布莱克诗歌分析
2010-05-17 22:39阅读：
William Blake (1757-1827) published a collection of poetry titled
'Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience' which is divided into
two parts, as the title suggests. 'The Lamb' is from 'Songs of
Innocence' and 'The Tyger' is from 'Songs of Experience.'
'The Lamb' is a poem which glorifies the creator of the lamb. It
has the feeling of a nursery rhyme through the use of repetition
and a simply rhyme scheme. The use of soft, gentle phrases, such as
'tender voice' and 'little child,' also adds to the feeling that
this is an innocent poem to read to a young child. The imagery and
description of the lamb as 'tender,' 'meek' and 'woolly' further
supports that nursery rhyme atmosphere.
The idea that the creator is kind and good is shown two was in 'The
Lamb.' First, a series of rhetorical questions followed by an
immediate and simple answer: 'He is meek, and He is mild.' And
second, by using the symbol of the lamb to represent the creator.
The lamb is perhaps the gentlest creature we
can think of, and in Christianity Jesus Christ is often referred to
as a lamb.
Just as innocence is a much simpler state that that of experience,
'The Lamb' is simpler in both design and concept than 'The
Tyger.'
As in Blake's earlier poem, 'The Tyger' makes use of rhetorical
questioning. However, unlike in 'The Lamb,' no answer to the
questions is provided to the reader. The series of questions leads
to doubt forming in the reader's mind as to whether the creator is
truly as good as once thought.
'The Tyger' is made up of five stanzas, each of which is
constructed of a pair of rhyming couplets. The rhyme scheme, along
with a strong rhythm of stresses and unstressed syllables, results
in a 'drum beat' suiting of a tiger in a forest.
In 'The Tyger' William Blake asks the question 'Did He who made the
lamb make thee?' This suggests that readers are meant to compare
the two poems.
Both poems make use of a fairly simple rhyme scheme with ending
sounds of 'ee' and 'ight.' This parallel structure forms a bridge
between the two poems even before looking at their themes.
'The Tyger' and 'The Lamb' both speak of creation, but each from a
different light. 'The Lamb' takes a very innocent approach - the
creator is kind and good, and there is no doubt about it. 'The
Tyger' takes a more experienced approach - asking more questions
and not believing right away that the creator is good; after all, a
creature such as the tiger was created.
Strong commonalities in both theme and stylistic elements like
these two poems; not to mention the direct reference to 'The Lamb'
in 'The Tyger.' Blake intended these two poems to be juxtaposed,
and they have been for centuries.
The Tyger (Beaty 967). To begin with the poem is in lyrics and is
divided into six, four line stanzas, with the rhyme pattern AABB.
The syllables of the lines follow the pattern 7778 7777 7887 7777
7887 7778. This format is somewhat simple compared to others and
makes the poem flow and easy to remember. Within this structure
there is a large amount of historical influence on the poem. The
most noticeable of these influences are those of Romanticism. The
obvious interest in the Tiger shows a love for nature which came
about in that time after people no longer had to struggle against
it to stay alive and could now walk through the woods and just
enjoy what they saw (Brians). The many references to heaven and
creation also go along with the biblical theme that was common at
that time, (Brians) and is noticed in 18th line. Another aspect of
Romanticism is the strong emotion put into poetry, especially into
horror and amazement, which is especially felt in the second and
third stanzas describing the tiger. Along with Romanticism also
came individualism (Brians) and people began looking into art that
they enjoyed themselves rather than what everyone else liked. This
brought out a wider variety in the poetry being written. All of
this was after the Enlightenment which loosened Christianity’s hold
on Europe and let other religious ideas grow. Another major
historical influence at that time was the industrial revolution.
Blake was no stranger to this as his father was a London hosier
(Literature) and Blake worked in his shop when he was a child. From
these experiences Blake grew to hate the industrial revolution and
what it had done to the world. He expressed this distaste in London
(Beaty 625) with his description of the horrible state the city was
in. In line 10 of London Blake talks about the church being
appalled at what is happening in the Industrial Revolution as
though it were evil. Images from the industrial revolution are
clearly seen in The Tyger in the fourth stanza with the use of the
words that give you an image of a factory creating this tiger. This
gives the tiger sort of an evil feel which leads the reader to feel
that the tiger is being forged in the depths of hell. To answer the
question of whom the creator of the tiger we need to note the
influence of Paradise Lost by Milton on Blake. To Blake Satan was
the hero of the epic, and he felt that Milton was actually on
Satan’s side without even realizing it (wwnorton). Even more so
Blake found Satan’s actions admirable in the epic, (wwnorton) and
it quoted as saying “I must create my own system or be enslaved by
another man’s” (Grif). This gives a sense of a rebellious Blake
actually identifying with Satan and in the seventh line of the poem
Blake toys with the notion of Satan being the creator of the tiger
when he talks about a winged hero, the most notorious of which
being Lucifer himself. This interest in angels and demons came from
his visions starting at a very young age in which Blake spoke with
archangels and other historical figures, one of which was Milton
(Literature). Later in life he was greatly influenced by the works
of Emanuel von Swedenborg (Liukkonen), another mystic visionary who
claimed to be able to travel to heaven and hell (Liukkonen). This
influence is seen when he refers to the fall of the angels in the
17th line of the poem as when the angels put down their spears and
were kicked out of heaven when the war ended. In the 20th line of
the poem Blake alludes to his earlier poem, The Lamb (Beaty 871),
which is meant to go along with The Tyger. In line 17 of The Lamb
Blake tells the lamb that it wasn’t God, but Jesus who created him.
Then in The Tyger Blake asks the tiger in line 20 if it was Jesus
that made him also. This placing of the emphasis on Jesus instead
of God comes from Gnosticism, in which the Judeo-Christian God is
considered to be the flawed Demiurge while Jesus is the son of the
True God (Hoeller). During Blake’s time these views were not
acceptable and so they put into The Tyger cryptically, but in the
present day Blake is recognized as a Gnostic saint (Madanaim). The
Lamb is a definite influence in The Tyger which came after, and is
necessary to completely understand The Tyger. The Lamb being in
Songs of Innocence (Literature) is just that, an Innocent poem
written as though the speaker were a child knowing nothing of evil.
Then in The Tyger which was published in Songs of Experience
(Literature) it is as though experience has shown the speaker that
there is more to the world than what was discussed with the lamb
and now he is questioning just who created the tiger in the fourth
line and then decides in the 24th line with his change of wording.
After becoming aware of the external influences on this poem it
become clear to the reader that there is much more going on in this
poem than just the speaker looking at a tiger Taking into
consideration what is going on at the time and how it is worded the
reader can get a good idea of exactly how the speaker feels about
what’s happening and a much better idea of what the authors
motivation for the poem was.
Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
An epic beginning to an incredible poem. The capitalization of the
second Tyger indicates strength and simply a bite that I think has
to be maintained in reciting. The alliteration of the hard
consonant sounds also capture attention - rarely has this common
poetic device worked so well.
The Tyger is burning bright - a first reference to fire that is a
constant recurring theme in the poem. Blake had been working on a
Narrative of Surinam by Stedman in his working life which described
the tyger's eyes as emitting flashes like lightning.
In the forests of the night;
Some interesting considerations for this line. Why use the plural
forests? Forest of the night would have been sufficient for most
poets? Perhaps Blake's own visionary experiences play a part here
as well as the commonly accepted 18th century view of Heaven and
Hell being different lands - Blake used themes of Heaven in Hell
and Hell in Heaven several times. A simpler explanantion might just
be that he preferred the assonance of the plural form, just as
Byron later preferred the singular in his poem The Destruction of
Sennacherib: 'The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold',
rather than the more likely plural Assyrians.
In his biography of Blake, Ackroyd opines that there is also an
interpretation regarding the literal literary creation: 'From the
forests of the night is derived the dark charcoal that is used to
forge the iron for Blake's copper plates'. This seems unduly
superficial to me and while Ackroyd urges readers to recall Blake's
subscription to Swedenborg's theories on the one hand, he also
seems to sweep the likely connection to one side on the
other.
I am inclined to the view that Blake saw his visions as an insight
into the Forests of the night.
What immortal hand or eye,
There could only be one possible creator in Blake's mind but it
sets a suspicion of doubt at this point in the poem. I find the use
of 'hand or eye' rather than hand and eye interesting. It might
simply be that Blake disliked the sound of 'hand and' but it does
focus some thought on the possible different creative processes for
both his art and poetry. His engraving required mechanical aptitude
but his art needed vision.
Could frame thy fearful symmetry.
The Could in this line has also to be considered in the context of
Dare in the final stanza.
Frame would have been a natural thought process for Blake in the
creation of art. Fearful in relation to the Tyger is self-evident
but symmetry? Webster's Dictionary says of symmetry: also: beauty
of form arising from balanced proportion. This possible explanation
of fearful beauty appeals to me.
Stanza the second
In what distant deeps or skies
Again an interesting likely reference to Heaven and Hell and
continuing the doubt regarding the creation of such a beast from
the question posed in the first stanza.
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
Fire again. The continuation of the metaphor almost certainly now
transcends the original inspiration, if indeed this was from the
Narrative of Surinam.
The burning eyes in Heaven or Hell, or the burning eyes in Heaven
in Hell and Hell in Heaven?
On what wings dare he aspire?
Back to the creator now. A subtle shift from the capability implied
by 'Could frame…' to the requirement for courage suggested by 'dare
he aspire'. On what wings indeed, this is a solitary reference and
not easy to be conclusive about. Blake was visited with visions of
Angels (and as a child by God) from time to time which may have led
him to see the creator also with wings.
What the hand, dare seize the fire?
The shift to courage is now made completely in this repetition. The
metaphor of forge for the creation process now begins.
Throughout this stanza too, there are strong consonants to maintain
the flow of the poem: 'distant deeps' 'Burnt' and the strong t in
'What', for example. In reading, I like to accentuate these sounds,
perhaps over-emphasize but the result is effective, I
believe.
Stanza the third
And what shoulder, & what art
The shoulder is a clear reference to the physical prowess required
in the forging process. To then supplement the physical power by
going on '& what art' is a stunning continuance of the twin
aspects of creation mentioned above.
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
So it requires physical prowess and art to 'twist the sinews of thy
heart'; this is suggestive to me of both the general metaphorical
sense of heart together with (again) the physical contrast. This
comparison and contrasting reach to the heart of the poem for
me.
And when thy heart began to beat
What dread hand? & what dread feet?
A concentration now on the physical elements. It prepares the
reader/listener for the forging process to be elaborated on
in:
Stanza the fourth
What the hammer? What the chain?
The staccato questions suggest a quick-fire delivery to me.
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp,
The creation metaphor now completes its passage. All the elements
of creation in the forge have been contemplated. The physical
strength of the smith. The tools, hammer, chain and anvil. This
coupled with an artistic vison
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
'Dare' reappears and the thread of a courageous, rather than simply
a capable creator is developed.
Stanza the fifth
The crescendo of the poem approaches.
When the stars threw down their spears
And water'd heaven with their tears
Wonderful lines. Why were the spears thrown down? In fear?
revulsion? I am sure the inspiration of stars throwing down spears
was by seeing shooting stars in the night sky as many have
suggested. But the meaning? Blake depicted in an engraving of a
creation scene from Job the stars shedding tears. The (almost)
reversal does suggest shock, surprise and revulsion at what has
been created.
The magnificent build up is now over and the epicenter of the poem
reached.
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
I find it interesting that while Tyger is capitalized and Lamb is
capitalized, the word 'he' for the creator is not. The extent to
which this may be suggestive is unclear to me. It may simply be a
device to avoid undue emphasis on the word when reading - I am sure
the capitalization elsewhere is deliberately to produce
accentuation. If the poem had been produced 100 years later, one
might be forgiven for thinking there was an element of Darwinism
creeping in. Blake had a clear belief in creation but perhaps the
creator is known by his creations?
I have read a number of theories suggesting that the poem indicates
that the Tyger embodies evil. This could certainly be true. I have
also read that the poem leaves the issue unfinished, an open
question. I disagree.
Tyger, Tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare thy fearful symmetry.
To me, there is further depth than simply the creation of evil by
God (creator). I think the poem touches the heart of the most
troubling issue that racks theologians. How can God allow, for
example, the death of an innocent child through famine in Ethiopia.
The change in the poem from simply a capable creator to a brave
creator suggests, to me, that Blake saw a necessity for balance in
the world - he once wrote that active evil is better than passive
good.
The poem tells me that Blake saw and appreciated that a brave
creator knew the need for misery in the world as well as joy and
for fear as well as fearlessness
In Songs of Experience, the child in “The Chimney Sweeper”
understands that he is a victim and tells the observer (most likely
the Bard in the “Introduction” to Experience) who sees the “little
black thing” (1) in the snow weeping. Unlike the boy in Innocence,
both parents of this child are living and have gone to the church
to pray, an overt criticism of the Church of England since chimney
sweepers were not welcome in church (Nurmi 18). The boy believes
that his pious parents sold him as a chimney sweeper because he was
happy. Clothing him “in the clothes of death” (7) refers to his
life as a social outcast and his being destined to an early death
because of the working and living conditions of his profession.
However, his parents believe that they have done no harm and have
“gone to praise God and his priest and king” (11). This is not only
a criticism of the parents who sell their children into this life
but of the Church of England and the government for condoning the
ill treatment of these chimney sweeps. He also seems to be
criticizing God himself, who seems so cruel for allowing those who
practice this treatment to go unpunished. For these poems, an
understanding of the ideas of one poem, as well as the ideas that
it lacks, illuminates the other poem. This gives the reader a
different interpretation of the poem than if one of these “The
Chimney Sweeper” poems would be read alone. For instance, in Songs
of Innocence, the chimney sweeps are offered hope by the outcome of
Tom Dacre’s dream. The narrator offers comfort that no harm or
punishment will come to those who obey. Also, Tom is used to
illustrate another point. He is originally frightened but later
feels “happy and warm” (23), showing that one can experience a
certain degree of happiness in the even in the worst of
circumstances. These ideas of hope and happiness place further
emphasis on the bitterness of the chimney sweep in Songs of
Experience. He understands his circumstances and sees no hope of
freedom from his oppression. Instead of believing that obedience
will prevent punishment, he
perceives his current circumstance as a punishment for being happy
with his childhood. Also, he does not seem to endorse the Christian
idea of having joy in the midst of adversity; he sees little if any
reason to be happy in his miserable predicament. In fact, the God
that his parents praise seems as cruel as others who allow children
to be mistreated in such a way. These examples illustrate how an
understanding of the themes of “The Chimney Sweeper” in Songs of
Innocence can further illuminate the some of the ideas in Songs of
Experience.
Analysis of 'The Chimney Sweeper'
William Blake wrote 'The Chimney Sweeper' of 'Songs of Innocence'
in 1789. In the next to last line of the first stanza, the cry
''weep! 'weep! 'weep! 'weep!' is the child's attempt at saying
'Sweep! Sweep!,' which was the chimney sweeper's street cry. This
poem shows that the children have a very positive outlook on life.
They make the best of their lives and do not fear death.
This is quite the opposite in it's companion poem in 'Songs of
Experience' which was written in 1794. In this poem, the child
blames his parents for putting him in the position he was in. He is
miserable in his situation and he also blames 'God & his Priest
& King'. This point of view is different from that of its
companion poem because the chimney sweeper has been influenced by
society and has an 'experienced' point of view
Analysis of 'The Lamb' and 'The Tyger'
'The Lamb' from 'Songs of Innocence' is a very symbolic poem. The
lamb in the poem can symbolize innocence, serenity, a child, Jesus,
or sacrifice. The poem gives credit to God for making such a
beautiful being as the lamb.
It's companion poem in 'Songs of Experience', 'The Tyger,' on the
other hand, contains a different perspective of human life. The
tyger could be compared to an 'experienced' human. The tyger is
described as an animal that basically has to kill everyday in order
to live. It is a being whose life is made by death. The question is
asked 'What immortal hand or eye dare frame thy fearful symmetry?'
The 'experienced' author is asking why God dared to make humans the
way that they are, the way of the tyger. This, of course, is
differs greatly from the perspective of the 'innocent' author of
'The Lamb.'
Unlike the one in Songs of Innocence, 'The Chimney Sweeper', in
Songs of Experience is very dark and pessimistic. This poem also
seems to be very judgmental and gives motives for everything, but
unlike Song of Innocence, the sweeper in this poem does not free
himself from his misery.
In the first two lines, Blake gives us an image of an anguished
child in a state of agony or even in a state of corruption. The
color black seems to be very important because it is used to
represent sin against innocence, the color of the white snow. Blake
also shows the same child weeping, when he really means to say
sweeping, because that is what has that child in such grief. This
stanza ends by someone asking him about his parents, which later
end up being responsible for this child’s state.
‘
In the second stanza, the child is pictured in a very more happier
and playful mood. This soon changes when he decides to tell the
stranger more about his parents. They are showed to be punishing
their child for being so happy by 'clothing in clothes of death and
teaching him to sing notes of woe.' It is very obvious the
sweeper’s feels hate towards his parents for putting him in such
sadness, but instead he chooses to hide it by making himself look
happy and satisfied.
It is clear in the last Stanza that Blake’s criticizing the Church
, especially, and the state for letting a lot of these things
happen. During this time many children were dying from being,
either, worked to death or from malnutrition. Neither the state or
the church did anything to stop this and is obviously why Blake
feels so much anger towards them. The sweeper’s parents are really
no help towards their own child. This makes the reader wonder, if
they are worshipping god, the source of good doings, why do they
chose to ignore their own child. They would rather turn their heads
the other way and instead findlove at church.
I think this is a very striking poem. It clearly shows Blake’s
anger towards society at this time. I also think that he used many
of his poems to make people aware of the suffering of people at
this time. I also think That he wrote two separate books to give a
fuller effect. Songs of Innocence, I think was how people thought
that everything was okay. Songs of Experience, in my opinion was to
open every ones eyes.
