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London william blake analysis of poem
London william blake analysis of poem
London william blake analysis of poem
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In his work, Songs of Innocence and Experience: Shewing the Two Contrary States of the Human Soul, William Blake uses the aforementioned contrasting states of being to illustrate his unique view of the world around him. Through this work, Blake lays bare his soulful views of religion and ethics, daring the reader to continue on in their narcissistic attitudes and self-serving politics. While Blake's work had countless themes, some of the most prevalent were religious reform, social change, and morality. Philosophically, one would think that William Blake was a Deist; however Blake rejected the Deist view of life. He was a devout Christian, yet he also wanted nothing to do with the church or their teachings. These views give Blake a refreshingly sincere quality with regards to his art and writings. Blake frequently alluded to Biblical teachings in his work and, more often than not, used corresponding story lines to rail against the Church's views and accepted practices. One may say however, that Blake's universal appeal lies within his social commentary. Similar to a fable, Blake weaves a poetically mystical journey for the reader, usually culminating in a moral lesson. One such poem, "A Poison Tree," clearly illustrates some of William Blake's moral beliefs. With his use of imagery, as well as an instinctive knowledge of human nature, William Blake shows just how one goes from the light to the darkness (from innocence to experience) by the repression of emotions.
If one were to read the "A Poison Tree" on a strictly superficial level, it would be enough to understand the basic meaning: Speaker is mad at friend. Speaker talks to friend, is all better. Speaker is mad at enemy. Speaker says nothing, anger builds....
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...is overall truth and spent his life trying to dispel the conventional wisdom of the Church during that time. In any case, there are many different ways that William Blake's work can be interpreted, and on many different levels. The only one that truly matters is the one that touches the reader. It is what Mr. Blake would have wanted.
Works Cited
Blake, William. "A Poison Tree." The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Volume 2. 7th ed. Ed. M.H. Abrams. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc, 2000. pg.58.
Gleckner, Robert F. The Piper and the Bard: A Study of William Blake. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1959.
Hirsch Jr., E.D. Innocence and Experience: An Introduction to Blake. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1964.
Johnson, Mary Lynn and John E. Grant, eds. Blake's Poetry and Designs. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1979.
The poem “A Poison Tree” by William Blake and the story, “The Cask of Amontillado” written by Edgar Allan Poe writes about revenge. Overall both the poem and the short story share how they developed the overall theme, and to express the act, each of the writings use dramatic irony and sensory
Within "A Poison Tree" the poet makes the accusation that if treating enemy as though they were a friend, there would be no anger to hold onto. "I was angry with my friend: I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe: I told it not, my wrath did grow." (Poison 1-4) The central theme of this poem concludes with that the bearer of hate is only weakened and the foe is able to gain solace and comfort from the misfortune of the person they wronged.
Natoli, Joseph. "William Blake." Critical Survey Of Poetry, Second Revised Edition (2002): 1-12. Literary Reference Center. Web. 17 Jan. 2014.
Symbolism plays a key role in illustrating the roles of revenge in all respects of “A Poison Tree”. The title alone provides a firm precursor for the poem as a whole. The poison tree
William Blake is a literature genius. Most of his work speaks volume to the readers. Blake’s poem “The Mental Traveller” features a conflict between a male and female that all readers can relate to because of the lessons learned as you read. The poet William Blake isn’t just known for just writing. He was also a well-known painter and a printmaker. Blake is considered a seminal figure in the history of poetry. His poems are from the Romantic age (The end of the 18th Century). He was born in Soho, London, Great Britain. He was the third of seven children. Even though Blake was such an inspiration as a writer he only went to school just enough to read and write. According to Bloom’s critical views on William Blake; one of Blake’s inspirations was the Bible because he believed and belonged to the Moravian Church.
Both “The Cask of Amontillado” and “A Poison Tree” follow different plots of revenge. However, their actions and thoughts are alike; their actions shar suspicious and mysterious qualities. Furthermore, their inner thoughts are sparked by the wanting to cause harm to the one who hurt them previously; they share the same motives. In “The Cask of Amontillado,” the narrator describes his own actions and thoughts by saying, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne...neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will” (866). This shows the narrator’s urge and motif for getting back at Fortunato. Similarly, the speaker in “A Poison Tree: describes him/herself by stating, “I was angry with my foe: I told it not, my wrath did grow” (1). This shows the speaker’s anger that will affect his/her actions towards the other person. It is quite evident that both the narrator and speaker in these two pieces of literature have similar motifs, actions, and thoughts; they are based on getting
William Blake was a modern thinker with a recalcitrant political spirit. He used poetry and art as sociopolitical weapons, which were raised boldly against the establishment. These sociopolitical weapons, which began with him, are still used today in all types of artistic and political activities. Although known as a madman and a mystic, (Elliott) his art and his poetry were guided by the visions of radical change. Even today, his work is both relevant and profound. The brilliant approach he took with difficult political and moral topics created unique artistic representations that are very much as relevant today as they were when Blake first adopted their use.
Bloom, Harold. "Critical Analysis Of "The Tyger " Bloom's Major Poets: William Blake. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York, NY: Chelsea House, 2003. 17-19.
The theme of authority is possibly the most important theme and the most popular theme concerning William Blake’s poetry. Blake explores authority in a variety of different ways particularly through religion, education and God. Blake was profoundly concerned with the concept of social justice. He was also profoundly a religious man. His dissenting background led him to view the power structures and legalism that surrounded religious establishments with distrust. He saw these as unwarranted controls over the freedom of the individual and contrary to the nature of a God of liberty. Figures such as the school master in the ‘schoolboy’, the parents in the ‘chimney sweeper’ poems, the guardians of the poor in the ‘Holy Thursday’, Ona’s father in ‘A Little girl lost’ and the priestly representatives of organised religion in many of the poems, are for Blake the embodiment of evil restriction.
In “A Poison Tree,” by William Blake is a central metaphor explains a truth of human nature. The opening stanza sets up everything for the entire poem, from the ending of anger with the “friend,” to the continuing anger with the “foe.” Blake startles the reader with the clarity of the poem, and with metaphors that can apply to many instances of life.
Analysis Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience (1794) juxtapose the innocent, pastoral world of childhood against an adult world of corruption and repression; while such poems as "The Lamb" represent a meek virtue, poems like "The Tyger" exhibit opposing, darker forces. Thus, the collection as a whole explores the value and limitations of two different perspectives on the world. Many of the poems fall into pairs, so that the same situation or problem is seen through the lens of innocence first and then experience. Blake does not identify himself wholly with either view; most of the poems are dramatic--that is, in the voice of a speaker other than the poet himself. Blake stands outside innocence and experience, in a distanced position from which he hopes to be able to recognize and correct the fallacies of both.
Blake uses different techniques in his poems to comment on the foul world he sees around him. A world where young boys are sent to do a gruesome task. He approaches this commentary with his depictions of innocence and experience and captures them through his literary devices.
William Blake was a social critic of his time, yet his criticism also reflects society of our own time as well. He mainly communicates humanitarian concerns through his "Songs of Innocence and Experience'; which express two opposite states of the human soul, happiness or misery, heaven or hell. "Innocence'; expresses the state of childhood, into which we are all born, a state of free imagination and infinite joy. "Experience';, according to Blake, is man's state when disaster has destroyed the initial ecstasy. He believes that problems concerning child labor, religious institutions, individual apathy, prostitution, sexually transmitted diseases, war and marriage are the result of humankind's carelessness.
William Blake was a first generation Romantic poet. He lived a long life in which he wrote a copious amount of poetry (Eaves). Blake was also a painter. This aided Blake’s advancing symbolism; he could paint a lovely picture with his words (Eaves). The poem that I have analyzed is A Poison Tree. Blake strategically placed imagery and personification to hide his underlying truth; do not store up anger because horrible situations will arise. At first glance the poem seems hate filled and that he just wrote it out of revenge or angst, but in reality he is teaching a moral lesson that should be taken very seriously.
A Poison Tree by William Blake is metaphorically describing the idea of life and the