Relations between....The tyger and The lamb

[AtaLost]

I am doing an English paper. I got writer's block. I need some help.

The paper is going to be about the two poems "The Tyger" and "The Lamb". How the two poems are related to each other? I hope that I am making sense. I am trying to understand it my self.

I have read a few of the other threads and I see that some people have mention the lamb when talking about the poem "the tyger" some are very insteresting.

Like the question .... "did he who made the Lamb make thee?" (the tyger)
is he really asking the obvious? is he (blake) trying figure out if God did indeed make the Lamb and the Tyger?

In the Tyger poem when "symmetry" is mentioned, is that important?

Is there an important factor that Blake, in both poems, repeats the the name when talking to the Lamb or the Tyger....
"Tyger! Tyger!..."
"Little Lamb, I'll tell thee! / Little Lamb, I'll tell thee! "

I know some of these are a bit low level questions but i need help.

Thanks

[AtaLost]

http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/poetry/blake.htm#lamb

http://www.galegroup.com/free_resources/poets/poems/tyger_ex.htm

http://asms.k12.ar.us/classes/humanities/britlit/97-98/blake/POEMS.HTM#LT

[TalentedNobody]

No problem, Blake's my favorite Poet. You mention looking at some other threads for help, so i'll just answer the questions you posted here.

Blake is actually making a point by asking a question that many of us ponder at some point in our lives. Is the same god who created all the wondrous good in the world, which in this poem is represented by the lamb, also the creator of the Tiger, which in this poem represents the brutal, predatory side of nature, and, by extension, reality. In short is the same god who gave us jesus, who created the earth and all the wondrous things on it also responsible for all the horrors that befall it. ie. The Tsunami that hit Katrina.


In the Tyger poem when "symmetry" is mentioned, is that important?

Yes symmetry is important because Blake is making a reference here to the Lamb, the counterpart of the Tyger. They are the same in that they are both part of god's creation. They are both equally important tools of nature, the lamb and the tyger, however they are different in that the lamb represents innocence, youth, and pleasant aspect of nature, where as the tyger is representing the more powerful, fearful part of nature, which. Though both can be beautiful in their own way, the Tyger is beautiful in a more experienced light, as one recognizes the striking colors and form of this graceful, yet deadly beast, where as the Lamb is seen in a more childish, cute fashion.

Is there an important factor that Blake, in both poems, repeats the the name when talking to the Lamb or the Tyger....
"Tyger! Tyger!..."
"Little Lamb, I'll tell thee! / Little Lamb, I'll tell thee! "

He is putting stress on the symbolism behind the animals through repetition, also it is necessary for structure, and finally it sounds better.

I hope i could help, if you find any problems with my explanations or come to your own conclusions be sure to PM me so i can hear your thoughts on the matter.

[AtaLost]

Your thoughts are very apperciated. And yes it does help. I was thinking it over after I posted my thread and I pretty much came up with the same concepts.

You just happen to confirm it. At least I am going on the right path with this.
Thanks a bunch!!!:)

[General Knight]

I have a question in William Blake poem "The Lamb" it symbolize Jesus right?
So in the poem Tyger does the tiger represent Satan?
Just confuse

Thx

[cacian]

I wondering why tyger and not tiger?
Is that for effect?
I personally in order to understand a piece of literature I tend to question the spelling to words too.
Unless I have an understanding of why tiger is mispelt with a Y then I cannot move on with any text.
what comes up to mind with this however is this:
Lyon and Lion which are both similar but on is a place in France and the other is an animal albeit it both are and sound the same.
Tyger and tiger seem to be doing the same thing here.

About Lamb isn't that in reference to the nursery rhyme
Mary had a little lamb? Just a question.

Anyway this piece


Tyger Tyger. burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies.
Burnt the fire of thine eyes!
On what wings dare he aspire!
What the hand, dare sieze 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?
What the hammer? what the chain,
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp,
Dare its deadly terrors clasp!

reminded me of' little riding hood 'when the little girl asks her grandma about the eyes and legs and so on...there is an eery resemblance about it.