Awe And Innocence

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Mingling Awe and Innocence
The well-known author and artist, William Blake, developed works during the Romantic Age. He had a very unique childhood, filled with surreal experiences. At the age of ten Blake claimed to have his first vision, when he saw the prophet Ezekiel under a tree of angels. Later in life he saw a spirit ascend into the ceiling after his brother passed away from tuberculosis. As a result, The Bible and God were tremendous inspirations in his artwork and poetry. He published a collections of poems in 1789 called Songs of Innocence and Experience. In this compilation, Blake’s faith and heavenly ideals are revealed as he ponders innocence and power. While these divine concepts are continuously mentioned throughout Songs of Innocence and Experience, two poems in specific that explore awe in the presence of God are, “The Tyger” and “The Lamb.”
“The Lamb” is a short poem that focuses on innocence as a young boy observes a lamb. He begins to question the lamb, asking if he knows his creator. “Little lamb, who made thee?” (1). Then the boys states all the parts of the lamb’s life that the creator gave him, like: his food, surroundings, and …show more content…

Similar to “The Lamb,” Blake begins by questioning “What immortal hand or eye / Could frame thy fearful symmetry?” (3-4). These lines suggest that the tyger was created in an otherworldly place like heaven or hell. Blake states that the tyger has fire in his eyes, displaying his supernatural might. The fire symbolizes God’s power and ability to create. In this case, is the tyger a threat to God, since he possesses some of His fire? Blake continues by implying that the creator of the Tyger is mighty and compares his work to that of a blacksmith. Blacksmiths dangerously create objects with a fiery furnace. Similarly, it was dangerous for God to create such a powerful creature with a supernatural fire in his eyes (“The Tyger

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