Question
Read the poem.
The Tyger
by William Blake
Tyger, tyger, 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 watered heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the lamb make thee?
Tyger, tyger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry? Reread these lines from the poem.
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
What is the meaning of the blacksmith metaphor in “The Tyger”?
Responses
The process of creating the tiger is as dangerous as working with molten iron.
The process of creating the tiger is as dangerous as working with molten iron.
The chains made by the blacksmith are the only thing that will control the tiger.
The chains made by the blacksmith are the only thing that will control the tiger.
The metal creates a burning effect.
The metal creates a burning effect.
The tiger is made from metal.
The tiger is made from metal.
The Tyger
by William Blake
Tyger, tyger, 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 watered heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the lamb make thee?
Tyger, tyger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry? Reread these lines from the poem.
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
What is the meaning of the blacksmith metaphor in “The Tyger”?
Responses
The process of creating the tiger is as dangerous as working with molten iron.
The process of creating the tiger is as dangerous as working with molten iron.
The chains made by the blacksmith are the only thing that will control the tiger.
The chains made by the blacksmith are the only thing that will control the tiger.
The metal creates a burning effect.
The metal creates a burning effect.
The tiger is made from metal.
The tiger is made from metal.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The blacksmith metaphor in “The Tyger” suggests that the creation of the tiger is a powerful and dangerous act, akin to the intense and hazardous processes involved in blacksmithing. When Blake references the hammer, chain, furnace, anvil, and grasp, he evokes the image of a skilled craftsman who shapes metal into formidable forms, emphasizing the complexity and ferocity of the tiger. The metaphor implies that creating such a fearsome creature involves not only artistry but also the risk and violence inherent in such an act. Thus, the process of creating the tiger can be seen as analogous to working with molten iron—the act is fraught with danger, reflecting the duality of creation and destruction, beauty and terror found in both the tiger and divine craftsmanship.