The Power of Knowledge as Depicted in Blakes The Tyger and Chopin's Desiree's Baby
We live in a society that proclaims that knowledge is power. This sentiment is often expressed flippantly but it is truer than many realize. Two literary works that illustrate the absolute power of knowledge are "The Tyger," by William Blake and "Desiree's Baby" by Kate Chopin. In "The Tyger," the poet considers the greatness of creation and the weight associated with that kind of knowledge. The poet can see the fierceness in the tiger and, at the same time, the gentleness of the hand that must have created it. In "Desiree's Baby," we see the other side of that coin when the truth is discovered and demands to be reckoned with. Both authors utilize language to emphasize their points and each successfully paints a portrait of mankind that represents the power of knowledge. "The Tyger" contemplates the potential of the power of knowledge and "Desiree's Baby" realizes it in the most heinous of ways. With these works, Blake and Chopin articulate what we mean when we say that knowledge is power.We see the potential power of knowledge expressed in the "The Tyger." The poem is intense in that the poet is asking ominous questions. For instance, the poet asks:
Here we see that the tiger is symbolic for the creative force in life, which serves as an instrument for the poet's realization. However, it becomes much more than that when the poet considers how powerful the tiger is. When he asks, "What immortal hand or eye/Could frame thy fearful symmetry?" (3-4), he is recognizing that the tiger is not only a powerful creature created by a powerful creator, it is also an autonomous creature. While observing the tiger, the poet understands the tiger's independence. He looks at the creature and writes, "And when thy heart began to beat,/What dread hand? and what dread feet? (11-2), intimating a sense of shock and wonder. In a sense, the poet gazing upon the tiger has awakened him to everything positive and negative for which the tiger stands. Similarly, we have a character coming to a significant realization in Chopin's short story, "Desiree's Baby." With the characters in this story, we not only see just how powerful the truth can be but we also see how that power has the ability to destroy several lives at once. When Armand becomes aware of the truth, he experiences an "awful change" (Chopin 186) and transforms from a doting father into a man with "averted eyes from which the old love-light seemed to have gone out" (186) and whose essence contained "the very spirit of Satan " (186). The language here indicates that Armand will do something dreadful with his knowledge. In addition, Desiree comes to an appalling realization but it is Armand's reaction to his new knowledge that she cannot bear. "The Tyger" and "Desiree's Baby" are two works that illustrate the awesome power of knowledge. Blake recognizes the majesty of creation and understands what this
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Approximate Word count = 1155
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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