Coexistence of Contrary States in Blake’s The Tyger

1871 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: What is the poem "the tyger" trying to express

Coexistence of Contrary States in Blake’s The Tyger

Since the two hundred years that William Blake has composed his seminal poem "The Tyger", critics and readers alike have attempted to interpret its burning question - "Did he who made the Lamb make thee?" Perhaps best embodying the spirit of Blake’s Songs of Experience, the tiger is the poetic counterpart to the Lamb of Innocence from Blake’s previous work, Songs of Innocence. Manifest in "The Tyger" is the key to understanding its identity and man’s conception of God, while ultimately serving to confront the reader with a powerful source of sublimity which reveals insight on Blake’s ideal union and coexistence of the two contrary states.

The most significant underlying ideology of William Blake’s poetry is his essential psychomachia - the "contrary states", as Blake himself calls them. The work in which "The Tyger" and "The Lamb" appear distinctly states Blake’s purpose in a preface: "Shewing the two contrary states of the human soul." In "The Lamb", a basic question and an answer are given. The poem is a catechism (Miner 62). The simplistic and comfortable resolution purposely has no doubt or ambiguity surrounding its initial message of love, tranquility, Jesus Christ, and above all, innocence. The speaker sees God in terms he can understand - gentle and kind and very much like us (Reinhart 25). A tremendous void is clearly apparent. The poem’s straightforwardness leaves the reader with a discomforting feeling of the need for a more sophisticated perspective on the relationship between maker and humanity. This instinctual need for a contrary state gives birth to the tiger.

The tiger’s imagery is astonishingly vivid. The beast "burning bright" with "fire" indicates ...

... middle of paper ...

...d the Age of Revolution. New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1965.

Erdman, David V. "Blake: The Historical Approach." William Blake. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1985.

Miner, Paul. "’The Tyger’: Genesis & Evolution in the Poetry of William Blake." Rpt. in Poetry Criticism. Ed. Jane Kelly Kosek. Vol. 12. Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1995. 59-64.

Natoli, Joseph. "William Blake." Notable Poets. Ed. G.E. Bentley. New York: Gale Research Inc., 1995. 79-95.

Paley, Morton. "Tyger of Wrath." Twentieth Century Interpretations of Songs of Innocence and of Experience. Ed. Morton D. Paley. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1969. 68-92

Raine, Kathleen. William Blake. London: Longmans, Green and Co. Ltd., 1969.

Reinhart, Charles. "William Blake." DLB. Ed. John R. Greenfield. Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1990. Vol. 93. 23-25.

Show More
Related

  • Piere-Auguste Renoir: A Brief History

    1394 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Renoir’s particular ambition was to paint works in joyful hues from which all trace of narrative is excluded” 1, quotes Jean LeyMarie author of Renoir; And truer words about Renoir’s work can not be spoken. Pierre-Auguste Renoir was a French born painter whose collaborations with other notable artists, among them Manet, Delacroix, and Monet 2, helped to influence and shape the budding Impressionist movement. The renowned painter began his humble upbringing in Limoges, France in 1841; The son of a tailor, his parents found him work with a porcelain decorator, which was the beginning of his lengthy career as an artist, and perhaps were his passion for translucent and luscious colors were established 3. While Renoir is well known for his paintings of women, couples, and various other human subjects, his work on flowers is equally as impressive. The work this essay will discuss is the painting Chrysanthemums, painted in 1881-82. Currently located in the Ryerson Collection in Gallery 201 of the Art Institute of Chicago.

    Read More

  • Descartes' Proof of the Existence of God in Meditation Three

    1027 Words  | 3 Pages

    This paper is intended to explain and evaluate Descartes' proof for the existence of god in Meditation Three. It shall show the weaknesses in the proof, but also give credit to the strengths in his proof. It will give a background of what Descartes has already accepted as what he truly knows. The paper will also state Descartes two major points for the existence of God and why the points can easily be proven false. The paper will also show that if a God does exist that God can in fact be an evil deceiver. The paper will also show that the idea of a perfect being cannot be conceived by an imperfect being.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Descartes Existence Of God

    805 Words  | 2 Pages

    Descartes’ first premise of the existence of God is “ I have an idea of God” which first means that he has an idea of an infinite perfect being. With this he realizes that the idea of God must have more objective reality than formal reality. As he thinks that God is infinite, than he knows he is finite, and through this he realizes that the idea of God being this way could not of been provoked through his mind but through God himself. And as concluded in Meditation II, Descartes now knows he exists through

    Read More

  • Philosophy Of Descartes

    1455 Words  | 3 Pages

    In order to prove an argument or premise Descartes states, “we must be able to conceive clearly and distinctly of the cause in order to truly believe the argument.” Descartes clearly and distinctly believes the existence of God stating that, “all things are dependent on God’s existence, and God is not a deceiver.” Due to this premise we must than conclude that without a Supreme Being to incite knowledge than it is not possible to ever know anything perfectly.

    Read More

  • Descartes Proof Of God

    1660 Words  | 4 Pages

    Firstly, Descartes talks about “proofs” of the existence of God, explained in his third and fifth meditation. Meaning, his proofs are shown by experiment to prove that God exists. He reinterprets Archimedes ' saying, “required only one fixed and immovable point to move the whole earth from its place, I can hope for great things if I can even find one small thing that is certain and unshakeable (Descartes 159).” That he could shift the entire earth

    Read More

  • The Mental Traveller by William Blake

    1708 Words  | 4 Pages

    Nurmi, Martin K. "Joy, Love, and Innocence in Blake's “The Mental Traveller"" William Blake: The Politics of Vision (1946): 81-82. Web

    Read More

  • Anaysis of William Blake's The Lamb, The Tyger, and Proverbs of Hell

    1165 Words  | 3 Pages

    Natoli, Joseph. "William Blake." Critical Survey Of Poetry, Second Revised Edition (2002): 1-12. Literary Reference Center. Web. 17 Jan. 2014.

    Read More

  • Descartes Existence Of God Analysis

    1154 Words  | 3 Pages

    The purpose of my essay will be to examine Descartes' argument for the existence of God. First, I will discuss Descartes’ proof for the existence of God then I will critique the argument of his existence. Lastly, I will point to some complications and problems that exist within the proof. Descartes’ proof of the existence of God is presented in the Third Meditation. He shapes his argument on the proof in the Second Meditation that in order for Descartes to think he must exist. From this specific examination he realizes his existence is very clear and distinct in his mind because of the fact he had just discovered his own existence. He then creates a rule that whatever things he sees are clear and distinct, are all true. Descartes begins his proof by splitting his thoughts into four categories, which consist of ideas, judgments, volitions, and emotions. He then further analyzes these categories to decide which thoughts might consist of error.

    Read More

  • Rebellion As Art By William Blake

    2117 Words  | 5 Pages

    William Blake was a modern thinker with a recalcitrant political spirit. He used poetry and art as sociopolitical weapons, which were raised boldly against the establishment. These sociopolitical weapons, which began with him, are still used today in all types of artistic and political activities. Although known as a madman and a mystic, (Elliott) his art and his poetry were guided by the visions of radical change. Even today, his work is both relevant and profound. The brilliant approach he took with difficult political and moral topics created unique artistic representations that are very much as relevant today as they were when Blake first adopted their use.

    Read More

  • Ontological Arguments for the Existence of God

    1596 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the fifth Meditation, Descartes presents his second argument for the existence of God. Descartes holds that existence is perfection and so, it can be a predicate for God. I will first explain what is the ontological argument for the existence of God. Next, I will discuss why Descartes decides to bring God into His method of philosophy. I will then try to argue that existence is a perfection and that as a predicate for God, existence reveal certain true about God.

    Read More

  • Centrality of Paris in Impressionism

    1346 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...t is Impressionism. We see that without Paris and its artists there would have been be no break from the traditions and regulations laid down by the L’École des Beaux-Arts and Le Salon. Without Paris the movement would not have gained the recognition that it did. It was aided by the industrial revolution, the Haussmann project, the growth of le café and the revenue from trade by Parisian art dealer Paul Durand-Ruel. We also note how Paris was highly influential in the subjects of impressionist paintings. We see how the camera and colour theory influenced their work as well as how the modern cityscape and social interactions consumed their creations. Even today Paris plays a role in Impressionism. Its museums house some of the greatest examples of period impressionist work on view, showing that nearly two centuries later Paris is still at the heart of Impressionism.

    Read More

  • Poetry Analysis: "The Tyger"

    928 Words  | 2 Pages

    William Blake’s 1793 poem “The Tyger” has many interpretations, but its main purpose is to question God as a creator. Its poetic techniques generate a vivid picture that encourages the reader to see the Tyger as a horrifying and terrible being. The speaker addresses the question of whether or not the same God who made the lamb, a gentle creature, could have also formed the Tyger and all its darkness. This issue is addressed through many poetic devices including rhyme, repetition, allusion, and symbolism, all of which show up throughout the poem and are combined to create a strong image of the Tyger and a less than thorough interpretation of its maker.

    Read More

  • The Impact Of Impressionism?

    2083 Words  | 5 Pages

    This exhibit was put on in a studio in Paris that was owned by the famous photographer Nadar and featured around 30 different Impressionist artists (Lewis 149). In the beginning of the impressionist 's “career” as impressionists, they were mocked and not always credited as real artists, but they accepted the name of Impressionist 's, turning the derogatory term into one to identify themselves with. The entire Impressionist art movement was “an unthinking form of naturalism” and also “… the fruitful renovation of the French schools…” (Lewis 23, 155). This oppression can be seen as synonymous with that of the actual oppressed people of France of which Karl Marx was calling to change their future. Impressionists took control of their own art and didn 't back down when mocked, they found the passion inside themselves. They were mocked since Impressionism was a shift of creativity that was now “…identified with the individual, not within the social…” (Lewis 26). When one looks at an impressionism painting from that period of time, the passion and emotions of the scene come through the painting causing the viewer to feel how the artist felt when they experienced this scene while painting

    Read More

  • The Romantic Era Of Romanticism In The Tyger By William Blake

    1016 Words  | 3 Pages

    During the mid 1800’s was a remarkable era called the Romanticism. Some political and social milestones of this era included The American Revolution, The French Revolution, and The Industrial Revolution. During these events, the “theme” more or less was a type of laissez faire which means, “let the people do as they please.” WIlliam Blake was a famous poet in this time period, as well as Samuel Coleridge, William Wordsworth, and George Gordon. Novels and poems were written in this time to express the ways Romanticism was shown and how melancholy was trending.

    Read More

  • Pierre-Auguste Renoir's Impressionism Analysis

    985 Words  | 2 Pages

    “To my mind, a picture should be something pleasant, cheerful, and pretty, yes pretty! There are too many unpleasant things in life as it is without creating still more of them” (P.A.R Quotes). Pierre-Auguste Renoir was an artist that put his heart and soul into a painting. Prior to Renoir there were many artists. Renoir was a man after diversity and difference in his paintings. He did not want to be like everybody else. He and many others felt this way, forming a new art called Impressionism. This new concept originated in France in the 1860’s. In 1874 Impressionism really took off, these artist were going against Realism in every way. These artist of Impressionism only became a group because they were rejected by the Salon des Refuses. Their

    Read More

More about Coexistence of Contrary States in Blake’s The Tyger

Open Document