Editor's Choice

What emotion is compared to an apple tree in the first stanza of "A Poison Tree"?

Quick answer:

The emotion compared to an apple tree in the poem is "wrath." This comparison is part of an extended metaphor where the speaker's anger is likened to a plant that grows when nurtured secretly, eventually bearing a "poison apple." This apple symbolizes the destructive consequences of harboring and cultivating hidden anger, as it ultimately leads to the downfall of the speaker's enemy.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

It is not until stanza three of William Blake's poem "The Poison Tree" that the comparison to an apple is made. The direct quote is,

"And it grew both day and night.
Till it bore an apple bright."

This is part of an extended metaphor carried throughout the poem likening the speaker's "wrath" to a plant that the speaker cultivates by keeping it a secret and allowing it to grow deeper and darker over time. The apple in stanza three represents the fruits of this anger and in stanza four it is revealed to be a poison apple: when the speaker's enemy attempts to steal and eat the apple, it kills him.

So the apple is an instrument of revenge and can be said to represent the speaker's (or persona's, to use the terms of your question) anger at his foe.

Get Ahead with eNotes

Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.

Get 48 Hours Free Access
Approved by eNotes Editorial