The Tyger by William Blake is examined as a work of poetry, with attention to meaning, structure, imagery, themes, and examination-oriented appreciation.
Full Poem Text
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 water'd 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?
Summary
The speaker repeatedly asks what kind of creator could make a creature of such fearful beauty. The questions connect creation, power, mystery, and the coexistence of gentleness and terror.
The poem should be read as a whole: its speaker, imagery, form, tone, and historical or cultural context work together to create its meaning.
Line-by-Line Analysis
Section 1
The opening question establishes mystery about creation.
Section 2
Industrial images of fire, hammer, furnace, and anvil make creation seem powerful and dangerous.
Section 3
The question about the Lamb introduces a moral and theological paradox.
Section 4
The repeated final question leaves the mystery unresolved.
Themes
- Creation
- Beauty And Terror
- Mystery
- Good And Evil
About William Blake
William Blake (1757–1827) was an English poet, artist, and visionary whose work examines innocence, experience, imagination, religion, society, and creation.
WAEC/JAMB Relevance
This poem is not marked as a current prescribed WAEC 2026–2030 or JAMB 2026 text in this export.
Related Poems
- The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost
- If— by Rudyard Kipling
- Invictus by William Ernest Henley
- Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
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