In William Blake's The Tyger, how does punctuation contribute to its effect?

• A. The Tyger uses punctuation to heighten intrigue by contrasting words and phrases.
• B. It uses a consistent iambic pentameter with clear divisions.
• C. It features a long, continuous narrative prose.
• D. It relies on free verse with no rhyme.

Answer: (B)

Punctuation shapes how Blake’s lines breathe, turning the poem into a chant-like inquiry. The commas after the opening phrases slow the reader just enough to let each image land—Tyger Tyger, burning bright, in the forests of the night—creating deliberate pauses that intensify the sense of awe. The line breaks and endings cue breaths and emphasis, guiding the reader from the blaze of the tiger to the larger, unsettling question: What immortal hand or eye could frame thy fearful symmetry? The final question mark leaves the thought open, inviting ongoing wonder rather than a tidy conclusion. This pattern of pauses and emphasis gives the poem a steady, ceremonial cadence that heightens its mystique and solemn questioning. It’s less about a long narrative or free verse, and more about how punctuation choreographs rhythm, mood, and emphasis to sustain the poem’s reverent, enigmatic tone.