Songs of Innocence and of Experience

Poetry | William Blake
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How is the Lamb Different from the Tyger?

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How is the lamb different from the tyger?

William Blake’s (1757-1827) poems “The Lamb” (1789) and “The Tyger” (1794) are very different in their meaning and the way they describe creation. They show two opposite sides of the world—innocence and experience.

The Lamb: A Symbol of Innocence: In “The Lamb”, the lamb represents innocence, kindness, and gentleness. The poem is soft and peaceful, just like the lamb itself. The speaker, a child, asks the lamb if it knows who made it:

“Little Lamb who made thee”

The child answers that God is loving and good, and He made the lamb. The lamb is also a symbol of Jesus Christ, who is known as the “Lamb of God” in Christianity. The poem suggests that God is caring, protective, and full of love. Blake uses simple, joyful words to describe the lamb—such as “softest clothing wooly bright” and “tender voice.”
i> This makes the poem feel warm and comforting, like a song for a child.

The Tyger: A Symbol of Power and Mystery: In “The Tyger”, the tiger is strong, fierce, and full of energy. Unlike “The Lamb,” this poem asks deeper questions about God’s creation. The speaker wonders how the same God who made the gentle lamb could also create such a powerful and terrifying creature. The speaker says:

“Did he who made the Lamb make thee?”

The tiger represents strength, fire, and mystery. The words used in “The Tyger” are darker and more dramatic—such as “burning bright” and “fearful symmetry.” These words show that the tiger is both beautiful and dangerous.  

The Main Difference: “The Lamb” shows the gentle, loving side of creation, while “The Tyger” shows the powerful, mysterious side. Blake uses these two poems to show that the world has both innocence and experience, kindness and strength, love and fear—all created by the same God. 

In conclusion, Blake wants us to see that the world has both gentle things (like lambs) and wild things (like tigers). They are opposites, but both are part of life.

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William Blake
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