The Balance of Good and Evil
The Balance of Good and Evil “The Tyger” by William Blake expresses the idea of the creation of evil. It involves a very powerful rhyming scheme to convey the strength of the matter. Through the use of metaphors relating to certain gods, both Christian and Greek views, the image of the “Tyger” is described. This poem is the second in a pair which was published in his collection Songs of Experience in 1794. Blake’s previously written poem “The Lamb” was written in his collection Songs of Innocence in 1789, and it represents the complete opposite, the creation of good. Both poems are very necessary to generate the essential question; is the creator of the tiger the same creator of the lamb? Focusing on just “The Tyger,” Blake questions the maker of this evil beast, and the purpose behind the making.
"The Lamb" is an extremely important piece to both collections. The poem’s focus is centered by the question of creation, but it does so in a modest way, opening as a simple question to a lovable, fragile creature. "Little Lamb, who made thee?" (1) In the first stanza of the poem the speaker asks the lamb who is responsible for both life and the creation of this innocent creature with the "softest clothing" and "Gave thee such a tender voice" (6-7). The lamb symbolizes the association between civilization and the natural world. The lamb is also a representation of pastoral innocence, connecting the urban world with God's creation. Pastoral life holds a great deal of strength in the poem. This collection contains many pastoral scenes. These peaceful images of life outside of the busy city strongly suggest a sense of peace and tranquility. This connects the characters of the poem to the natural world, where they can consider their existence without the interference of human components. Blake's tender choice of words creates a spiritual mindset which answers the question in first-person narrative in the second stanza that a higher power is responsible. In answering
"The Lamb" is an extremely important piece to both collections. The poem’s focus is centered by the question of creation, but it does so in a modest way, opening as a simple question to a lovable, fragile creature. "Little Lamb, who made thee?" (1) In the first stanza of the poem the speaker asks the lamb who is responsible for both life and the creation of this innocent creature with the "softest clothing" and "Gave thee such a tender voice" (6-7). The lamb symbolizes the association between civilization and the natural world. The lamb is also a representation of pastoral innocence, connecting the urban world with God's creation. Pastoral life holds a great deal of strength in the poem. This collection contains many pastoral scenes. These peaceful images of life outside of the busy city strongly suggest a sense of peace and tranquility. This connects the characters of the poem to the natural world, where they can consider their existence without the interference of human components. Blake's tender choice of words creates a spiritual mindset which answers the question in first-person narrative in the second stanza that a higher power is responsible. In answering