Topic:
The Tyger by William Blake
Key Points/Arguments
Structure Literary/Dramatic Devices Critical Quotations (p.) Context + Contextual Quotations
S1 Interrogative questions
AABB rhyme scheme establishes ‘burning bright’ – alliteration Themes
dichotomy of supremacy and shows wonder of beauty Escapism
barbaric nature ‘immortal hand’, ‘frame thy The imagination
S1 – ‘eye’, ‘symmetry?’ – half fearful’ – suggests the beauty
rhyme expressions chaos and and perfection to almost be scary, The sublime – quality of
tensions between symmetry perhaps a fear of God? Or greatness that exceeds
S2 – properly rhymes, suggesting questioning the goodness of God? comprehension. An excitement
he is starting to gain a better ‘symmetry?’ – rhetorical caused by confrontation with the
conclusion (‘aspire?’/’fire?’) question commences tension threatening and unknown.
S6 between chaos and symmetry.
‘eye’, ‘symmetry?’ – half rhyme Written in interrogative mode, ‘To see a world in a grain of
reinforces uncertainty uncertainty (wonder/fear) Sand/ And a heaven in a wild
S2 flower/ Hold infinity in the palm
‘burnt the fire’ – metaphor for of your hand/ And eternity in a
naturalistic power of tiger hair’ – Blake, Augenes of
‘of thine eyes?’ – uncertainty of Innocence
fire being beautiful or burning
The Tyger by William Blake
Key Points/Arguments
Structure Literary/Dramatic Devices Critical Quotations (p.) Context + Contextual Quotations
S1 Interrogative questions
AABB rhyme scheme establishes ‘burning bright’ – alliteration Themes
dichotomy of supremacy and shows wonder of beauty Escapism
barbaric nature ‘immortal hand’, ‘frame thy The imagination
S1 – ‘eye’, ‘symmetry?’ – half fearful’ – suggests the beauty
rhyme expressions chaos and and perfection to almost be scary, The sublime – quality of
tensions between symmetry perhaps a fear of God? Or greatness that exceeds
S2 – properly rhymes, suggesting questioning the goodness of God? comprehension. An excitement
he is starting to gain a better ‘symmetry?’ – rhetorical caused by confrontation with the
conclusion (‘aspire?’/’fire?’) question commences tension threatening and unknown.
S6 between chaos and symmetry.
‘eye’, ‘symmetry?’ – half rhyme Written in interrogative mode, ‘To see a world in a grain of
reinforces uncertainty uncertainty (wonder/fear) Sand/ And a heaven in a wild
S2 flower/ Hold infinity in the palm
‘burnt the fire’ – metaphor for of your hand/ And eternity in a
naturalistic power of tiger hair’ – Blake, Augenes of
‘of thine eyes?’ – uncertainty of Innocence
fire being beautiful or burning
