What impression do you receive from the Songs of Blake's own religious beliefs?

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Sophie Lakes.

What impression do you receive from the Songs of Blake’s own religious beliefs?

In your answer write about the themes, tone and style of not more than five poems.

William Blake was incredibly spiritual and certainly a strong Christian, although he disliked organised religion as he saw it to be an oppressive tool. His brother died of consumption at quite a young age, and this had a profound effect on Blake, who is said to have seen his soul ‘ascend heavenward clapping its hands for joy’. I feel it is fair to argue that Blake used his poetry to express his religious views, and criticise the Church’s repressive nature.

Blake Songs of Innocence and Experience certainly contain many poems with religious overtones. Blake uses various techniques to show his own feelings for, in particular, organised religion and the church. Animal imagery is particularly prominent. Holy Thursday, from Songs of Innocence depicts an image of children visiting St Paul’s Cathedral. The title itself suggests the celebration of the day Jesus’ friend Judas betrayed him, and as a result he was taken on the following day, now known as ‘Good Friday’ to be killed. On this day Jesus gave the commandment ‘That ye love one another as I have loved you.’ It is this feast that the children, usually from Charity Schools, seem to be celebrating.

The children are described by Blake as ‘walking two and two in red and blue and green’, despite the vivid colour imagery used here the opening stanza still seems to be a criticism of the church. The description of the officers employed to maintain order in the church, ‘Grey headed beadles’ is much more morbid and contrasts well with the brighter colours used with reference to the children. This may be Blake’s way of showing his contempt for the Church. ‘Walking two and two’ references the bible and the story of Noah’s Ark but also depicts the regimentation of the children, who are later described as ‘multitudes of lambs’. This imagery illustrates the innocence of the children and the suppression of their individuality, as it seems Blake is implying that they all look the same, at least, perhaps, through the eyes of the church. The ‘lambs’ give an impression of innocence or purity, which could be Blake’s way of showing his disdain for the church, as it, as an organisation, is arguably taking away this innocence or using the naivety of the children to impose its values, taking away their choice. Either interpretation supports the idea that Blake uses his poetry to reflect his own beliefs.

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The Lamb, also from Songs of Innocence also arguably reflects Blake’s religious views. The poem itself seems to be questioning the mystery of creation, ‘Little Lamb who made thee? / Dost thou know who made thee?’ It has a simple structure and uses uncomplicated language to convey a complex meaning. The tone is happy, which is enhanced by the rhyming couplets, although it is possible that this was intended to disguise Blake’s cynicism, again making the poem much more complex than it first seems.

Religious imagery is used again in this poem. The explicit reference to a lamb in the ...

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