letteratura inglese: blake | Appunti di Inglese

ROMANTICISM

To a Romantic, a child was purer than an adult because he was unspoiled by civilization. His

uncorrupted sensitivity meant he was even closer to God and the sources of creation, therefore

childhood was a state to be admired and cultivated. The Romantic poets also saw nature as a living

force and as the expression of God in the universe.

WILLIAM BLAKE

Songs of Innocence was produced before the outbreak of the French Revolution, when Blake's

enthusiasm for the liberal ideas was high.The poems deal with childhood as the symbol of innocence, a

state of the soul connected with happiness, freedom and imagination. Its symbols are lambs, flowers

and children playing on the village green. The language is simple and musical.

Songs of Experience appeared during the period of the Terror in France.A more pessimistic view of life

emerges in these songs' which are intended to be read together with the Songs of Innocence.

'Experience, identified with adulthood, coexists with and completes 'Innocence, but providing another

point of view on reality: shows that innocence is corrupted and destroyed by human experience and

Blake with these poems wants to make a protest for social injustices.He thought that adults lose their

imagination because of the experience in life.

Blake wasn’t indifferent to the problems of his time, as the cruelty of slave trade or the exploitation of the

children, especially the chimney sweepers.

THE LAMB

"The Lamb" by William Blake is a poem from his collection "Songs of Innocence". This poem celebrates

the innocence and purity of childhood and nature.

The poem is structured in two stanzas. In the first stanza,a child asks a series of questions to a lamb

about its origin and creator. The speaker is amazed by the lamb's soft wool and gentle voice, reflecting

on its innocent and harmless nature. In the second stanza, the speaker provides the answers to these

questions. The lamb's creator is described as someone who is also called a Lamb, identifying this figure

as Jesus Christ. The stanza emphasizes the qualities of meekness and mildness, connecting the lamb

to the divine and highlighting the innocence and purity shared between the creator and the created.

Innocence and Purity: The central theme of "The Lamb" is innocence, symbolized by the lamb itself,

which is a traditional Christian symbol of purity and meekness. The repeated question "Little Lamb, who

made thee?" reflects a child-like curiosity and wonder about creation, emphasizing the innocence of both

the speaker and the lamb.

Divine Creation: Blake explores the theme of divine creation by attributing the making of the lamb to a

benevolent creator.

The lamb itself is the central symbol in the poem, representing innocence, purity, and the gentleness of

both the natural world and the divine. Blake uses this symbolism to connect the natural world with

religious themes, highlighting the presence of God in all creation.

THE TYGER.

"The Tyger" by William Blake is a poem part of his collection "Songs of Experience,". It’s in contrast with

"The Lamb" from "Songs of Innocence," exploring themes of creation, the nature of good and evil, and

the sublime.

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ROMANTICISM

To a Romantic, a child was purer than an adult because he was unspoiled by civilization. His uncorrupted sensitivity meant he was even closer to God and the sources of creation, therefore childhood was a state to be admired and cultivated. The Romantic poets also saw nature as a living force and as the expression of God in the universe. WILLIAM BLAKE Songs of Innocence was produced before the outbreak of the French Revolution, when Blake's enthusiasm for the liberal ideas was high.The poems deal with childhood as the symbol of innocence, a state of the soul connected with happiness, freedom and imagination. Its symbols are lambs, flowers and children playing on the village green. The language is simple and musical. Songs of Experience appeared during the period of the Terror in France.A more pessimistic view of life emerges in these songs' which are intended to be read together with the Songs of Innocence. 'Experience, identified with adulthood, coexists with and completes 'Innocence, but providing another point of view on reality: shows that innocence is corrupted and destroyed by human experience and Blake with these poems wants to make a protest for social injustices.He thought that adults lose their imagination because of the experience in life. Blake wasn’t indifferent to the problems of his time, as the cruelty of slave trade or the exploitation of the children, especially the chimney sweepers. THE LAMB "The Lamb" by William Blake is a poem from his collection "Songs of Innocence". This poem celebrates the innocence and purity of childhood and nature. The poem is structured in two stanzas. In the first stanza,a child asks a series of questions to a lamb about its origin and creator. The speaker is amazed by the lamb's soft wool and gentle voice, reflecting on its innocent and harmless nature. In the second stanza, the speaker provides the answers to these questions. The lamb's creator is described as someone who is also called a Lamb, identifying this figure as Jesus Christ. The stanza emphasizes the qualities of meekness and mildness, connecting the lamb to the divine and highlighting the innocence and purity shared between the creator and the created. Innocence and Purity : The central theme of "The Lamb" is innocence, symbolized by the lamb itself, which is a traditional Christian symbol of purity and meekness. The repeated question "Little Lamb, who made thee?" reflects a child-like curiosity and wonder about creation, emphasizing the innocence of both the speaker and the lamb. Divine Creation: Blake explores the theme of divine creation by attributing the making of the lamb to a benevolent creator. The lamb itself is the central symbol in the poem, representing innocence, purity, and the gentleness of both the natural world and the divine. Blake uses this symbolism to connect the natural world with religious themes, highlighting the presence of God in all creation. THE TYGER. "The Tyger" by William Blake is a poem part of his collection "Songs of Experience,". It’s in contrast with "The Lamb" from "Songs of Innocence," exploring themes of creation, the nature of good and evil, and the sublime.

"The Tyger" by William Blake explores the creation of a majestic and fearsome creature, the tiger, while reflecting the nature of its creator. The tiger evokes both beauty and terror, pushing the speaker to wonder what kind of divine being could have created such a creature. Throughout the poem, Blake contrasts the tiger with the gentle lamb,the creature of his collection "Songs of Innocence." This highlights the duality of creation , as well as the complexity of the divine. The speaker wondershow the same creator who made the lamb, symbolizing innocence and purity, could also have fashioned the fierce and predatory tiger. Ultimately, "The Tyger" raises profound questions about the nature of good and evil, the existence of suffering and violence in the world, and the mysteries of creation. The central theme of "The Tyger" is the nature of creation and the identity of the creator. The poem delves into the paradox of a creator who can make both the innocent lamb and the fearsome tiger, raising questions about the nature of divine power and intention. LONDON London’ is a poem about the evil consequences of the Industrial Revolution. The poem, part of Blake's collection "Songs of Experience," is a powerful critique of the social injustices and systemic oppression in the city. It is set in London, at night. In "London," the speaker walks through the streets of the city and observes the sense of misery and oppression. The streets and the River Thames are described as "charter'd," indicating they are man made. Blake's reference to the "charter'd Thames" contrasts the natural with the man-made, highlighting how even nature is subjected to human control. ( Oppression and Suffering). As the speaker continues, he notes the "marks of weakness, marks of woe" on the faces of everyone he meets, suggesting that the suffering is universal ( human misery ). Blake then criticizes the institutions that contribute to this suffering. The "chimney-sweeper's cry" highlights the exploitation of child labor, while the "black'ning church" suggests the moral corruption and failure of religious institutions to provide comfort ( Critique of Institutions). The "hapless soldier's sigh" running "in blood down Palace walls" implies that the government and monarchy contributed to the violence and bloodshed. Blake uses the imagery of blood to represent the sacrifice and suffering of soldiers. Lastly, talks about the prostitution that reflects the premature loss of innocence and the hard realities of life for many young women and its impact on the "new-born Infant" and "the Marriage hearse" indicate societal decay and the cycle of suffering passed from one generation to the next. CHIMNEY SWEEPERS During the Victorian era, chimneys acquired a narrow structure through which only children could pass. Children were purchased from poor families or orphanages and sold to master chimney sweeps. They usually started working at the age of six and received no pay. The children were forced to climb into the narrow chimneys completely naked. This work seriously damaged their health, causing breathing problems, eye problems and growth retardation due to the unnatural positions in which they had to bend. The chimneys were incredibly claustrophobic and often made navigation confusing due to the darkness. Children could become trapped in chimneys and risk suffocation or burning alive. If a street sweeper got stuck in the chimney, standard operating procedure was to let him die or send a second street sweeper to try to rescue him.

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ROMANTICISM