Welcome back to Footnotes, a new link-up hosted by Emily @ Stranger Worlds & Ashley @ [oddly novel title] for quotation obsessees. Each month they will post a prompt and participants will share a quote that fits the prompt as well as share their thoughts on it in any way they wish.
October's Prompt: A Quotation from a Poem
Tyger Tyger, burning bright,"The Tyger" by William Blake from Songs of Innocence and of Experience
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, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & 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 water'd 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?
This poem was originally published in Songs of Experience as a follow up to Songs of Innocence in 1789. It's the companion poem to "The Lamb". "The Tyger" was the first poem to jump to mind when I saw the prompt for this month, probably because I've studied William Blake so much. I can recite some of the poems from this collection from memory with this one being my favorite. Remember that Infiniti car commercial with Kit Harrington, the one where as he's driving he recites this poem? Yeah, I've recited it with him a few times... might have gotten a few weird looks from friends and family who weren't already familiar with William Blake!
I only know this one because of the show Mentalist, the killer uses it a lot.
ReplyDeleteThat's right! I forgot about that!
DeleteAaaaahh, I remember that part on The Mentalist! I think that was one of the few times, I actually jumped while watching it.
DeleteOoh I've never heard this one before, but I like it! Especially that bit about the stars throwing down their spears
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite parts too!
DeleteThe idea behind the companion poems is certainly fascinating - The Tyger and The Lamb are definitely the highlights.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not that weird! :)
I haven't heard of this poem before, but I think it's great.
ReplyDeleteI studied this poem in primary school and remember loving it but it's been a while since I've read it so thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteIn primary school! Sounds like they started you early - I didn't come across this until post-secondary!
DeleteLove this one! I'll have to look up The Lamb sometime. It'll probably be even more fascinating when I know the whole context of both poems. ;) Thanks so much for joining in the fun!
ReplyDelete