Analysis of A Poison Tree by William Blake

Analysis of A Poison Tree by William Blake A Poison Tree is a famous poem from Romantic Era English poet William Blake. It was published in 1794 in his collection Songs of Experience. In general, it is about repressed anger that can lead to violence. It also points to the state of humankind in the Romantic Era. The particulars of the poem will be discussed in detail in the following paragraphs. Here is the poem for reference: A Poison Tree I was angry with my friend; I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe: I told it not, my wrath did grow. And I waterd it in fears, Night morning with my tears: And I sunned it with smiles, And with soft deceitful wiles. And it grew both day and night. Till it bore an apple bright. And my foe beheld it shine, And he knew that it was mine. And into my garden stole, When the night had veild the pole; In the morning glad I see; My foe outstretched beneath the tree. The technicalities The poem has a trochaic beat (three feet for each line; a succession of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable). In total, it consists of four stanzas. Each couplet rhymes with each other. The narration of the poem is expressed in the first person. In addition, the original draft of the poem had a line drawn beneath the first stanza, which might mean that Blake wanted the poem to end there (Stauffer, Andrew). In fact, multiple revisions were made before it was published. Themes to look for First off, let us look at the biblical connection the poem has. Blake was commonly deliberate in his usage of symbols. According to Owlcation.com, â€Å"The wrath of the speaker becomes a metaphorical tree bearing a poison apple. This allusion to the book of Genesis, chapter 3, is a clear one. The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is the poems tree. The Serpent is the speaker, both tempting and deceitful. And Adam and Eve are the foe, both guilty of disobedience† (Spacey, Andrew). However, the link between the Bible and the poem is more nuanced than direct. Another take on the poem is that it is about the anger in British society with the start of the French Revolution. In addition, Blake, like Coleridge, believed in expressing malice in healthy ways. Blake was not a person who adhered to vengeance, but by letting go of one’s anger through safe action (Stauffer, Andrew). An interesting aspect to note in the poem is the term â€Å"poison.† The act of poisoning is brought up in many poems of Blake. In most of Blake’s works, it is seen as a sign of corrupted identity or individualism (Peterfreund, Stuart). The poem could also be a moral lesson: take responsibility for your anger, or the people you hate will get hurt and might even die. According to Owlcation.com, â€Å"With repeated emphasis on the self seventeen times I, my, mine the speaker courageously suggests that responsibility for managing anger is personal. If it is left to fester and not dealt with then the consequences could be dire† (Spacey, Andrew). In its simple, nursery-rhyme language and rhythm, A Poison Tree makes for a powerful and serious message. Poetic devices to notice Antithesis: This is shown in the first stanza with the first two lines contrasting or juxtaposing the last two lines of the stanza. Alliteration: Strings of the same consonant can be found throughout A Poison Tree, such as â€Å"And I sunned it with smiles.† Allusion: As mentioned before, the poem alludes to the Garden of Eden. Metaphor: The apple is the manifestation of the anger of the narrator. Symbolism: The tree is symbolic of the wrath’s growth, while â€Å"garden† may be a symbol for the heart where the hatred has developed. Imagery: Mostly, the poem concentrates on delivering imagery about the tree, apple, and garden, with one very interesting phrase: â€Å"And I waterd it in fears.† A Poison Tree is a poem that seems to flow naturally with its rhythm, but its overall tone is serious. It portrays what happens to us if we hold in anger towards someone for a long time. We hurt not only ourselves, but also those we despise. Perhaps this poem is saying that vengeance is the ugliest of things, and that it can even happen indirectly. â€Å"A Poison Tree Analysis Literary Devices and Poetic Devices.† Literary Devices, 7 Mar. 2019, literarydevices.net/a-poison-tree/. Peterfreund, Stuart. William Blake in a Newtonian World. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1998. Spacey, Andrew. â€Å"Analysis of Poem ‘A Poison Tree’ by William Blake.† Owlcation, Owlcation, 25 Jan. 2019, owlcation.com/humanities/Analysis-of-Poem-A-Poison-Tree-by-William-Blake. Stauffer, Andrew. Anger, Revolution, and Romanticism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.

An Easy Way to Write a 500-Word Essay

An Easy Way to Write a 500-Word Essay An Easy Way to Write a 500-Word Essay During student years, we have to face multiple tasks, which differ in complexity, style and guidelines. However, a 500-word essay is probably one of the most common tasks you will ever face, so you need to be ready to complete it not depending on the subject. Some students call it the simplest assignment, while others consider a punishment. However, we are ready to calm everyone: following a few simple rules, you will easily master this task and will be able to complete such an essay without any problems. The only secret is that you need to write on a topic you understand and provide your personal opinion on the subject. However, even if you know the topic, you might have no time or lack inspiration. You may also miss a few classes and find it difficult to keep up with all the tasks. In such a case, you can turn to a professional writing service or try to complete a 500-word essay on your own, following our guidelines. Mastering all the tips and having a few examples will definitely save lots of your time and will guarantee high grades. Everything you need to know to complete a 500-word essay Here are the main tips and advice, which you need to consider to complete the assignment in the best possible way: Write an outline. It will be much easier to complete an essay if you have an overall idea of what to write about. Add various points or hints to remember what you were going to discuss. It doesn’t mean that you need to stick to your outline without making any changes along the way; Start with telling the reader about the main idea of your essay, its background, discussed questions and possible results. Make this section as interesting as possible to encourage the audience to go on reading. Remember that using complicated sentences and boring language may make the reader want to put aside your essay; Body paragraphs. This section will require your maximum attention, as you need to provide all the information on the topic. Don’t forget to provide reliable information, backed with facts, data and various visual elements to make the whole essay interesting and easy to read; Closing thoughts always have a great value, as they are a combination of all of your thoughts and ideas. Here you need to summarize everything you have concluded and provide your predictions for the future. In addition, you can always write down something challenging to make the reader want to think on the topic; Personal style. The best part of any essay is that we all have our unique writing style and the way we master words reflects our personality and outlook on life. That is why the best advice will be to adjust your style to the topic. If it is a descriptive essay, be brief and straight to the point. If you need to be creative, spice up your paper with humor and colors! Check the paper. After completing the essay, put it aside and take some time to rest. Later you can go through it again, fixing all the mistakes. Another useful advice is to look at the paper as if you are a reader. Make sure your essay is easy to read and interesting, not complicated with heavy sentences and structures; Avoid plagiarism. Your professor will easily find out that you have used side sources to complete an essay. It doesn’t mean that you need to have fresh ideas for everything. However, you can use quotes and mentioning without pretending you have written everything on your own. All these tips are universal and you can apply them not depending on the task: a 500-word essay, a research paper or any other assignment. Moreover, you can use your writing skills to make additional money during student years and complete academic assignments for others! What can be easier to change lives of other students, using our simple and effective tips?