Lesson video

Hello, everyone.

How are you today? I hope you're well.

I hope you're doing really, really well today.

My name is Ms. Afzal, and I'm doing pretty good, thank you, because we're going to be exploring some poetry today.

We're going to be exploring the poetry of William Blake, and in particular the poem called "The Tyger".

So I'm gonna ask you to pause the video here while you go and get your copy of the poem "The Tyger".

All right, you're back, you've got your copy of the poem "The Tyger" by William Blake.

I hope you are curious.

I hope you are up for it.

Have you've got lots of ideas, lots of energy, and enthusiasm to explore this incredible poem "The Tyger" by William Blake.

Let's begin.

The outcome for today's lesson is I can understand the poem and the context in which it was written.

We have some keywords in our lesson today.

Let's go through them.

My turn, your turn.

Context, impression.

Let's find out what these words mean.

So context is the setting or background that helps us to understand something better.

An impression are our initial feelings about a person, place, or thing gained from reading a text.

Let's be on the lookout for these keywords as they occur in our lesson.

Introduction to "The Tyger" by William Blake, that's our lesson today, has two parts to it, learning about William Blake, the poet, and first impressions of "The Tyger".

Let's begin by learning about William Blake.

"The Tyger" is a poem written by William Blake in 1794 as part of the collection titled "Songs of Experience".

And on our screen we can see a portrait of William Blake.

Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

He was born in 1757 and died in 1827.

Blake's poetry often explores themes of innocence and experience, human nature, and spirituality.

Many of his poems are still well loved and well read around the world today.

Do you know or have you heard of any William Blake poems? You may have heard or read some such as "A Poison Tree".

William Blake wrote during periods that included significant historical events, including the American and French revolutions and the Industrial Revolution.

The Industrial Revolution was a period when machines and factories changed the way people lived and worked in cities.

Blake's writing was deeply influenced by the political, social, and economic changes of his time.

His poetry is a powerful reflection of the events and revolutionary ideas that shaped the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Knowing about the context helps readers better understand the poem by providing insight into the poet's influences and historical or cultural background that may have shaped a poem's themes and imagery.

Check for understanding, true or false? William Blake was not influenced by historical events that happened during his lifetime? Pause the video while he decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you selected false.

Now, I'd like you to justify your answer.

Blake's poetry reflects many of the events and ideas that occurred during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

The Industrial Revolution was a period when machines and factories changed the way people lived and worked in cities.

Pause the video while you decide which of these statements first justifies your earlier answer.

Both of these statements are true.

It is the first statement, however, that is more directly related to your earlier answer.

Here are some facts about William Blake.

William Blake was born near Soho, London in 1757.

And we can see Soho near the centre of London there on the map.

He showed artistic talent from a young age and was encouraged by his parents to pursue his interests in drawing and writing.

At the age of 14, he worked with an engraver where he learned the skills of engraving and painting.

And engraving is making a design on a hard, flat surface by carving into it.

I wonder if you've ever had a go some kind of engraving.

In 1782, Blake married Catherine Boucher.

Catherine played an significant role in Blake's life, helping him with his work.

Blake struggled to find recognition and financial success during his lifetime.

It was only in the decades following his death that Blake's work began to receive widespread recognition and celebration.

Check for understanding.

Match the following information about William Blake's life with the year that it occurred.

Born near Soho, London, married Catherine Boucher, worked with an engraver.

And years are 1772, 1757, and 1782.

Pause the video while you match the information about Blake's life with the year that it occurred.

Okay, did you make these connections? Blake was born near Soho, London in 1757, he married Catherine Boucher in 1782, and he worked with an engraver in 1772.

Well done if you made these connections.

Before we focus on poem itself, we can consider questions we'd like to know or ask about the poet.

We can focus on William Blake's early life, education, influences, drawing and writing style, themes, legacy.

And legacy means what he has left behind.

Can you think of a question that you would like to ask about William Blake? Pause the video while you think of a question you would like to ask and tell someone nearby.

Let's have a look at the question from Andeep, "I wonder where Blake got his ideas for his artwork and poetry?" Hmm, good question, like that one.

Check for understanding, true or false? When researching about a poet's life, readers can only ask questions about their influences? Pause the video while you decide if this is true or false.

Well done If you selected false.

And now I'd like you to justify your answer.

Readers can ask questions about a wide variety of topics, including a poet's early life, education, and writing style.

The context in which the poem was written can have an effect on the poem itself through its themes and ideas.

So pause the video while you decide which of these statements best justifies your earlier answer.

Well done if you selected the first statement.

This is a direct relation to your earlier answer.

And now it's time for your first task.

Referring to what we've found out so far, what do you want to find out about William Blake? What questions would you like to find out the answers to? I'd like to write down three questions.

These could be linked to his early life, education, influences, writing style, themes, or his legacy.

And you could begin your questions with these words: why, how, what, can, where, are there? So pause the video while you write down three questions that you would like to find out the answers to.

Three questions about William Blake.

Okay, great to be back with you.

How did you get on? Let's have a look at some sample questions.

What was Blake's childhood like? Did he always want to be an artist and poet? Did Blake have any brothers or sisters? Were they also artists? What was Blake's daily life like? Did he have any hobbies besides art and poetry? Did Blake write his poems first and then create illustrations for them, or did he do it the other way around? How long did it take Blake to create a poem or a piece of art? Some really, really intriguing questions there, I would love to know the answers to these.

Perhaps you could research some of the answers to these questions to deepen your understanding and engagement with the poem.

And now let's explore our first impressions of "The Tyger".

Before we read the poem, what does the title "The Tyger" make you think of? What words or images come to mind? Pause the video while you share with someone nearby.

What does the title make you think of? And what words or images come to mind? And tyger is an archaic spelling of the word tiger.

Archaic means very old.

Let's hear from Jacob, "I know tigers are very powerful and majestic creatures.

They have black and orange markings, which remind me of flames.

When they move I think of words like slinking, stalking, prowling, and pouncing." Oh yeah, you can almost see the movement in that image of a tiger on the screen, yeah.

Thanks for sharing, Jacob.

And I wonder where your response is similar or different and the images that came to mind were positive or negative? Take a moment to reflect on this.

Pause the video here.

And now let's read the poem.

A copy can be found in the additional materials.

"Tyger Tyger, burning bright, 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 watered 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?" And there we have the poem "The Tyger" by William Blake.

I'm going to give my initial response to the poem.

I'm gonna share what I liked about the poem and any questions I have about it.

I liked how the poem is rich in imagery.

The tiger is compared to a lamb.

I wonder if the tiger represents or a symbolic of something else? And now it's over to you.

It's your turn to give your initial response to the poem.

What did you like about the poem? Do you have any questions about it? So pause the video and share with someone nearby your initial response to the poem, what you liked, any questions you have.

"The Tyger" consists of six verses, each with four lines.

These are known as quatrains.

Each verse has a rhyme scheme of AABB.

Here's a brief summary of each verse.

I'd like you to refer to each verse as you read.

So in verse one, the speaker marvels at the sight of a fierce and powerful tiger depicted as burning bright in the darkness of the forest.

The speaker questions who or what could create such a fearsome and awe-inspiring creature? Verse two, continuing the questioning, the speaker wonders where the fire in the tiger's eyes came from.

They ask what kind of being would dare to seize the fire to give life to the tiger? Verse three, the speaker wonders about the creation of the tiger's heart and the strength required to give it life.

Verse four, the speaker wonders about the creation of the tiger's brain, imagining the tools and processes involved in its formation, such as a hammer, chain, furnace, and anvil.

Verse five, the speaker imagines the stars throwing down their spears and watering heaven with their tears.

They wonder if the Creator was happy with his creation.

And verse six, the speaker reiterates, they repeat central question, who or what could dare to frame the fearful symmetry of the tiger, emphasising the mystery and wonder of creation.

This is just one interpretation of the poem.

There are many possible interpretations that readers can make of the poem.

Check for understanding.

Select the statements that are true.

The tiger follows an ABAB rhyme scheme.

The tiger follows an AABB rhyme scheme.

The poem describes the creation of a powerful and fearsome tiger.

The poem describes a hunt between a tiger and its prey.

Pause the video while you select which of these statements are true.

Well done if you selected statements B and C.

The tiger follows an AABB rhyme scheme and it describes the creation of a powerful and fearsome tiger.

And now it's time for your next task.

Based on what we've read and discussed, I would like you to create a mind map with your initial impressions and questions that you have about the poem.

And remember impressions, one of our keywords, are your initial feelings about a person, place, or thing gained from reading a text.

In this case, the poem "The Tyger".

Here's some ideas of how you could start some of your entries on your mind map.

I wonder if, I think that, I noticed, I'm intrigued about, I believe, and I predict that.

So pause the video here while you create your mind map of initial impressions and questions about the poem "The Tyger".

I'll see you when you're finished.

Okay, so here we are.

Well done, everyone, for creating your mind maps.

Let's have a look at some of these initial impressions.

I wonder if Blake's themes of human nature and spirituality are represented in the poem.

I'm intrigued about the image of fire and symmetry.

I predict that further readings of the poem will reveal deeper layers of meaning.

I noticed a repetition of the questions throughout the poem.

Fantastic, I loved hearing these first impressions and some great questions, noticings, and predictions there.

Perhaps we'll find out some of the answers and confirm your initial thoughts as we continue exploring the poem in future lessons.

In our lesson, Introduction to "The Tyger" by William Blake, we have covered the following.

William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker, who was born in 1757 and died in 1827.

By asking questions about the poet, readers can deepen their understanding and engagement with the poem.

"The Tyger" consists of six verses, each with four lines.

Each verse has a rhyme scheme of AABB.

There are many possible interpretations that readers can make of the poem.

Thank you, everyone, for joining in with this lesson.

I really enjoyed finding out a little bit more about William Blake and introducing this poem "The Tyger", and hearing your initial impressions.

Let's explore it further in future lessons.

Until then, bye for now.