Blog # 9
In Willliam Blakes "The Lamb" the second stanza, the lamb is compared with the infant Jesus.
The poem is a child’s song, in the form of a question and answer. The question the poem is asking is who made thee? Since this is an innocent question we can assume a child would be asking it. The child is also asking into the deep and timeless questions that all human beings have, about their own origins and the nature of creation.
The lamb of course symbolizes Jesus. The traditional image of Jesus as a lamb underscores the Christian values of gentleness and peace. The image of the child is also associated with Jesus: in the Gospel, Jesus displays a special solicitude for children.
"The Tyger" and "The Lamb" are two poems that give a perspective on religion that includes the good and ugly. These poems complement each other to produce a fuller account than either offers alone. They offer a good instance of how Blake himself stands somewhere outside the perspectives of innocence and experience he projects.
"The Tyger is represented and can be seen as God dwelling into the world and seeing that evil does lurk and exsists.
Rachel, very well stated. I really like your perspective on both of these poems. I have a hard time understanding poetry, but how you explained your perspective of these poems I will change my approach when reading poetry. I love how "The Tyger" sums up all of the question of who the creator is of the Lamb and of the Tyger. If "The Tyger" was never written, "The Lamb" would be a poem all by it's lonesome.
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