Final answer:
In 'The Tyger' by William Blake, the stars likely symbolize angels, reacting to the tiger's creation with a mixture of emotions that reflect the divine power capable of creating both the tiger and the lamb.
Step-by-step explanation:
In William Blake's "The Tyger," the line "When the stars threw down their spears And water'd heaven with their tears" uses the imagery of the stars engaging in an action that could be interpreted as a response to the creation of the tiger. These lines introduce a contrast with the innocence of "the Lamb" and suggest a higher divine presence, depicted using a male pronoun, who created both the tiger and the lamb. Considering the context and symbolism often associated with stars in literature, the stars most likely symbolize angels, who have traditionally been known to react to events on Earth, sometimes with awe, joy, or sorrow which fits with the description of them watering heaven with their tears, presumably in response to the sublime and ferocious beauty of the tiger, and the capacity of the divine figure that could create both the fierce tiger and the gentle lamb.