h i s l i f e t i me h e wa s l a b e l e d a s i n s a n e a n d d i d n o t g a i n mu c h s u c c es s u n t i l l o n g a f t e r h i s d ea t h . H i s p o ems h ea v i l y i n fl u en c e d t h e Ro ma n t i c p e r i o d a n d a re g re a t l y a c k n o w l e d g e d b y p e o p l e t o d a y. I b e l i e v e Wi l l i a m B l a ke , a l t h o u g h t o b e a g o o d w r i t e r , t h a t h i s p r o p h e t i c p o ems a r e v e r y s t r a n g e a n d c a n h a v e ma n y d i ff e re n t m ea n i n g s .

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Little Lamb, who made thee?   Dost thou know who made thee?Gave thee life, and bid thee feedBy the stream and o'er the mead;Gave thee clothing of delight,Softest clothing, woolly, bright;Gave thee such a tender voice,Making all the vales rejoice?    Little Lamb, who made thee?    Dost thou know who made thee?

   Little Lamb, I'll tell thee,   Little Lamb, I'll tell thee:He is called by thy name,For he calls himself a Lamb.He is meek, and he is mild;He became a little child.I a child, and thou a lamb.We are called by his name.    Little Lamb, God bless thee!    Little Lamb, God bless thee!

Who made you, Little Lamb?Do you know who made you?Who gave you such beautiful wool and a sweet voice?Who made you, Little Lamb?Do you know who made you?

I’l l tel l you, Litt le LambThe man who is called “the Lamb” made youHe is good and sweet tooHe was once a childI am a child, and you are a lambWe have him in commonGod bless you, Litt le Lamb

The speaker, the child, asks the lamb where it came from (how it came into being, how it acquires its manner of feeding, its “clothing” of wool, and its “tender voice”)

The speaker answers his own questions by announcing the lamb was made by the one who “calls himself a lamb”, one whose gentleness both resembles the child and the lamb. The poem ends with the child bestowing a blessing on the lamb.

LITERAL SENSE

The diction is colloquial and concrete in keeping with the speaker’s childlike character. All the words are vague and direct.

This poem created many vivid expressions by its descriptive word choice.

Innocence and ignorance are connotations of the word child, which was the tone Will iam Blake was implying. Innocence and gentleness are connotations of a lamb as well as Christ (“Lamb of God”)

The Israelites celebrated Passover by marking their door with lamb’s blood, so no death would occur in their home. Before Jesus was crucified, he was celebrating the feast of Passover. Jesus was to become the Sacrificial Lamb and later be called “The Lamb of God.”

DICTION

This poem creates a childlike atmosphere, conveying a gentle and innocent, yet ignorant or naive mood.

It is understood to be a happy and simple poem. Innocence and simplicity are felt while you are

reading.

TONE AND MOOD

The speaker who addresses the lamb in the poem is a child, whereas the addressee is a lamb.

We are overhearing the lamb being questioned by the child of its creation.

RHETORICAL SITUATION

Metaphor:The creator of the lamb, who is also the creator of the child, is both a child and a lamb. Christ Himself was born a human child and then later referred to as "the Lamb of God”. The lamb and the child both belong to the world of innocence. Personification:“Making all the vales rejoice”-A vale (valley) can’t express emotion.

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

“By the stream and o’er the mead”The lamb is feeding by a stream over a meadow.

“Gave thee clothing of delight, Softest clothing, woolly, bright”The lamb’s wool is described as being very bright and beautiful.

“Gave thee such a tender voice, Making all the vales rejoice?” The lamb is described as being a sweet and gentle creature.

The lamb is a symbol of both innocence and Christ.

IMAGERY AND SYMBOLISM

Alliteration:“Little Lamb”“He is meek, and He is mild”

Assonance:“Dost thou know who made thee?”

Repetition:Every 2 lines rhyme (couplet), except lines 13 & 14 and 17 & 18

SOUND

Repetition:

This poem is separated into 2 simple stanzas. One 10 line stanza of questions, and an equally long stanza of answers.

STRUCTURE

THE TYGER

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye Could frame thy fearful symmetry? In what distant deeps or skies Burnt the fire of thine eyes? On what wings dare he aspire? What the hand dare seize the fire? And what shoulder, & what art. Could twist the sinews of thy heart? And when thy heart began to beat, What dread hand? & what dread feet? What the hammer? what the chain? In what furnace was thy brain? What the anvil? what dread grasp Dare its deadly terrors clasp? When the stars threw down their spears, And watered heaven with their tears, Did he smile his work to see? Did he who made the Lamb make thee? Tyger! Tyger! burning bright In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Oh Tyger, whose eyes are shining in the dark forest, which god could have made you so perfect ly?

Was i t in heaven or hel l where your fiery eyes first emerged?Who dared to make such a creature in the fire?

Which hands could form your horr ible heart and have the courage to continue the job? Why are your hands and feet so fr ightening?

What tools were used to create you and what being would dare to hold a creature l ike yoursel f?

And when the rain came, did your creator smi le on his work?Were you made by the same god who made the lamb?

Oh Tyger, whose eyes are shining in the dark forest, which god could have made you so perfect ly?

The poem is addressed to the Tyger, where he is asked what could possibly produce a sublime form like his.

The Tyger is asked where he is created and who would dare to create such a creature like himself.

The Tyger is questioned of who/what his creator is and his hands and feet are addressed, increasing a more fearful image.

The Tyger is further questioned about the tools used to create him and his image is continuing to grow more frightening.

The speaker asks the Tyger if he believes his creator was proud of what he made and if his creator was the same as the lamb’s.

Tyger is once more asked what god could possibly form such a creature.

LITERAL SENSE

The diction is colloquial and concrete due to its use of vague words.

This poem creates vivid expressions with its expressive word choice.

Frightening and dangerous are connotations of a tiger, which was the tone William Blake was implying.

DICTION

This poem creates a frightening atmosphere because of the bold and aggressive language.

It is understood to be a fearful and simple poem. The irony that is conveyed in this poem is the

engraving of the Tyger itself. He looks wide-eyed and timid, even though he is described to come across as a scary creature.

Awe and wonder about the creation of the Tyger are felt while you are reading.

TONE AND MOOD

RHETORICAL SITUATION

The speaker, whom we don’t know, is questioning the Tyger of its creation.

We are overhearing the speaker question the Tyger.

Metaphor :“Tyger! Tyger! burning bright In the forests of the night”- Resemblance of the Tyger with fire. “Burnt the fire of thine eyes?”- Comparison of the Tyger and his eyes to fire. Personification :“Tyger! Tyger! burning bright In the forests of the night”- Tiger’s don ’t i l luminate l ight. “When the stars threw down their spears, And watered heaven with their tears”- Stars can’t cry or throw spears; resembles rain Allegory :“When the stars threw down their spears, And watered heaven with their tears”- Indirect representation of how the Tyger was created. Allusion :“Distant deeps or skies”- hell or heaven

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

“Tyger! Tyger! burning bright In the forests of the night”Tyger resembles a brightly burning fire. “And when thy heart began to beat, What dread hand? & what dread feet?”The Tyger’s hands and feet are described as being very frightening. “When the stars threw down their spears, And watered heaven with their tears”Rain began to fall down from the skies. The Tyger is a symbol of both evil and Satan. Distant deeps represents hell. Skies represent heaven.

IMAGERY AND SYMBOLISM

Alliteration :“Tyger! Tyger! burning bright” “Could frame thy fearful symmetry?”“In what distant deeps or skies”“On what wings dare he aspire?”“And when thy heart began to beat” Assonance :“Burnt the fire of thine eyes?”“Dare its deadly terrors clasp?”“Did he smile his work to see?”“Did he who made the Lamb make thee?”“Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?” Rhyme:Every 2 l ines rhyme (couplet)

SOUND

Repetition:

This poem consists of 6 quatrains, four-line stanzas, in rhymed couplets.

Every line has seven syllables and are mostly written in a rhetorical question form.

STRUCTURE

http://www.online-literature.com/blake/http://www.poemhunter.com/william-blake/http://kirjasto.sci.fi/wblake.htmhttp://www.enotes.com/authors/william-blake

BIBLIOGRAPHY