“I a child and thou a Lamb.”
This shows the poem is written as though from a child’s point of view, also outlining the nursery rhyme effect written into the poem. In addition, the simple vocabulary and the rhyming couplets also provide the poem with a child-like, ‘sing-song’ effect.
However, looking into the poem at a deeper level, a use of a religious theme is undertaken. The poem states that:
“He is meek and he is mild.”
referring to God and Creation. This is because of the constant reference to Jesus, and him being the creator of earth compared to the creator of the Lamb.
Furthermore, the poet uses imagery in his poem, comparing and personifying the Lamb to be the Jesus,
“He became a child.”
As well as this, the reader’s knowledge of the associations with Jesus and creation, cause them to see the parallel of the underlying theme to the poem which is religion based.
Also, the poem is associated with farming and pastoral or rural life,
“By the steam and o’er the mead.”
This further indicates the essence of the metaphor of a farmer tending his flock, comparing this to God’s relation to humanity. Also, the poem is commonly conjoined with Jesus and creation.
The underlying theme of religious beliefs that featured in the poem all indicate the feel of the Lamb of God and Jesus, being personified in the child and the lamb.
‘The Tyger’ appears to be about experience and comparing the Tyger to the beauty and horror of the natural world. This is because the Tyger is often associated with majesty, but also evil and destruction.
“Dare it’s deadly terrors grasp?”
This shows that the poem is written as though the Tyger is awesome enough to intimidate and that the perimeters are not large enough to encase it.
The Tyger is traditionally associated with the devil, as apposed to pastoral imagery.
“In what furnace was thy brain?”
This association with the devil shows the reinforcement of the contrasts within the extremes of nature. Also, that the creator of the Tyger must embody both.
A blacksmith is used to metaphorically represent the creator.
“What the hammer? What the chain?”
This signifies that the Tyger is strong like metal, which is moulded by a blacksmith. However, in the Lamb, there is an association with the continuation of sense that the creator and the creature are all of one ethos, which is why there is child sentiment in the lamb.
The stars are personified as emotionally representing the Tyger.
“When the stars through down their spears.”
This is showing that the Tyger can produce an emotive response in the most objective minds.
There is an explicit connection with the Tyger and the Lamb, comparing them to be opposites or the Tyger to be the predator.
Blake’s poetry is full of striking images.
In ‘The Tyger’, there are rhyming couplets at the end of every line; However, The Lamb has more repeated words than rhyming couplets. This shows that ‘The Lamb is written as though by a child, but ‘The Tyger’ is written as though by an experienced poet.
Also in ‘The Tyger’, there is a use of personification, comparing the Tyger to the inert stars of the night. This shows that the Tyger is again associated with coldness and pernicious.
In the Lamb, there is a repetition of the metaphor for wool.
“Softest clothing wooly bright”
The clothing emphasises in physical childish pleasure in physical texture and word play. This contrasts with The Tyger because it is the complete opposite of the Tyger, who is rugged, evil and experienced. Experienced is unlike the Lamb, as the Lamb is innocent.
‘The Tyger is structured with six stanzas, each consisting of four lines with rhyming couplets. ‘The Lamb differs from this as it only has two stanzas, each consisting of ten lines with repeated words on the first couple of lines, but rhyming couplets in the middle.
The poem titled ‘The Tyger’, has a complicated structure, whilst ‘The Lamb’ has a simple structure, signifying that the Tyger is strong and that the Lamb is likened to a child. In the Lamb, there is an iambic beat giving the poem a nursery rhyme feel to it and it builds momentum. Furthermore, the main impotents of the poem are established in the first two lines of the poem
Repetition is used in both poems but not as much in the Tyger as in the Lamb. Repetition is used in the Lamb to, again, give the feeling of a child speaker. In addition, the simple and short vocabularies further this point.
Alliteration is used in both poems on the first line, but also, in ‘The Lamb’, further into the poem
“Little Lamb.”
The alliteration makes the poem more interesting and, again, uses simple vocabulary to describe the Lamb.
In the alliteration in ‘The Tyger’,
“Burning bright.”
The two long syllables in ‘burning’, followed by one short syllable in ‘bright’, makes the line explosive.
In conclusion, ‘The Lamb’ has a religious based theme, which queries the existence of God in the first two lines.
“Little Lamb who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?”
In ‘The Tyger’, it explores more of an experienced view of nature comparing the Tyger to be strong and fiery as the imagery of fires and furnaces shows this.
The Tyger is contrasted to the Lamb because the Tyger is said to be the opposite or predator of the Lamb. This is shown using alliteration and metaphors.
