The Tyger: Did he who made the lamb make thee

The Tyger: Did he who made the lamb make thee | William Blake

Q. ‘Did he who made the lamb make thee?’ Explain.

Answer: One of the most important lines from William Blake's poem "The Tyger" is the above quoted line. It is a kind of rhetorical questions. Readers can find its answer within the question itself. Through this line, Blake represents the artistry of the almighty God who is the only creator of both good and evil in the world.

"Did he who made the lamb make thee?" is a mysterious question. It addressed to a ferocious tiger. In this poem, the 'lamb' stands for innocence, purity and gentleness. On the contrary, the 'tiger' represents power, ferocity, and the darker aspects of existence. Therefore, Blake puts forth a philosophical question about the motif of the almighty God for his mysterious creations in this earthly world.

The inner meaning of the above line is very significant. The question implies that if the same creator is responsible for both the gentle lamb and the fearsome tiger, then how can such opposing forces coexist? It puts a question against the traditional understanding of the benevolent and all-powerful God. But all we know that the God is mainly associated with goodness and light. Thus the poem is filled with the utmost paradox of the creator, God. Because, He is supposed to be responsible for both the beautiful and the terrifying aspects of the world.

Blake's shows the mystery of existence and the nature of divine creation. It suggests that the creator must possess a complex and multifaceted nature. He is capable of bringing forth both gentle innocence and fierce power. The question hints at the mysterious and contradictory nature of God or the creative force behind the universe.

Again in this line, we can easily mark an inherent duality among God's creations in this world. The above line, thus, affirms that within each individual, there exists both tenderness and ferocity. The line thus represents the complexities of human existence and the coexistence of contradictory qualities within us.

The poem also represents the idea of theodicy. it means how God can exist simultaneously in such a situation when there is evil in the world. By keeping a remarkable question about the origin of the tiger's creation, Blake becomes surprised with the notion of why a benevolent deity would allow the existence of suffering, violence, and evil in the world.

Finally, the quoted line, "Did he who made the lamb make thee?" from William Blake's poem "The Tyger" is no doubt, a remarkable rhetorical question. It shows the nature of creation, the coexistence of good and evil, and the complexities of human existence. It challenges conventional notions of a purely benevolent creator. At the same time, it reflects on the mysterious and contradictory aspects of the world. Finally, William Blake puts a philosophical dilemma of the coexistence of both good and evil.

*****

👉 Goblin Market | Short Questions and Answers (2 Marks)

👉 The Chimney Sweeper | critical appreciation

👉 Tintern Abbey | Wordsworth's philosophy or view of Nature