William Blake

We know relatively little about Blakes life (1757-1827).

He was an engraver by rofession! a oor working-"lass #on$oner.
He was a ra$i"al all %is life! oosing all for&s of aut%ority! rationalis& an$
&aterialis&.
Blake for&e$ art of t%e sa&e "ir"le as Thomas Paine! Mary Wollstonecraft an$
William Godwin.
Blake rovi$e$ illustrations for 'ose% 'o%nsons e$ition of (ary Wollstone"rafts
Original Stories from Real Life (17)1).
*n "ontrast to Wor$swort% %is genius went largely unre"ogni+e$ $uring %is lifeti&e.
Wor$swort% t%oug%t Blake was &a$.
Blake rea$ so&e of Wor$swort%s oetry an$ $i$nt t%ink &u"% of it.
However! %is reutation %as risen al&ost "ontinuously sin"e %is $eat%.
He is one of t%e few eole "onsi$ere$ a great artist an$ a great oet.
,ne of t%e very few w%o fully integrated %is two art for&s.
Innocence & Experience
-oti"e t%e (usually o&itte$) subtitle of The Songs of Innocence and of Experience.
Shewing
1
the Two Contrary States of the Human Soul (17)/)
- in inno"en"e we look at t%ings freshly
- wit% e0erien"e our er"etion is darkened by a$ult fears an$ an0ieties (t%e effe"ts of
alienation). We see t%e worl$ &ore $eely but we feel it &ore ainfully.
1%e "o&bination &ay lea$ to so&e higher truth.
*nno"en"e "an be reorn at any oint in ti&e to rovi$e an alternative to t%e bitterness
an$ oression w%i"% 20erien"e "riti3ues.
4or Blake t%e inno"en"e of a "%il$ "oul$ be suerior to t%e errors of a"3uire$ folly.
But wit%out er"eiving t%e arren world of oppression t%e otentiality of *nno"en"e
"annot be grase$.
1
shewing 5 (archaic) s%owing
Melting !urfaces
Blake in &any senses "onne"ts &ore "losely to &e$iaeval art t%an to %is
"onte&oraries.
His i"tures are mystic an$ Gothic (in t%e i"torial sense).
His oe&s are 6illuminated 5 like &e$iaeval &anus"rits.
His oetry %as &u"% &ore to $o wit% sermons t%an neo"lassi"al oetry.
7t t%e sa&e ti&e %is figures are &us"ular an$ &onu&ental like Michelangelos.
His tetrameter 5 favoure$ in Songs 5 links t%is "olle"tion of oetry to
%y&ns!
nursery rhymes an$
allads.
Blake la"es %i&self s3uarely in t%e popular tradition.
Blake $esigne$ songs to look like a "%il$s i"ture-book.
He $i$ t%is to su"ert t%e genre 5 to "%allenge t%ose writers w%ose intention was to
s%ae an$ "ontrol "%il$rens &in$s t%roug% books of 6instru"tion an$ i&rove&ent.
By "ontrast! %e ai&e$ to allow t%e "%il$ (an$ a$ult rea$er) instea$ to engage
imaginati"ely with texts w%i"% were oen-en$e$ an$ un"ertain of referen"e.
1%is is Blakes 6infernal method (re"o&&en$e$ in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell)
8&elting aarent surfa"es away! an$ $islaying t%e infinite w%i"% was %i$($en)9.
-oti"e t%at few of t%e illustrations si&ly s%ow w%at t%e oe&s t%ey a""o&any tell.
:at%er t%ey enter into a $ebate t%is t%e& 5 ro&ting us t%e t%ing furt%er.
Infant #oy
* %ave no na&e
* a& but two $ays ol$.--
W%at s%all * "all t%ee;
* %ay a& assonance
'oy is &y na&e.-- pararhyme
<weet =oy befall t%ee>
?retty =oy>
<weet =oy but two $ays ol$.
<weet =oy * "all t%ee@
1%ou $ost s&ile!
* sing t%e w%ile
<weet =oy befall t%ee.
We are all born inno"ent.
However! w%et%er we re&ain inno"ent $een$s on %ow we are treate$.
1%e infant is t%e e&bo$i&ent of inno"ent %ainess
but s%e nee$s su""our an$ reassuran"e
bot% verbal (8<weet =oy befall t%ee>9) an$
non-verbal (eu%ony of t%e song an$ oetry).
Here s%e re"eives bot% fro& t%e narrator.
*s t%is =oyous inno"ent si&ly t%e la"k of "ruel e0erien"e of t%e worl$;
*s it ossible to &aintain a "%il$like inno"en"e t%roug%out ones a$ult like;
*f so is t%e birt% of t%is life-long =oyous inno"en"e t%e result of vital su""our an$
reassuran"e fro& a very young age;
1%e oe& is oen to interretation fro& t%e very title. Aoes it &ean.
t%e =oy of a newborn baby;
t%e =oy ro$u"e$ by a newborn baby;
a baby "alle$ 6'oy;
t%e infan"y (B origins) of %ainess;
or $oes it &ean all t%is at t%e sa&e ti&e;
-oti"e t%e level of reetition. =oy (0C)! * (0C)! t%ee (0/)! sweet (0/)
1%e oe& is al&ost %ynoti" in its si&li"ity! its li&ite$ range of language.
-oti"e t%e long vowels an$ t%e $i%t%ongs en$ing in se&i-vowelsDgli$es (ese"ially
$ark 6l).
na&e (02)! a& (02) s%all (02)! "all (02)! befall (02)! w%ile! s&ile
1%is is t%e language of nursery r%y&es! rayer an$ in"antations
- a tye of &agi"al blessing t%at t%e narrator re"ites or sings over t%e infant.
Infant !orrow
(y &ot%er groane$! &y fat%er wet!
*nto t%e $angerous worl$ * leat@
Helless! nake$! iing lou$!
#ike a fien$ %i$ in a "lou$. pararhyme
<truggling in &y fat%ers %an$s!
<triving against &y swa$$ling ban$s!
Boun$ an$ weary! * t%oug%t best alliteration
1o sulk uon &y &ot%ers breast. assonance
7gain is t%is.
t%e sorrow of a newborn baby;
t%e sorrow ro$u"e$ by a newborn baby;
t%e infan"y (B origins) of sa$ness;
or $oes it &ean all t%is at t%e sa&e ti&e;
*&&e$iately t%e infant is
fearful of t%e future!
oresse$ by t%e role of t%e fat%er! an$
finally %e settles $own into %yo"riti"al sulking.
His negative e0erien"e of t%e worl$ lea$s to a rea"tion t%at "ontributes to t%e worl$s
ills.
*t is our er"etion of t%e worl$ an$ t%at of t%ose aroun$ us t%at &akes t%e worl$ safe or
$angerous 5 inno"ent or "ruel.
Here t%e infant re"eives an$ absorbs t%e erse"tives of its arents! fro& w%i"% it %as
little "%an"e of es"aing.
1%e "%il$ is boun$ like ?ro&et%eus but it $oesnt %ave t%e energy or even t%e
&otivation to break its bon$s t%roug% i&agination.
*t takes on t%e $efensive role of a fien$ in a cloud. 1%e "lou$ %i$es t%e infants true
nature fro& itself an$ its surroun$ings! allowing an$ for"ing it to &aintain its
fien$is%ness.
1%e oe& appears fores%ortene$! unfinished. But t%is &akes it universal.
*t is t%e start of so &any life stories t%at en$ in violen"e an$ ain.
The Tyger
Blakes est known oe& 5 wit% t%e ossible e0"etion of 6'erusale&.
*t is rule$ by sy&&etry.
sy&&etry between stan$as!
sy&&etry between lines! an$
within lines
4or t%is very reason t%e asy&&etry between t%e first an$ last verse 5 6could being
rela"e$ by 6dare 5 stan$s out.
-oti"e t%at t%e oe& is &a$e u entirely of %uestions.
Here again we "onfront Blakes a&biguity t%at for"es us to interret t%e oe& 5 we are
not tol$ w%at to t%ink! our imagination is sti&ulate$.
4or instan"e! 6dread in line 12 is a contradictonym (like 6"leave or 6san"tion) 5 it
%as two oosite &eanings (6fearful an$ 6fearso&e).
<i&ilarly! 6to frame
2
"oul$ &ean
B 6to shapeDmake!
B 6to imagine or
B 6to descrieDturn into a work of art.
B 6to controlDrestrain
*s t%e oe& asking about t%e nature of the god w%o %as &a$e su"% a beautiful! $ea$ly
beast;
*s t%e oe& asking about t%e nature of the poet w%o $aresDis able to $es"ribe su"% a
erfe"t "reature;
- 2lsew%ere Blake 5 like Eoleri$ge 5 suggests t%at t%e %u&an "reator (i.e. t%e oet) is
si&ly a version of t%e $ivine "reator.
Aoes t%e tiger reresent t%e untameale materials of t%e i&agination;
Aoes t%e tiger reresent t%e in$o&itable in t%e natural worl$ outsi$e an$ t%e
untameale desires and dri"es of t%e %u&an &in$;
Ean t%ese urges an$ instin"ts be 6fra&e$ (B "ontrolle$! li&ite$);
(u"% of Blakes oetry $es"ribes t%e erennial battle between
t%e e0an$ing for"es of energy an$
t%e restri"tive! nu&bing $eat%-$ealing for"e of reason.
How $oes t%e tyger of t%e i&agination "o&are wit% t%e tiger of *n$ian forests;
W%y is t%ere su"% a &uxtaposition between t%e ta&e-looking! often smiling tiger Blake
illustrates at t%e botto& of t%e age an$ t%e tiger of t%e oe&;
2
in most dictionaries you will find the transiti"e "er 'to frame someone( )e*g* Who Framed Roger
Rabbit?+ meaning to faricate e"idence against someone )incriminar+* ,owe"er- the first recorded
use of this "er was in ./.0 as part of 1! slang*
Ean t%e artist really fra&e so&et%ing as %ysi"ally alive an$ t%ree-$i&ensional as a
tiger in wor$s or ink;
*n %isD%er fear of trying arallele$ by our fear of t%e beast in t%e $ark;
7re t%e stars aban$oning t%eir weaons or $efen$ing t%e&selves in t%e fift% stan+a;
- if you auto&ati"ally t%oug%t t%e stars were %urling t%eir sears! noti"e t%e line fro&
Blakes The Four oas! 81%e stars t%rew $own t%eir sears F fle$ nake$ away.9!
w%i"% is una&biguous.
Ao t%e stars re"ogni+e t%at t%ey cannot compete wit% t%e beast t%at 6burns brig%t;
W%o is in control of t%e oe& 5 t%e artist! Go$! t%e tiger;
W%o smiles;
- if we only %a$ t%e oe& we woul$ say Go$ or t%e artist but in t%e i"ture it is t%e tiger
w%o is s&iling.
The Metaphorical 'Tiger(
1%e 6tyger is "learly not a real tiger in t%at %e is &a$e using very human apparatus 5
a furna"e! an anvil! a %a&&er an$ a "%ain. t%ose of a lacksmith.
*s %e a sy&bol of t%e industrial re"olution;
*s t%e tyger e3uivalent of 2rankenstein(s monster 5 a "reation t%at t%reatens to $estroy
its &aker;
*s t%e tyger t%e infantD"reation t%at t%reatens to $estroy its &ot%erD"reator;
Blake saw artisan work 5 su"% as %is own 5 as "reative an$ fulfilling an$
t%e new kin$ of work resulting fro& t%e in$ustrial revolution as 3uite literally soul3
destroying.
Was t%e tyger "reate$ by a ?ro&et%ean figure! "%allenging Go$ an$ t%e stars;
*s t%e tyger t%e "reation of a (iltoni" <atan in t%e sa&e way as t%e #a&b (E%rist) is a
"reation of Go$;
Aoes t%e tyger reresent 4ren"% 'a"obinis&;
- t%e 4ren"% :evolution an$ t%e 61error were $es"ribe$ wit% tiger si&iles in The Times
on 7 'anuary 17)2 an$ 2C 'uly 17)H.
*n 17)2 <a&uel :o&illy of t%e 4ren"% :eubli". 8,ne &ig%t as well t%ink of
establis%ing a reubli" of tigers in so&e forest of 7fri"a.9
IHe $oesnt e0lain w%y t%e reubli"an tigers &ig%t live in 7fri"a>J
Ben=a&in 4ranklin (17KC-17)K) wrote in an un$ate$ letter! 8* woul$ a$vise you!
t%erefore! not to atte&t unchaining the tiger! but to burn t%is ie"e before it is seen by
any ot%er erson.9
We $ont know w%o t%e letter was a$$resse$ to (?aine %as been suggeste$) but t%e
&eta%or was "learly floating in t%e (-ew Histori"al) at&os%ere.
Blakes brilliant "onte&orary George <tubbs ainte$ several versions of a w%ite %orse
being atta"ke$ by a lion an$ Blake later wrote!
81%e tygers of wrat% are wiser t%an t%e %orses of instru"tion9! w%i"% see&s to al&ost
anti"iate (ar0s! 8?%iloso%ers %ave &erely interrete$ t%e worl$@ t%e oint is to
"%ange it9.
The Tyger is also e"%oe$ in Leatss Easter! "#"$! 87 terrible beauty is born9.
Mlti&ately! t%e tyger "an reresent anyt%ing t%at is fas"inating an$ $angerous.
fro& revolution to se0ual assion to $rugs.
- all t%ese t%ings "ause us to lose control.
i.e. we are talking about subli&ity
!ulimity
5 look out for 6subli&e an$ 6subli&ity in t%e wor$ $efinition e0er"ise.
2$&un$ Burke $istinguis%e$ between t%e subli&e an$ t%e beautiful in % &hilosophical
In'uiry (1757).
Beauty is asso"iate$ wit%
brig%tness!
s&oot%ness an$
s&allness
!ulimity is asso"iate$ wit%
t%e infinite!
solitu$e!
e&tiness!
$arkness!
terror!
owerful e&otions!
siritual an$ religious awe! an$
t%e gran$eur of nature.
Theodicy
4
-ature! like a work of art! &ust in so&e way "ontain a reflection of its creator.
1%e tiger is strikingly beautiful yet also %orrifi" in its "aa"ity for violen"e.
What kind of a God! t%en! "oul$ or woul$ $esign su"% a terrifying beast as t%e tiger;
W%at $oes t%e un$eniable e0isten"e of evil an$ violen"e in t%e worl$ tell us about t%e
nature of Go$;
1%e i&agery of fire wit% its si&ultaneous "onnotations of
creation!
purification! an$
destruction.
1%e seaker stan$s in awe of t%e tiger as a s%eer %ysi"al an$ aest%eti" a"%ieve&ent!
even as %e re"oils in %orror fro& t%e moral implications of su"% a "reation@ for t%e
oe& a$$resses not only t%e 3uestion of w%o could &ake su"% a "reature as t%e tiger!
but w%o (ould erfor& t%is a"t.
1%is is a 3uestion of creati"e responsiility an$ of will! an$ t%e oet "arefully in"lu$es
t%is &oral 3uestion wit% t%e "onsi$eration of %ysi"al ower.
1%e reeate$ use of wor$ t%e 6$are to rela"e t%e 8"oul$9 of t%e first stan+a intro$u"es
a $i&ension of asiration an$ wilfulness into t%e s%eer &ig%t of t%e "reative a"t.
1%e erse"tive of e0erien"e in t%is oe& involves a so%isti"ate$ a"knowle$ge&ent
of w%at is une0lainable in t%e universe.
1%e oen awe of The Tyger "ontrasts wit% t%e easy "onfi$en"e! in The Lam)! of a "%il$s
inno"ent fait% in a benevolent universe.
*n"i$entally! The Tyger was engrave$ on t%e ba"k of t%e copper plate on w%i"% The
Lam) %a$ been et"%e$.
-oti"e %owever t%e false $i"%oto&y. t%e #a&b &ay reresent t%e benevolent Go$ but
%ow $oes t%e tiger reresent t%e retribution of a =ust Go$;
H
theodicy 5 t%e roble& of t%e e0isten"e of evil in a worl$ "reate$ by a benevolent! o&niotent Go$.
The Tyger
1yger
/
> 1yger> burning brig%t alliteration
*n t%e forests of t%e nig%t! assonance
W%at i&&ortal %an$ or eye
Eoul$ fra&e t%y fearful sy&&etry; alliteration! iam)ic tetrameter
*n w%at $istant $ees or skies assonance! alliteration
Burnt t%e fire of t%ine eyes; assonance
,n w%at wings $are %e aspire
5
;
W%at t%e %an$ $are sie+e
5
t%e fire;
6

7n$ w%at shoulder
8
! F w%at art!
Eoul$ twist t%e sinews
)
of t%y %eart; assonance! iam)ic tetrameter
7n$ w%en t%y %eart began to beat! pararhyme! iam)ic tetrameter
W%at dread
1K
%an$; F w%at dread
H
feet; polysyndeton
W%at t%e %a&&er; w%at t%e "%ain; polysyndeton
*n w%at furna"e was t%y brain;
W%at t%e anvil; w%at $rea$ gras polysyndeton
Aare its $ea$ly terrors "las; alliteration
W%en t%e stars t%rew $own t%eir sears
11
! alliteration
7n$ watere$ %eaven wit% t%eir tears! alliteration! iam)ic tetrameter
Ai$ %e s&ile %is work to see; alliteration
Ai$ %e w%o &a$e t%e #a&b &ake t%ee; internal rhyme! iam)ic tetrameter
1yger> 1yger> burning brig%t alliteration
*n t%e forests of t%e nig%t! assonance
W%at i&&ortal %an$ or eye
Aare fra&e t%y fearful sy&&etry; alliteration! iam)ic tetrameter
/
this spelling of 'tiger( was already old3fashioned* Blake presumaly chose it ecause it looks more
mysterious*
5
to aspire 5 a. rise u! b. %ave a burning a&bition
C
Blake(s spelling of 'sei$e(
7
the hand that dare seize the fire could e a reference to Prometheus
8
shoulder 5 (in this context) strengt%
)
sinews 5 &us"les! ten$ons
1K
dread 5 a. fearful. b. fearso&e
11
threw down their spears 5 a. aban$on ones weaons. b. $efen$ oneself fro& on %ig%
2orm
1%e oe& is "o&rise$ of si0 3uatrains in r%y&e$ "oulets.
Aoes t%e &eter i&itate
t%e hammering beat of t%e s&it%y t%at is t%e oe&s "entral i&age or
t%e unstoppale ad"ancing tiger;
*t "ertainly i&itates nursery r%y&es.
1winkle! 1winkle! little star 'a"k be ni&ble! 'a"k be 3ui"k
How * won$er w%at you are 'a"k! =u& over t%e "an$lesti"k
-oti"e %ow Blake e0e"ts us to treat 6fire as two syllables in line C but as a
&onosyllable in line 8.