A Poison Tree Analysis - Academic Mode

A Poison Tree
by William Blake

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.

Summary of A Poison Tree
Popularity: William Blake, a famous American poet, wrote "A Poison Tree", a descriptive and direct poem about human emotions and their consequences. It was first published in the 1794 volume of Blake Songs of Experience. The poem illustrates the key human emotion, anger, and the consequences of being angry at someone. He also explains that anger becomes deadly and devious if it is not expressed honestly. However, the popularity of the poem lies in the fact that it deals with one of the common feelings.
"A poison tree" as representative of hatred: The poet has discussed the duality of human nature in this poem. He says that his anger with his friend fades as soon as he expresses it. But he does not vent his anger at his enemy, which grows and becomes poisonous, he adds that he feeds his anger with fear, resentments, sarcasm and fake smiles. These feelings grow like a poisonous tree or a tree of anger, and a bright fruit. t sprouts from the tree. One day his enemy enters his garden and dies after trying this fraudulent fruit. His death brings great joy to the speaker.
Most important themes in "A Poison Tree": Hatred, anger, revenge are the main themes of the poem. The poem discusses the disastrous effects of unspoken anger. The poet delves very artistically deep into the darker side of the human mind and captures the damage that anger does to the heart, where it nourishes and becomes a poison. Blake explains that friends are easy to forgive, but enemies are never forgiven. And when a person tries to hide their hatred, it gradually develops into a powerful and destructive force.
Analysis of literary devices used in "A Poison Tree"
Literary devices are tools that authors can use to persuade and express their language stylish. They also convey their feelings, ideas, and emotions effectively. Blake also used some literary means in this poem to show the negative effects of anger. The analysis of some of the literary means used in this poem is given below.

Antithesis: An antithesis is a phrase that refers to the juxtaposition of opposing or opposing ideas. Blake used this device for the first time. The opening line focuses on Tell a friend about anger and it goes away. The next two lines show the reverse process in which he hides his anger from the enemy, and it grows. This is a juxtaposition of two opposing ideas.
Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant tones on the same line as the sound of / w / in "I told my anger, my anger has stopped" .
Allusion: allusion is a belief and an indirect one Reference of a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, political or literary meaning. In this poem, "garden", "apple" and "tree" are the illusions of Adam, Eve and the Garden of Eden.
Metaphor: It is a phrase in which an implicit comparison between objects of different nature is just an expanded metaphor that used in this poem. It is used in the second line of the third stanza "Until an apple shines." Here the apple is the metaphor for the fruit of your resentment.
Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them different symbolic meanings from the literal "Tree" symbolizing your anger and rage, while "garden" is the symbol of the heart where hatred is natural.
Images: Images are used to make readers perceive things with their five senses. William Blake has used visual imagery throughout the poem to make his reader create a mental image such as, "And it grew both day and night." "Until an apple sprouted", "My enemy lying under the tree."
The above analysis shows that Blake has wonderfully employed these devices to show the negative impacts of anger. The appropriate and careful use of these devices has made the poem captivating and reflective for readers.

Analysis of Poetic Devices in A Poison Tree
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but some are only used in poetry. Here is the analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.

Strophe: A stanza is a poetic form There are four stanzas of four lines each in this poem.
Quatrain: A quatrain is a four-line stanza borrowed from Persian poetry. Here each stanza is quatrain as the first and second.
Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows the rhyme scheme of AA BB.
Rhyming couplet: there are two constructive lines of verse in a couplet, usually in the same meter and connected with rhyme. For example
“I was angry with my friend;
I told my anger, My anger has stopped. “

Trochee: These two types of syllables are used in Trochee. The first is stressed and the second is unstressed. This pattern continues throughout the poem, such as, “I told my anger; My anger stopped.
Quotes used
These lines can be used to recount personal experiences of a fight. You can also teach children the importance of forgiving and expressing yourself without fear.

“I was angry with my friend;
I told my anger, my anger I was angry with my enemy.
I didn't say it, my anger grew.