“A Poison Tree” makes a number of allusions to the biblical story of Adam and Eve, told in Chapter 3 of the book of Genesis. Understanding the connections between elements of Blake’s poem and the biblical story will help students read the poem on a deeper level. To guide their comprehension, students can set up a storyboard identifying elements of “A Poison Tree” that allude to the Genesis story. Below each storyboard depiction, students should explain the allusion’s connection to the poem’s message.
For a variation of this assignment, have students use storyboards to identify and explain the poem’s metaphors instead of its allusions. Students can depict the intended meaning of the following words and phrases: “waterd it in fears”, “sunned it with smiles”, “apple”, “apple tree”, “garden”.
The tree that "bore an apple bright" calls to mind the tree of knowledge in the Garden of Eden. Its fruit, which God forbids Adam and Eve from eating, is traditionally referred to as an apple.
The speaker who lures his enemy into the garden and tempts him to eat the apple is like the serpent in Eden. This suggests that the speaker’s anger has filled him with evil and led him to resemble the devil.
The speaker's foe is like Adam and Eve. Although they are helped by the serpent, they are still guilty of disobedience. The speaker's foe is not innocent either. He sneaks into the garden and eats the apple without permission.
In the poem, as in Genesis, the fruit represents sin and death. In both cases, the sin is the cause of death.
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard illustrating different allusions in "A Poison Tree".
Invite students to share the allusions they identified in the poem aloud, then facilitate a guided conversation connecting these examples to the poem’s main message. This approach helps students build on one another’s ideas and deepens their understanding through peer interaction.
Create open-ended questions that encourage students to think critically about the poem’s allusions and their significance. For example, ask: How does knowing about the story of Adam and Eve change our interpretation of the poem? This ensures the conversation stays focused and productive.
Display images of the Garden of Eden, the apple tree, and related symbols while students discuss the poem. Visuals make abstract connections more concrete and help all learners participate meaningfully.
Prompt students to share times when they’ve encountered similar themes or symbols in other texts, movies, or real life. Relating allusions to everyday experiences strengthens comprehension and retention.
Ask students to write a short reflection on how understanding allusions deepened their appreciation of the poem. This reinforces learning and provides you with insights into student progress.
“A Poison Tree” alludes to the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis, referencing the apple tree (tree of knowledge), the act of temptation, and the consequences of sin. The poem’s apple and garden symbolize forbidden knowledge and the destructive results of harboring anger.
The poem parallels Adam and Eve’s story through its apple tree, temptation, and fall. The speaker’s foe is tempted to eat the apple, just as Adam and Eve were, highlighting themes of disobedience and the consequences of suppressed anger.
By analyzing allusions, students learn how literary references deepen meaning. Understanding the connection to Genesis helps them see how anger, like forbidden fruit, can lead to destructive outcomes if not addressed.
Have students create a storyboard that identifies allusions and metaphors, then explain each one’s meaning and connection to the poem’s themes. This visual approach enhances comprehension and engagement.
In both texts, the apple represents temptation and sin. Eating the apple leads to negative consequences: spiritual death in Genesis, and the destructive power of suppressed anger in the poem.