The Tyger
William Blake
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Learning Objectives

Understand and discuss the poem ‘The Tiger’ by
William Blake (look for layers of meaning under
the surface for their GCSE coursework)

Will explore and ‘explode’ the poem using the
five key questions to develop their responses
using P.E.E where appropriate

Students select appropriate quotations to
support their responses to the poems and
explain them.
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What words would you use to
describe a tiger?
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Religion
Working class
background
William Blake
was an artist and
an engraver.
Blake wrote at
the start of the
industrial
revolution
Blake’s later
poetry attempts to
re-write the story
of creation and
the entire history
of humanity
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Blake had radical ,
eccentric ideas.
He pointed out
what was wrong
with the world as
he saw it; he was
considered by
some to be mad.
What is it about?
‘The Tyger’ is about how god creates
all creatures on this earth. Although
some may be peaceful and naive like
the lamb, others are more ferocious
and beautiful in their own way .
 The Speaker is asking ‘The Tyger’ who
made him?

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Alliteration
Initially a sensuous
image
Songs of Experience
Our
imaginations
Tyger! Tyger! Burning bright,
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
Two halves the same: beauty
and horror
A speaker asking a
fearsome tiger what could
have created it?
The same hand that
created the the lamb.
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Where have your fiery
eyes come from?
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?
Relates to
hell.
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Strength/burden
knowledge
Responsibility,
power and strength
of the creator
And what shoulder, and what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? And what dread feet?
Tendons, veins, arteries of the heart
to create such a 'creature' one must
be extraordinary in both these
things.
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The words here relate to industry. Blake may also have seen the industrial
revolution as ‘the tyger’. Within this poem he is referring to strength of this
revolution.
What the hammer? What the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
Words relate to
Ironmonger- tools
Metaphor-picturing god as a
blacksmith
The rhythm suggests the
banging of a blacksmiths
tools
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Fallen angel
Is it a work of art, is it a
reflection of its creator?
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?
Reminder: Contrast between
experience and innocence,
Tones of terror and awe at a being
that could create the tiger as well
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as the lamb,
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Was he pleased with
his work? He might be
pleased although
others may not be.
A world containing both beauty and horror.
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
Beautiful yet
destructive.
Suggests courage. He must
have some courage to dare to
create this ‘tyger’
Repetition
to reinforce
ideas
Six four-line stanzas, uses
pairs of rhyming couplets to
create a sense of rhythm
and continuity
We are left in awe at the complexity
of the creature
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S,Q, A

Statement: The Tyger is effective because vivid
imagery is created in the reader’s mind.

Quote: ‘Tiger, Tiger, burning bright’

Analysis: This is effective because the reader
can imagine a tiger prowling the forest at night.
A threatening, yet beautiful tiger. The use of the
word ‘burning’ creates a vivid orange colour in
the reader’s mind. The word ‘burning’ also
relates to fire and hell so the tiger really stands
out in the dark forests.
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Now Put it all together:

The Tyger is effective because vivid imagery is
created in the reader’s mind. For example,‘
Tiger, Tiger, burning bright’ This is effective
because the reader can imagine a tiger prowling
the forest at night. A threatening, yet beautiful
tiger. The use of the word ‘burning’ creates a
vivid orange colour in the reader’s mind. The
word ‘burning’ also relates to fire and hell so the
tiger really stands out in the dark forests.
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‘EXPLODE’ A POEM!!
Using S,Q,A or P.E.E answer the following:
1. What is the poem about?
Tell me a little bit about the poem in one or two sentences!
(How do you know this?)
Why do you think this??
2. Who is speaking in the poem and who is the poet speaking to?
3. How does the poem put its message across?
Think about: verses? Imagery? Choice of words? Techniques? Rhythm and
Rhyme? Mood?
4. Imagine you are William Blake and tell me why you have written this poem in
one paragraph.
5. What is YOUR Personal response to the poem?
Do you think the poem is effective? Why?
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