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?
wen 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?

1.the archetypal image of fire is used frequently in this poem. this archetype represents danger.

which statement best explains how this archetype affects the meaning in this poem?

blake uses this archetype to show readers the importance of having courage.

the image of fire “burning bright” in the eyes of a tiger develops the idea that danger is also majestic and glorious; people seeking adventure should seek it out at every opportunity.

this archetype reinforces the idea that unchecked power can be dangerous.

“fire” supports the idea that danger is all around us; we must be vigilant or it will strike when we least expect it.

2.the archetypal image of the lamb is used in this poem. this archetype represents innocence and is often used in christianity to also represent jesus.

which statement best explains how this archetype affects the meaning in this poem?

the archetype of the lamb is compared to that of a tiger, emphasizing they were made by different creators.

the archetype of the lamb is compared to that of a tiger, illustrating the power and ferocity of the tiger.

the use of the archetype makes the poem more meaningful to its audience by evoking religious symbolism.

this archetype reinforces the idea that power devours innocence.

3.read these lines from the poem.

in what distant deeps or skies
burnt the fire of thine eyes?

the distant deeps or skies allude to hell or heaven.

how does the allusion affect the meaning of this poem?

the speaker wonders if the tiger is good or evil.

the allusion demonstrates the speaker’s deeply held religious beliefs.

the speaker believes that the tiger is a monster sent to destroy him.

4.which alliterative phrase best reflects the theme that the world contains dark and powerful forces?

"tyger, tyger burning bright"
"in what distant deeps or skies"
"thy heart began to beat"
"could frame thy fearful symmetry"

5.what effect does the punctuation of the poem have on its meaning?

many questions make the poem an inquiry about the mysterious tiger.

repeated questions show that the speaker understands nothing about creation.

each line ends in a period, making each a statement about the human soul.

many lines contain commas, making the poem about the speaker’s frustration.