In his poetry, Blake writes about his thoughts concerning the society around him. Comment on Blake’s attitudes in several poems of your choice and explain how effective the poems are in presenting his views.
In his poetry, Blake writes about his thoughts concerning the society around him. Comment on Blake's attitudes in several poems of your choice and explain how effective the poems are in presenting his views.
William Blake, who lived in the latter half of the eighteenth century and the early part of the nineteenth, was partly responsible for bringing about the Romantic movement in poetry. He was also an accomplished painter and engraver, able to achieve "remarkable results with the simplest of means". Blake was a social critic of his own time and considered himself a prophet of times to come; however, his work was not fully appreciated in the mainstream until a century and a half after his death. William Blake lived during a time of intense social change: the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the Industrial Revolution all occurred during his lifetime. These changes gave Blake a chance to see one of the most dramatic stages in the transformation of the Western world where philosophers and political thinkers championed the right to opinion. Some of these changes had Blake's approval; others did not. The poems Holy Thursday, The Schoolboy and London all offer evidence of Blake's keen social viewpoints.
'Holy Thursday', found in Blake's Songs of Experience, exhibits the poet's views on 19th century establishment. A loose alternate line rhyming structure is employed throughout the first, second and forth verses whereas a chorus style chant takes effect in the third stanza. The first verse of the poem demonstrates Blake's clear contempt for unbalanced social structure and serves as a themed introduction to the rest of the composition. The satirical and hypocritical comments that Blake makes about the Church in the third verse aim to stir sorrowful empathy within the reader relating to the plight of the children. The searching questions that begin this verse develop into a statement of ultimate irony ("It is a land of poverty!") as Blake bitterly criticises the wealth distribution of the late 1800's. The third verse is of a cold and gloomy nature as Blake elaborates on his feelings for the deprived and neglected. Lastly, the fourth verse of the poem is delivered in a much more optimistic fashion with Blake outlining his vision of a better place for all those that have to deal with the nightmare that is poverty.
The first verse openly asks the question if it is right for poverty to exist in a country as affluent and principled as England. The use of the word 'holy' in the first line is a subtle criticism of the church's reluctance to help those most in need. Blake's idealistic claim in the second line ('In a rich and fruitful land') is only brought into context after the end of the verse. 'Babes reduced to misery' forges the innocence of small children with a sorrowful and almost bitter remark ('reduced') to snap the reader into the true meaning of the verse with chilling realisation.
The first two lines of the second verse refer to a hymn being sung in what is supposedly a sacred establishment. Blake questions if the 'trembling cry' of the children can really be an ode to joy, and goes on to make his bitterly sarcastic claim that England is a 'land of poverty'.
The third verse is unusual due to its choral style and quirky imagery. ('And the sun does never shine/And their fields are bleak and bare') Blake is referring to the miserable life of the majority of children in the 19th century, and describes their ...
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The first two lines of the second verse refer to a hymn being sung in what is supposedly a sacred establishment. Blake questions if the 'trembling cry' of the children can really be an ode to joy, and goes on to make his bitterly sarcastic claim that England is a 'land of poverty'.
The third verse is unusual due to its choral style and quirky imagery. ('And the sun does never shine/And their fields are bleak and bare') Blake is referring to the miserable life of the majority of children in the 19th century, and describes their existence as an 'eternal winter'.
In a switch back to a formation more alike to the first two stanza, Blake adopts a more optimistic and visionary approach to the last verse. 'Where the sun does shine' and 'Where the rain does fall' is Blake's description of a paradise. Once finally there, children will never be subject to the horrors of poverty and deprivation ever again.
'The Schoolboy', another poem located in the Songs of Experience, demonstrates Blake's views on 19th century education. The poem is based upon a linear alternate line rhyming structure, with a ten syllable base rhythm. The first verse of the poem is written in the first person, taking 'I' as the 'schoolboy'. Here, Blake effectively describes in an idyllic fashion what he believes young children enjoy doing in their spare time. The second and third verses are of blunt disparity to this tranquil ode, with the poet damning educational practices of the time in an attempt to capture the dreary routine of the students. The metaphoric, questioning pose Blake takes in the fourth verse ('How can a bird that is born for joy/Sit in a cage and sing?') asks openly how children are meant to enjoy their innocence if pressured by such a strict school regime and this theme continues to the end of the poem ('How shall the summer arise in joy../When the blasts of winter appear?') .
The first verse of The Schoolboy is written in an extremely positive manner, with Blake including cheerful phrases such as 'summer morning' and 'birds singing' to lighten the verse's mood. The verse depicts what the poet believes to be a happy and worthwhile use of a child's time outside the restrictions of school walls.
Following directly onwards from the first verse, the second stanza is of a much more gloomy disposition. Blake describes how to go to school on a bright summer morning 'drives all joy away', with this phrase being giving greater emphasis by the 'Oh!' at the start of the line. The 'cruel eye' mentioned halfway through the verse refers to the scrutinizing view of the schoolmasters and the verse ends with the poignant claim of the innocent little ones spending their day in 'sighing and dismay'.
Once more, the third verse continues in an almost story like fashion. Blake again makes use of a simple exclamation ('Ah!') to heighten the impact of the first line. The poet attempts to interpret the reasons why children do not enjoy school: not because they are unwilling to learn but due to a lack of inspiration. Blake does not believe that sitting in a classroom studying a textbook can truly discern knowledge upon young students, this view exhibited by the line 'Nor in my book can I take delight'.
Adopting a largely symbolic-based questioning style, the fourth stanza (and, indeed, the rest of the of the poem) takes a somewhat different approach to exhibiting the social viewpoints of the poet. Blake compares the trapped existence of children in the 19th century to a bird locked in a cage, unable to truly express itself with the restrictions placed upon its experiences and imagination. The poet goes on to draw the conclusion that once a child's development has been restricted by school, the rest of the individual's life is permanently effected. This point is delivered in a symbolistic manner with Blake adopting the phrase 'youthful spring' to refer to the child's younger years.
The fifth and sixth verses draw from each other to create an overall image of a child's life being spoilt by education in the same way a crop is spoilt by natural means. Representation such as 'blossoms blown away' refers to the corruption of a young and beautiful body being distorted by disparaging but socially acceptable natural forces. The poem ends with Blake offering consideration if a student's school life affects the child even in old age. The poet interestingly likens winter ('When the blasts of winter appear') to the maturity of a person, down to the fact that winter is supposed to be the last of the four seasons before the start of a spring. This may also relate to Blake's views on paradise, as inevitably after winter comes spring; the season of new life.
'London', a poem found in Blake's Songs of Experience, relates to the poet's views on the English capital in the 19th century. Blake employs a consistent rhyming structure similar to that of 'The Schoolboy' but with shorter four line verses. The poem, written in Blake's first person, is obviously expressing his own personal opinions. The first stanza relates to the strict uniformity of London's plotted land (a pet hate of Blake's) along with the poet's observations of troubled citizens ('Marks of weakness, marks of woe'). The second chorus style verse expands upon Blake's views of public constraint, implying that citizens have been conditioned into believing that their lives are tolerable ('mind-forged manacles'). Examples of which kind of people should not put up with their miserable lives are provided in the third stanza (chimney sweeps, soldiers) and the poems ends with a specific development of the life of a 19th century prostitute ('harlot').
The first verse of the poem relates to Blake himself wandering through the streets of London, noting the wretchedness of the unaware citizens. The poet curses the dictatorial layout of London in quiet outrage with the use of the word 'chartered' in consecutive lines. Blake believed that life could be better for everyone without the strict rules and regulations imposed by governing bodies, and his unusual wording plays on this fact. The 'marks' Blake apparently sees on 'every face' he passes are not of the physical variety; a deeper, more sinister interpretation relating to deprivation of the population at the time should be considered. The 'weakness' and 'woe' Blake speaks of cannot be perceived by the uncaring eye.
In the second chorus style verse, Blake attempts to show the reader the totalitarian influence of the 'mind-forged manacles' he can 'hear'. The use of the word 'every' in three successive lines emphasises the entirety of the population he is referring to; men, women and infants alike are all included in his exclamation. Blake obviously wants the reader to realise that the 'mind-forged manacles' he refers to are a bad thing. Negative imagery (such as the 'infant's cry of fear'), the repetition of the word 'cry' and the relation of his statement to arguments ('bans') are each included to contribute towards the overall feel of sadness. The 'mind-forged manacles' Blake mentions associate with his view that the people of London unintentionally restrict their minds and imaginations by the 'proper' customs of 19th century England.
The third stanza of London subjectively considers two different figures that Blake believes have been deprived. The plight of the chimney sweep is one the poet takes particularly to heart (exhibited by other works), with once again a 'cry' falling upon deaf ears. This time, it is the church that is ignoring the heartbreaking situation of the young sweeps ('How the chimney-sweeper's cry/Every blackening church appals'). 'Blackening' is used here as a link to the growing pollution levels in London and as a reference the soot which covered the little chimney sweeps. Symbolically, it may also relate to the church's reluctance to help the sweeps which Blake thought seemed painfully hypocritical and cruel. Blake's description of a 'hapless' soldier in the second half of the verse refers to the unpleasant life of many combatants. The imagery of their blood running 'down palace walls' relates to the many pointless wars that higher powers have deemed necessary. Meanwhile, many lives of those that could have enjoyed life have been wasted in futile struggles for supremacy.
The last verse displays another personal exasperation of Blake's. It is made out to be of greatest importance of the three cases the poet mentions via the use of the word 'most' ('But most thro' midnight streets I hear/How the youthful harlot's curse'). The 'youthful harlot' is just one of many young girls that had to resort to selling their bodies to survive. Blake attempts to relate to the situation some young women had to deal with by having no choice but to take care of an unwanted, fatherless child ('Blasts the new born infants tear'). The poet takes upon a tone of irony in the final line as he mentions the strange image of a 'marriage hearse'. A hearse, usually used in funeral processions, does not fit the joyful representation of a wedding. This may be a reference to the adverse affect prostitution had on a marriage both physically and psychologically. The ending of this poem is another perhaps more subtle example of Blake's dislike for the disingenuous social culture of his time.
In conclusion, William Blake's poems are very successful in presenting his social viewpoints. Using relatively simple language, subtle irony and sarcasm, powerful imagery and easily identifiable meanings, Blake makes sure that his points get across to the reader. It is easy to see that the Songs of Innocence and Experience are not just idle words that have wandered onto a piece of paper: Blake wrote each of his poems for a purpose and with a clear significance. William Blake was a man fighting against the mainstream opinions of 19th society. His strong willed independent attitudes meant that no matter what the odds, he would 'stick to his guns'. Blake had an intense dislike for government and other established ruling bodies. He believed that people would lead happier lives if left to their own devices, unrestricted by rules or regulations. William Blake was also great critic of the church, viewing them as wretched hypocrites in the battle against the evils of society. Even in today's modern era, the central themes of his poems (poverty, social injustice, the church) still remain relevant and Blake serves a wonderful icon for those battling against such political constraints. Although his work was not truly appreciated until a century and a half after his death, Blake was a undoubtedly a genius of his time.
Stephen Reid
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