Question

By the end of "The Lamb," the speaker gives a clear answer to the question, "who made thee?" By contrast, "The Tiger" contains 15 questions, and none of them are answered in the poem.

Why is this significant? Could it be related to the idea of "innocence and experience"?
a) The lack of answers in "The Tiger" reflects the idea of the unknowable and mysterious aspects of existence, highlighting the contrast between innocence and experience.
b) It signifies a flaw in the structure of "The Tiger," as it leaves too many unanswered questions.
c) The lack of answers in "The Tiger" is a literary oversight and has no specific significance.
d) It suggests that the speaker in "The Tiger" is less interested in finding answers than in contemplating the awe-inspiring aspects of existence.

Answer 1

The unanswered questions in "The Tiger" by William Blake are a deliberate literary technique used to reflect on the mysterious and complex aspects of creation, contrasting with the simplicity and clarity of "The Lamb," thus exploring the themes of innocence and experience.

Step-by-step explanation:

The lack of answers in "The Tiger" reflects the poem's exploration of the mysterious aspects of existence, contrasting the notions of innocence and experience. William Blake's "The Tiger" is filled with unanswered questions that highlight the awe-inspiring and sometimes terrifying elements of creation. Unlike "The Lamb," which offers a clear answer to its central question, "The Tiger" presents a series of inquiries that probe deeper into the enigmatic forces that shape our world and our understanding of it. This mirrors the complexity of human experiences, feelings, and relationships which are often ambivalent and difficult to define, paralleling the ambiguity found in life's experiences and the concept of being human.

The fact that "The Tiger" ends with unresolved questions and Blake's meticulous choice of words, like the final stanza's dread grasp and deadly terrors clasp, emphasizes the poem's strength in expressing profound ideas through simple language and form. This choice provokes thought and insight into the human condition. Moreover, the open-ended nature of the poem invites readers to grapple with their understanding of the world, similar to how experiences in life do not always provide clear answers. The unanswered questions are not an oversight or flaw but a deliberate literary strategy to engage the reader in contemplation and reflection.