The Tiger: Shattering The Ideal

Tiger Woods' life has been like poetry in motion. The recent exposing of his infidelities or "transgressions" are, as many have written, not really our business, however, where do fans go with their questions, concerns, and commentary?

William Blake author of the poem The Tiger wrote "Tiger, tiger burning bright; In the forests of the night; What immortal hand or eye; Could frame thy fearful symmetry." Much like the tiger in Blake's poem, Tiger Woods' star has burned brightly, his immortal image has rivaled any golf god in recent history of the sport, and his athletic prowess or "fearful symmetry" on the golf course has the makings of an enigma. Now this enigma has been exposed.

Where does a fan draw the line in their admiration of this golf celebrity? It is a wake up call to fans that have put all of their trust in an athletic star's persona or image. Many have pasted their child's walls with Tiger's face and image, encouraging them to be just like Tiger. It remains difficult to separate the golfer and the man.

In a real sense Tiger Wood's perhaps represented an ideal. The poem tells of the tiger as a creature that is untouchable by humans, so high on a pedestal of beauty. It is this paradoxical combination of poetic imagery and seedy reality that Tiger Wood's fans find themselves wondering how and why?

At the end of William Blake's poem Tiger, he states "When the stars threw down their spears, And water'd heaven with their tears, Did He smile His work to see? Did He who made the lamb make thee?" Ultimately, Tiger Woods is human, he made some mistakes. Only he and He who made him will know the depth of his sorrow or megalomania. Who dares to frame Tiger Woods' fearful symmetry? Seven women and counting do!