William Blake is one of the renowned English poets who enriched world literature with his rich imagery. He is one of the brightest representatives of English romanticism. The focus of the movement is on imagination, freedom, self-realization, rebellion, isolation, and “noble savage” (Canli 16). The poet paid specific attention to these themes in his works and examined the essence of life, death, humanness, nature, society, and other aspects. Blake was a remarkable explorer of the human soul providing accurate insights into the core features of people. The poem “A Poison Tree” is one of the illustrations of this imaginative analysis of some of the central emotions experienced by humans, which is hatred. William Blake exploits bright symbols to convey his idea of the destructive power of hatred but leaves readers unaware of its influence on a person’s wellbeing.
Notably, the author starts his poem by identifying the major cause of hatred and associated negative emotions and behaviors. To be more precise, one of the premises for this feeling is the relationship between two people. Friends try to remain positive and cooperative, but behavioral patterns with enemies are different (Mulyati 116). The major reason for the hatred is a misunderstanding based on individuals’ unwillingness to interact effectively. Lara and Vijila note that concealing one’s emotions was a norm at that period, so people often suffered and chose to take revenge (132). This kind of situation is described in the poem in question.
As mentioned above, symbolism is another feature of romanticism, as well as the poetic discourse in general. William Blake used quite a conventional symbol of a tree to depict the emergence of some emotion. The poet stated that his “wrath did grow” as he “waterd it in fears” and “sunned it with smiles, / And with soft deceitful wiles” (Blake lines 4-8). Blake uses bright symbols to discuss the factors contributing to the development of hatred and taking corresponding actions. The poet suffers and fears his foe, but he does not reveal his emotions. He does not attempt to resolve the issue in any way. Instead, he is trying to deceive the enemy by displaying positive emotions. In such a figurative way, Blake shows that hatred accumulates similarly to the growth of a tree that is watered and sunned with specific emotions. The poet unveils some of the deepest and most negative emotions that are typical of many people.
Another symbol utilized in the poem is that of an apple, and it is strong due to its deep roots in ancient writings. Clearly, the apple is the central fruit in the Bible that serves as an object of desire and sin. In the Ancient Greek epic, an apple caused a great war as it was also an object of goddesses’ desire and Paris’s sin, who stole another man’s wife. In Blake’s poem, his apple is also an object of desire and sin as his enemy “beheld it shine, / And he knew that it was mine” (lines 11-12). The poet’s foe wanted to steal the fruit, which caused a disaster for both.
On the one hand, the enemy is destroyed, so there is a definite fruit of a certain kind of labor. On the other hand, the consequences are multifaceted because although the poet seems “glad” at the end seeing his opponent “outstretched beneath the tree,” he is also a victim (Blake line 16). The poet does not explicitly elaborate on this aspect, but having a poisonous tree can hardly be beneficial for any individual. The focus of the poem is on the way hatred develops, but its outcomes are never explored.
Finally, in addition to the exact objects described in the piece, a symbol of a garden emerges. The title of the poem suggests that the poet understands the destructive potential of the tree he grew “both day and night” in his garden (Blake line 9). The symbol of the garden as a soul is another strong device, making readers alert. The fact that a poison tree kills someone, be it a foe or anyone else, highlights the overall impact of negative emotions. The poet does not reflect on the way this revenge affected him in the future. However, the reader is compelled to contemplate such aspects.
In conclusion, it is possible to note that William Blake outlined the way hatred evolves, but he concentrates on its poisonous effect on the victim. At that, the reader is left with a feeling of an untold story regarding the long-term impact of such emotions. The growth of a poison tree with bright seductive but sinister apples can cause harm to the owner of the garden. Destroying a foe due to unresolved wrath can have adverse effects on the person as well as the tree can poison the entire garden. The ideas evoked by the poem show the power of William Blake’s symbolism and imagery. Blake is one of the renowned poets in world literature due to his ability to explore the human soul and encourage readers to do the same.
References
Blake, William. A Poison Tree. Poetry Foundation, 2021. Web.
Canli, Mustafa. “William Blake’s “Songs of Innocence and Experience” as a Practice and Manifestation of the English Romantic Movement.” Eurasian Journal of English Language and Literature, vol. 1, no. 1, 2019, pp. 15-22.
Lara, Mathusha Sam, and K. Vijila. “Juxtaposing the Metaphorical Depiction of Kamala Das’ “Words” and William Blake’s “A Poison Tree”.” Language in India, vol. 18, no. 1, 2018, pp. 131-22.
Mulyati, Sri. “The Analysis of Five William Blake’s Poems.” Wanastra, vol. 11, no. 2, 2019, pp. 131–134.