William Blake

Indice

1. London
2. Word’s Meaning
3. Language and meaning
4. Characters
5. Lamb
6. Tiger: rhetorical figures

London

described London as a horrible city, to demonstrate the see-able consequences of Industrial Revolution.

Word’s Meaning

The repetition of some sounds reinforces the sense of violence which dominated London and the disease between people.

Language and meaning

The commercials were attacked by the poet. Society is dominated by commercial interest over nature.

There is a metaphor: mind- forg’d manacles which would represent the psychological status of man. He forged with is mind the manacles and they limit his imagination the manacles stand for the cities quacked by industrialization, for ex. he provided London as an awful city.

Characters

Child chimney sweeper and soldiers. First is an indictment of the indifference of church that had lost the touch. The soldier’s death is on the king’s responsibility and on political powers. The other characters are the prostitute. In the last stanzas was a deal with prostitution, which is victim of lack of job. Another important feature is hears, a word linking marriage to death because the marriage with a prostitute comports the death for venereal illness so the marriage could become funeral hearse. The tone is grave and often is a sign of indignation of the poet regarding the oppressed that is directed to the oppressors.

Lamb

Speaker is the poet. Child and the poet are speaking to a lamb. Poet compared himself to a child, which god was compared to the innocence of a lamb.
In the 1 stanza there are various expression dealing goodness so the real nature of lamb. Various nouns can be grouped in softness, warmness, sweetness, and generosity. There connotations have a positive Quality in commons and the creator appears to be good. The characters are pure not mixed with civil elements and corruption.
In the second stanza it’s the define the Creator. (meek, kind, lamb)
There is a comparison: god was compared with the innocence of a lamb and child. Lamb and child represent innocence, goodness, sweetness.

The lamb could stand both as a real animal as a symbol of perfect innocence oh childhood (some mental states of soul that the poet loves.) Real is caused by natural setting.
The Symbolism is based on the image of Christ, the Lamb of God, who was personified in human child. The purity was stressed.
The three protagonists (lamb, god and child) have a common element. Sacrifice as lambs were traditionally used for sacrifice, as Christ, son of God, he was sacrificed and Children were innocent victim of the society.

Tiger: rhetorical figures

In first line repetition creates an effect of urgency and energy.
Every sentence of poesy is interrogative to create wonder.
Kissing rhymes.
The tone: by candid innocence it passes to a wondering one.