Summary of the Poem

"Tyger Tyger, burning bright,

In the forests of the night;

What immortal hand or eye,

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?"

He describes the Tiger in the opening verse as being in a jungle at night. In the middle of a pitch-black
forest, he portrays its vibrant shades. He inquires about it (the Tiger), asking how such a beautiful
characteristic of its physique, "fearful symmetry," was developed. He adds that the creator must have
everlasting hands and eyes to possess such power.

"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?"

The poet continues his conversation with the Tiger in this verse. He claims that when the Tiger's eyes
shine, the fire appears to be burning deep within them. He wonders aloud whether a fire like that could
have been started in the sky or the sea. The poet then appears to have made up his mind that the sky?
rather than the sea?is where the fire in the Tiger's eyes originated, and he ponders what type of wings
the Tiger's creator may have needed to get to the high altitude where the fire was created. He also
inquires about the strength of the Tiger's creator's hands to handle the fire.

"And what shoulder, & what art,

Could twist the sinews of thy heart?

And when thy heart began to beat,

What dread hand? & what dread feet?"

In this verse, the poet imagines the Tiger's creator adjusting the body's ligaments with his hands. Then
he inquires how much pressure his shoulders would need to support him to do it. He also inquires what
precise method would be required for this work. The poet also considers when the Tiger finally comes to
life and wonders how strong the creator's hands and feet must be to avoid being frightened by the
animal.

"What the hammer? what the chain,

In what furnace was thy brain?

What the anvil? what dread grasp,

Dare its deadly terror's clasp!"

In these lines, the poet thinks that a blacksmith may have been responsible for the Tiger's creation. He
imagines that tools like a hammer and a chain were used to create the Tiger's metal body. Additionally,
he thinks that a furnace's high heat must have been used to create the Tiger's brain. The fist that could
hold the Tiger in its grip must have been extremely strong since it must have been a horrifying sight to
behold the Tiger being produced.

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?

The poet imagines that the stars in heaven, engaged in battle, laid down their swords once God had
brought the Tiger to life. They began to cry because the sight of the Tiger so moved them. The poet
questions whether God smiled as a result of creating the Tiger. He also questions whether the same God
created the Tiger and the Lamb.

Tiger Tiger burning bright,

In the forests of the night:

What immortal hand or eye,

Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

The words in this stanza are very similar to those in the first stanza. The only change is in the last line.
Who would have dared to construct the terrifying Tiger is the question the poet asks instead of asking
who could have done it. God makes the Tiger not only because he can but also because he dares to do
so. Humans have never really understood why God would create such a frightening animal.