William Blake’s Contrasting Pieces of

Innocence and Experience

William Blake

William Blake• an English poet, painter, and printmaker• now considered a seminal figure in the

history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age

• produced a diverse and symbolically rich corpus, which embraced the imagination as "the body of God", or "Human existence itself“

• "glorious luminary“• Born on 28th November 1757 in Soho in

London• Established engraver

THE TIGER AND THE LAMB

ANALYSIS

TIGER, tiger, 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 seize the fire?

And what shoulder and what art

Could twist the sinews of thy heart?

And when thy heart began to beat,

What dread hand and 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?

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?

Tiger, tiger, burning bright

In the forests of the night,

What immortal hand or eye

Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Little Lamb, who made thee? 

Dost thou know who made thee? 

Gave thee life, and bid thee feed, 

By the stream and o'er the mead; 

Gave thee clothing of delight, 

Softest clothing, woolly, bright; 

Gave thee such a tender voice, 

Making all the vales rejoice? 

Little Lamb, who made thee? 

Dost thou know who made thee?

Little Lamb, I'll tell thee, Little Lamb, I'll tell thee. 

He is called by thy name, 

For He calls Himself a Lamb. 

He is meek, and He is mild; 

He became a little child. 

I a child, and thou a lamb, 

We are called by His name. 

Little Lamb, God bless thee! 

Little Lamb, God bless thee!

Structure• six quatrains in rhymed couplets• The meter is regular and rhythmic, its

hammering beat suggestive of the smithy that is the poem's central image.

• "The Lamb" has two stanzas, each containing five rhymed couplets. Repetition in the first and last couplet of each stanza makes these lines into a refrain, and helps to give the poem its song-like quality. The flowing l's and soft vowel sounds contribute to this effect, and also suggest the bleating of a lamb or the lisping character of a child's chant.

THE TIGER

Rhyme Scheme: AA BB CC DD AA AA

EF GG FE AASyllables per Line: 6, 6, 7, 8, 7, 7, 7, 7, 6,

6; 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 7, 6, 6, 6,

Stressed Syllables:Fixed- 2 (Accentual

Meter)

THE LAMB

Rhyme Scheme:AA BB CC DD EE FF GG HH II JJ AA BBSyllables per Line:7, 7, 7, 8; 7, 6, 7, 7; 7, 8, 8, 7, 7, 7, 7,7 ; 7, 8, 7, 8, 7, 7, 7, 8Stressed Syllables:Fixed- 2 (Accentual Meter)

Literary Devices• Alliteration“Little Lamb”• Assonance“Dost thou know who” • Repetition“Tiger, Tiger..”

• Refrain“Little lamb who made thee”, “Little

Lamb God bless thee”; “Tiger, Tiger burning bright.. .. Fearful symmetry.” were repeated twice, and several times.

• ImageryThose presented as visual arts in his

poems. i.e. stream,skies,hammer,fire

• Symboli.e. Lamb=peace/Tiger=violence

Guide Questions:

• Do you reflect as a Lamb or as a Tiger?

• How do we become a Tiger? How do we become a Lamb?

Unlocking the meaning of the Literary piece

Two poems made significant meanings. In comparison of both, unifying theme was

delivered to assess knowledge, wisdom and conscience of individuals regarding of this

very broad term called Life.

Tiger

Lamb

Powerful

Proud

Fearful

Killer

Evil

Innocent

Gentle

Good

Meek

Ignorant

Characteristics

Man

Good Evil

CHOICE

Theoretical underpinnings

1. Structuralism The using of two contrasting poems

with different illustrations leads to better understanding of the poems, the symbolisms where there were provoking of statements and questions unanswered for such times and the song-like quality that could be easily remembered.

2. Existentialism Humans do have free will. It is right in our own

hands and own might as we take through the path on what we need or what we want. As an individual, we may feed either the tiger or the lamb, we may feed both. But the truth is we all feed on both sides. What is noticed is that what others think about you or what you let them feel. It’s still up to us for we are the masters of our own fate.

3. Moral-Philosophical What is good and what is bad are symptoms of our

thinking. We got to realize something as we take a step to our direction guided by our choice. We got chances to make a move as we think of some perspectives and experiences undergone. Accompanied by several good or evil influences, we still stand in our way and walk for our path.

THEME

We are freely given privilege to choose which lead us to

become GOOD and/or BAD.

Thank you for listening!Have a Joyous Christmas

Vacation :”>

Tabanao, Temy U. Arana, Angelo Valentin A.