Tyger Tyger ..RAWR

In class I mentioned the idea of the blason and how it pertained to this poem. Again, the blason is basically the itemization, description and praise of the beauty of the poet's object of affection. Usually, this was a woman that he was courting. For instance, the man who made the blason a thing that mattered was the italian poet Petrarch who literally wrote hundreds of sonnets to "Laura." The blason also shows that the idea of what made a person beautiful was his or her symmetry.

In "The Tiger," Blake is not searching for a returned love, but he is praising symmetry(Lines 4, 24). As he itemizes the tiger and praises it he is constantly asking questions.He is looking for the answers to the questions which are the source of his awe. It becomes apparent that Blake is praising the creator through the praise of his creation, but this frightens Blake. He paints the image of a Greek of Roman god of hammers and anvils and forges. He asks how a God of forgiveness and good could have created a thing so terrifying.

This poem then becomes more of fervent prayer. Blake is asking to know aspects of his own creator. "What immortal hand or eye, / Could frame such fearful symmetry?" and additionally he asks, "Did he smile his work to see?."

Blake is attempting to glimpse his own creator through another and very different one of his creator's works. Blake longs to have his questions answered, but instead the poem is left to echo with the last line ending in a question mark.