The Tyger: William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience through Analysis

William Blake was a well-known English engraver and poet. He had a strong influence over and played a big part in poetry and arts during the Romantic Age. He was known for his mysticism and refereed to as a visionary and a non-conformist radical. Most say he was before his time and crazy with his ideas and views but was later held higher than the rest for his expressiveness and creativity. His most popular collection of works is "Songs of Innocence," which was shortly followed by "Songs of Experience."

As mentioned previously, Blake was a well-established engraver along side being a poet. For some of his poems he added a picture, or engraving, to go along with it. Reading these poems gives the reader a mental picture but having an engraving to look at before reading then a whole different view point may be presented, or an enhanced version of a previous perspective. After reading the Lamb and The Tyger with the engravings, a similar point of view was taken but was just reinforced with the use of the engravings along with the reading, because Blake's technique of using light and dark imagery, and emphasis on how the Lamb is like a child and need love, care and tending to whereas the tiger is alone in the dark woods.

In the poem "the Lamb," questions such as "who made thee" and "dost thou know who made thee" are asked as the start of the poem. The second stanza of the poem is suggesting answers to the questions proposed in stanza one; "Little Lamb I'll tell thee," then listing characteristics and features that God himself contains.

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Jesus, The Son of God, is often referred to as the Lamb of God because of his innocence and resemblance of a child. Some may even think that this poem is showing the kinder, gentler, caring, and nurturing side of God and his characteristics. The engraving that Blake drew to accompany the poem is a young child petting a baby lamb or either holding out food as if to care for the lamb. This also portrays how we rely on God to protect us and be our keeper essentially.

"The Tyger," which is often called the pedant poem to "The Lamb," is also full of questions similar to The Lamb. The speaker however is different and takes a different perspective, criticizing the world instead of viewing it like a child would. This poem is also full of symbolism and imagery, which are also characteristics of The Lamb. Instead of the bright, light, and carefree imagery you get from reading.

The Lamb, the reader gets a darker, fearful, mysterious, and almost dangerous image while reading. Another characteristic that is portrayed is the different traits often found in God Himself. God, like in The Lamb, is gentle, caring, and cautious however in The Tyger, God is strong, mysterious, and all-powerful. After reading the poem and looking at the engraving, it reaffirms these things. The tiger is in the woods by himself, nighttime is falling, and he appears to have a frightened look on his face.

After discussing these poems in class, I feel like I had a greater understanding of the poem before looking at the engravings. Engravings also give insight to how and what the writer or poet is feeling or how the author wants the reader to feel. In my opinion, engravings are not essential but they could potentially enhance a reader or viewers understanding of the poem.

Works Cited:

1. "William Blake." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets. Web. 27 Jan. 2015.
   <http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/william-blake>.

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