Blake vs. Wordsworth:
It is evident that William Blake introduces both sides of the argument for a view on childhood with his poems "Songs of Innocence" and "Songs of Experience. Unlike William Wordsworth, Blake illustrates the antithesis of a tame and gentle world in many of his poems in "Songs of Experience." I feel more drawn to the "Songs of Innocence", particularly "The Little Black Boy", for a multitude of reasons. Similar to Wordsworth's "Intimations of Immortality" Blake draws us to deduce the message of trials in life and the growth which comes from such trials. In addition, there is an analogy of a mother and child relationship in "Intimations." which is evident in stanza IV which states the following... "And the Babe leaps up on his Mother's arm:-- Other references to a mother/child relationship are also noted in the following quotes as well..."And, even with something of a Mother's mind," "Fretted by sallies of his mother's kisses, With light upon him from his father's eyes! ""The Little Black Boy" also shows a relationship between and mother and child whereby the mother
To this very day, this wild animal strikes fear and awe in the hearts of many. is the comforter and "arm" with which the child leans on for direction and assurance as she relates to him, of what is to come in the future. The mother figure is used, within both poems, as a likeness of support, warmth, and favor. Again, this thought was prevalent in religion during the Romantic period. "Tyger, Tyger, burning bright,In the forests of the night;What immortal hand or eye,Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?". Out of both writers, Blake speaks in quite a hostile fashion about much of the darkness and bleakness of the age through many, if not all, of his poems within "Songs of Experience. "Appareled in celestial light,""But trailing clouds of glory do we come From God, who is our home: Heaven lies about us in our infancy!"Likewise, Blake also leads the reader to the indication of God as creator in stanza V of "The Little Black Boy","For when our souls have learn'd the heat to bear,The cloud will vanish; we shall hear his voice,Saying: 'Come out from the grove, my love and care'And round my tent like golden lambs rejoice. Their focus remains on the reverence for nature and the divinity within it which would greatly go against the rapid growth of machinery, mechanisms and other technology of the period. As expected, "The Little Black Boy" was written during the introduction of the antislavery movement. "She took me on her lap and kissed me,And pointing to the East began to say,"Another similarity between the two poems mentioned includes the ability of both writers to point out to the reader a benevolence in nature, who is the divine creator with whom we will be reunited with. There is also evidence that both authors had strong aversions to the Industrial Revolution that was taking place during the period.
Common topics in this essay:
Black Boy,
William Blake,
Industrial Revolution,
Songs Experience,
IV Babe,
Intimations Wordsworth,
Immortality Blake,
Tyger Tyger,
Likewise Blake,
Wordsworth Blake,
black boy,
little black,
little black boy,
poems songs,
songs experience,
william blake,
poems songs experience,
mother child,
songs innocence,
|
Acceptance Essays
