The Tyger: Plot

The Tyger: Plot

• This poem opens with the speaker asking the tiger about its creator, questioning in whose distant depths or skies the ‘fire of thine eyes’ was born.

• The remainder of the first stanza is spent on contemplating the craftsmanship and creative skill involved in making the tiger, with the speaker demonstrating amazement yet uncertainty regarding the nature of such a creator.

• The next stanza continues this rumination, comparing the intense gaze of the tiger with distant stars, and pondering on whether the same divine entity that made the lamb also created the tiger.

• The speaker remains mystified throughout the poem, constantly interjecting with expressions of amazement as he tries to comprehend the power and might of both the creator and creation.

• The poem concludes much in the same way it began, with the speaker once again questioning the tiger about its origin. The repetition underscores the unanswered nature of the queries posed and highlights the sense of awe and fascination that continues to envelop the speaker.

• Throughout the poem, Blake explores themes of creation, divinity, and the dichotomy between innocence (signified by the lamb) and experience (typified by the tiger).

• ‘The Tyger’ is used as a symbol to represent the fearsome and formidable aspects of the world, a stark contrast to the gentle and innocent connotations associated with ‘The Lamb’ in the companion poem in Songs of Innocity.

Remember: While there is no definitive ‘plot’ as such, the poem’s narrative arc centres around these abstract contemplations and questions. The speaker’s continual speculation about the origin of the tiger and its creator can be seen as a metaphorical journey into the mysteries of creation and the divine power.