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A Poison Tree - William Blake (Themes ("In the morning glad I see //…
A Poison Tree - William Blake
Context
"it bore an apple bright"
The poem alludes to the Book of Genesis, where Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit and then are punished for their sin, along with the rest of humanity.
The poem is from Blake's volume called 'Songs of Experience', which explored how society has been corrupted.
Themes
"In the morning glad I see // My foe outstretch'd beneath the tree."
This shows the theme of the effects of conflict, because the situation has progressed from the speaker being angry with is foe to having killed the foe with his anger.
The noun 'glad' conveys how the conflict has corrupted the reader, by giving the poem a sinister climax and suggesting that the speaker is pleased that the foe is dead.
"I was angry"
The theme of anger is shown from the outset through the repetition of "I was angry", which emphasises that anger is the primary emotion in the speaker's mind.
The use of first person personalises the poem and makes the reader more effected by what happens later
Language
"the night had veil'd the pole"
There is use of natural imagery throughout the poem, which is interesting because nature typically denotes peace, however this poem presents a lot of conflict.
The pole star was used to guide people to safety, but it is described as hidden, suggesting a possible danger.
"my wrath did end." // "my wrath did grow."
The use of antithesis highlights the contrast between what happened when the writer expressed their anger and when she didn't.
The contrasting language helps to convey the moral message of the poem.
Structure
"And"
The anaphora suggests that the speaker is trying to tell the story quickly and reflects the constant growth of their anger.
"I told it not my wrath did grow." // "My foe outstretched beneath the tree."
The first and final stanza both end with end stopped lines, which shows a direct connection between the speakers actions and the outcomes of these.
The final end-stopped line is the climax of the poem and leaves the reader with the powerful message of what can happen when anger is pent up.