Poem
About the Author :
William Blake, (born Nov. 28, 1757, London , Eng.—died Aug. 12, 1827, London), English engraver, artist, poet, and visionary, author of exquisite lyrics in Songs of Innocence (1789) and Songs of Experience (1794) and profound and difficult “prophecies,” such as Visions of the Daughters of Albion (1793), The First Book of Urizen (1794), Milton (1804[–?11]), and Jerusalem (1804[–?20]). The dating of Blake’s texts is explained in the Researcher’s Note:Blake publication dates. These works he etched, printed, coloured, stitched, and sold, with the assistance of his devoted wife, Catherine. Among his best known lyrics today are “The Lamb,” “The Tyger,” “London,” and the “Jerusalem” lyric from Milton, which has become a kind of second national anthem in Britain. In the early 21st century, Blake was regarded as the earliest and most original of the Romantic poets, but in his lifetime he was generally neglected or (unjustly) dismissed as mad
About the poem:
A Poison Tree" is a poem written by William Blake , published in 1794 as part of his Songs of Experience collection. It describes the narrator's repressed feelings of anger towards an individual, emotions which eventually lead to murder. The poem explores themes of indignation, revenge, and more generally the fallen state of mankind.
Summary of A Poison Tree
The poem, A poison tree in comprised on four stanzas. Here is stanza wise summary of A Poison tree for better understanding.
Summary of stanza 1
The poet says in first stanza that once he was angry with his one of the friends due to any reason and he told him clearly about it. By doing so, all his anger against his friend vanished away and again they became friends.
In second half of first stanza, poet narrates another experience that once he got angry with his one enemy and did not tell him about it. This time anger stared growing in poet’s mind.
In the first stanza, we come to know that how it is easy to reconcile with a friend if we clear doubts and misunderstandings. However, on the other hand, if we do not talk to someone when we are angry with him; anger and hate will keep growing in our mind against enemy.
Summary of stanza 2
In second stanza, poet elaborates his experience that he watered his anger every day and night in fears of disclosing it to his enemy. He also shed tears because of hate. Here poet wants to tell that he failed to give up his anger that causes him fear and tears. Wrath kept growing in poets mind by day and night because he feared to reveal it to enemy and in this way memory of ill-activity remained alive in his mind.
In the last two lines of second stanza, Blake says that he sunned his anger with smiles and soft deceitful wiles. Here poet symbolizes his anger as a tree which is as growing in his mind as tree grows in light of sun. In last line, poet says that the deceitful tricks (hiding anger) made the tree grow up in poet’s mind.
Summary of stanza 3
In third stanza, poet explains that the tree kept growing day and night and finally one day it became a full grown tree with a bright apple. “Bright Apple” depicts here something which attracts his enemy to eat it. However, deceitful tricks like deceit and hate made this bright apple fully grown and it is harmful for the enemy
Many critics compare this bright apple with the apple of the Heaven that was forbidden for Adam to eat as believed in Christian and Islamic Theology. Adam and Eve were attracted by Satan (Lucifer) to eat the forbidden apple but it caused a disaster in their lives and they were expelled from the Heaven. Here poet wants to tell that like Lucifer, he kept hidden his intentions and kept smile on his face that caused harm to his enemy.
Some critics refer this bright apple to some of written works of Blake which were stolen by one of his friends and caused shame for his friend latter on.
Summary of stanza 4
In last stanza poets tells about the consequences of that bright apple. Like Adam and Eve, the poet’s enemy stole the bright apple from the garden at night and ate it. Later on, in the morning, the poet is happy when he looks at his enemy lying dead under the tree. Here poet compare himself with Satan as Satan was also glad to see Adam and Eve being expelled from Heaven.
The message poet wants to covey is that anger and hatred make one like Satan and when he plans to take revenge for something bad done to him, one forgets the consequences. Morally, poet tells us that we should clear our misunderstanding until they become like a bright apple that can cause harm.
A Poison Tree Theme
A Poison Tree, a simple poem, contains a serious thought. The poem reflects on the bitter effects of the suppressed feeling of enmity. The secretly nurtured grievance and the hypocritical show of friendship lead to dangerous consequences. This theme is well illustrated through the poet’s dealing with his foe. He nurses his grudge against his foe, poses friendship, tempts him and succeeds in poisoning and destroying him. What is emphasized here is that suppression merely nurtures the poison tree.
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