Blake uses imagery and metaphors in his various poems and proverbs to give the reader a deeper sense of what hes saying. For example, in “The Gates of Paradise” Blake states, “Every Harlot was a Virgin once,/ Nor canst thou ever change Kate into Nan.” He is basically saying a prostitute was once a virgin and you can’t change one person to another. Next in “London” he paints a picture of faces he sees as he walks down the street and its a path marked by pain and oppression. Blake says in every face he meets there are marks of weakness and woe where men cry and children (Infants) cry of fear. He paint a picture of the chimney sweeper possibly blackened by the cinders and the soldiers sighing as if blood runs down the Palace walls. It’s a gruesome scene he paints with vibrant and touching words. Lastly in “The Chimney Sweeper” he depicts a small man crying in the cold snow who seems to be forced to do the chores of others who seek to praise God, the priest and the King. Another unhappy scene to picture as though Blake seems to show a side of society that is neglected in the light of this specific time period.
Response to William Blake
Consider Blake’s use of images and metaphor in his various poems and proverbs.