Please read from William Blake’s Songs of Innocence & Experience, the following poems:
From Innocence:
The Introduction, The Lamb, The Little Black Boy, The Chimney-Sweeper, Divine Image, Infant Joy, and On Another’s Sorrow.
From Experience:
The Introduction, The Chimney-Sweeper, The Tiger, The Sick Rose, London, Human Abstract, and A Poison Tree.
Of course, you may read all of the poems, or the ones that seem to correspond with others, etc.
William Blake’s “Songs of Innocence & Experience” illustrate a man who is struggling with the validity of God. In his work he uses “Innocence” to portray the idealistic world spoken of in scripture; while “Experience” shows the world he sees through his own eyes. The whimsical imagery and purity portrayed throughout the poems in”Innocence” conflict with the darker and somber imagery in “Experience”. The juxtaposition of these two pieces highlight Blake’s issue with religion;
Blake begins “Innocence” with “The Introduction”, in this poem he sets the stage for the overall theme of “Innocence”. These sort of joyous almost unrealistic images. “On a cloud I saw a child”, a definite reference to an angel. The word “happy” is repeated eight different times throughout. These images although fanciful and “joyous” are only made real by the imagination. There are also numerous references to children. In most occasions children represent this idealistic image of innocence; a child has yet to be harmed by this cruel world. Their minds blanks slates, youthful, optimistic, and unaffected by outside sources. Blake continues this theme and directly mentions God in “The Lamb”. This poem, pregnant with irony, is a sort of conversation with a newborn lamb. In this poem there is direct reference to God, and how he has named his creatures. Here Blake utilizes the lamb to blur the line between the animal and us as God’s lambs. In the Bible, humans are referred to as lambs and the Lord as our shepherd. This poem will play a bigger role as the lamb’s innocence is contrasted with another one of God’s creatures in “The Tiger”. Blake continues this theme of God’s power and innocence in “The Little Black Boy”. “…And I am black, but oh is my soul white! White as an angel…” Again there is a reference to an angel, and how this young boy strives to be an angel. When Blake wrote these poems slavery was still legal in England. In this poem, Blake assesses religion through the eyes of “Little Black Boy”. This little boy, most likely destined for a life as a second-class citizen, has yet to be affected by the realities of his life and has a child-like optimism about God and his future with God. ‘And we are put on earth a little space, That we may learn to bear the beams of love..’ Pointing to the sun this boy’s mother introduces the idea of God to her child. She then continues with teaching her son that his life is going to be tough and he will be mistreated. However, in the end the child will be able to “…lean in joy upon our Father’s knee…” and “…stand and stroke his silver hair, and be like him and he will then love me.” This image is one of Blake’s most powerful images in “Innocence”. It illustrates his view on religion. The optimism of a “Little Black Boy” destined for a life of hell still has faith in being with God. This naive young boy has a blind faith that he will be with God in the end, although reality will not be so kind. This overall theme of innocence and a blind optimism for God displayed throughout “Innocence” is then overshadowed and contrasted by the darkness of “Experience”.
In “Experience” Blake conflicts his themes of “Innocence”, he begins with “The Introduction”, although the same title this poem differs greatly with that from “Innocence”. In this poem there are no whimsical images, only that of a poet who can not write cheerful songs, but is in search of light. ‘O Earth, O Earth, return! Arise from out the dewy grass!’ This poet no longer has his muse, the angel and the earth to inspire him, he searches for inspiration. Imagination has left him and all he as to deal with is this cruel world.’Turn away no more; Why wilt thou turn away?..’ This poet unlike that from the other “Introduction” is struggling with reality. Blake continues to contrast and even question the images he put forth in “The Innocence”. “The Tiger” creates this image of a predator who would attack innocence. “What immortal hand or eye Could Frame thy fearful symmetry?” Obviously in religious people eyes God created the tiger as with all other beings on this earth, but Blake uses this rhetorical question to questions God’s intentions. “Did he who make the lamb make thee?” Why would an all-knowing and loving God create an animal that would devour this precious pure lamb if it had the opportunity. Blake uses these creatures to underline this idea of the way life actually is compared to that in the Bible. No longer is Blake using his imagination, but he questions the reality of this tough life. “London” exemplifies this theme as he reveals the stark and grim reality of life in London during these times. “And a mark in every face I meet, Marks of weakness, marks of woe. In every cry of every man…Runs in blood down palace walls.” These images of a desolate city filled with sadness and struggle mightily conflict those images portrayed throughout “Innocence”. No longer are children joyful and happy, but they cry in fear. Blakes points out reality, what he sees daily, which clash with those romanticized images preached by the Church as portrayed in “Innocence”.
The entire theme of “Innocence” is in the title. Blake presents these fairytale situations approached with a childlike optimism about God and his creations. The poems in “Innocence” address serious topics as in “The Little Black Boy”, but still contain that feel that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and that light is God. In “Experience”, Blake writes about truths, about what he has experienced. Here his world, the real world, is much darker than that of his imagination. How can a loving God produce such disparity. Ultimately, Blake’s issue with God is that of reality versus imagination.
wow, excellent piece Andrew.
Pingback: buckaroo boots
Pingback: ariat boots 37627