NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
"A Poison Tree" by William Blake is a short poem about life in general. The poem teaches its readers a valuable lesson about anger. Anger has power over ones mind and actions. If a person holds in their feelings, especially anger, it can pull that person down emotionally as evident in the poem "A Poison Tree." This poem written by William Blake describes the darker emotions such as anger, hatred and Schadenfreude. The poem refers to "apple bright" in the garden which may lead readers to infer a Biblical reference to the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Man, inflicting death upon his foe, is more cruel than the God of Genesis who banished the sinners from paradise.
Paradise is a place that God created for Adam and Eve at the beginning of time. The fruit mentioned in the Bible is that of a forbidden tree whose mortal taste brought death into the world and all our woe. The poem mainly deals with anger. The beginning of the poem begins by depicting a scenario in which a man told his friend he was angry with him, yet they were able to work out their differences and resolve the issue.
His anger dissipated shortly afterwards, and the friendship continued to grow like a seedling soon becomes a tree with strong roots. Blake was also angry at his enemy, but Blake could not do the same as he did with his friend. He keeps his anger secret from his enemy. Blake made a mistake by not allowing his anger to escape. His anger grew both day and night. His anger toward his enemy soon consumed his thoughts.
All relationships have a foundation upon which it is built. Blakes relationship with his foe is also like a tree. A trees foundation is its roots which provide nourishment for growth. The foundation for the relationship between Blake and his enemy was created from anger and deceit. The relationship began to feed on Blakes hatred and fear, thriving in his hypocrisy, and as the poem stated, 'I sunned it with smiles, and with soft deceitful wiles. ' The vicious thoughts nurtured with 'poisonous' intentions produced 'A Poison Tree' thus becoming the title of the poem. After the anger manifested itself into a tree, his tree bore a seemingly harmless fruit-the apple.
This apple was 'bright', having an attractive 'shine' and tempting his enemy. His enemy then entered the 'garden's eem ingly undetected and ate this poisonous 'apple'. The power of this vicious, repressed anger unleashed with the every bite, overwhelming the enemy. The apple in this poem is a result of Blake's anger toward his enemy. Blake who is now burdened by his anger unleashes his anger and takes his enemy by surprise. The sensible and morally right action would be to talk to his enemy about his feelings.
However, Blake lets his anger take control and become more intense at which the consequences are horrendous. Blake kills the man who has become the focus of his anger. The death is symbolized by the enemy eating fruit from the 'poison tree'. Blake states in the poem, 'In the morning glad I see, my foe outstretched beneath the tree. ' Blake reveals no remorse as he reflects on the lifeless body. This poem tells a great story of the emotional strains between a man and a friend and the same man with his enemy. The scenarios are different in how the individuals react to problems that are faced.
Its hard to believe that so much information could be concealed within a single poem, a poem that has the capability to teach readers about anger. Anger and how to resolve anger is the main topic in the poem. The poem does not tell of the consequences of the repressed anger. That is something that Blake fails to mention, therefore the reader is left to make his or her own opinion on the outcome of the situation. The poem should have told us what happens to the person after he eats the poisonous apple and how Blake copes with the consequences years later.
Would Blake have really felt redeemed by killing a person? The reader is not told this or what caused the initial anger to develop or the identity of the foe. The poem "A Poison Tree" by William Blake should be read by everyone. The reason is many of us deal with anger from day to day.
The story revealed by the poem is an example of what a person should not do. A person should not have to live day by day worrying about something that made him or her angry. A person should just either forgive and forget or tell the person of the anger. Controlling anger is the lesson everyone needs to realize and learn. That is a lesson that the poem "A Poison Tree" teaches readers very well.
Free research essays on topics related to: poison, blake, apple, poison tree, william blake
Research essay sample on Poison Tree William Blake
