Building Background

The Industrial RevolutionIn the late eighteenth century, machinery and manufacturing began to dominate over agriculture in Britain’s economy. As a result, many people left farming to seek work in the mills and factories of growing cities. Blake criticized the dehumanization of laborers, including children, who were forced to work long hours at monotonous jobs for low wages, only to return home to slums rife with crime and disease.

The New ScienceBlake denounced the scientific theories of his time as taught by the great physicist Isaac Newton, who viewed the universe as a machine created by a supreme being who was indifferent to human beings. For Blake, the world was a complex place of wonder and mystery that was more readily understood by using the creative imagination than by applying science and reason.

Literary analysis: symbol

One of the most powerful tools a writer can use is symbolism. A symbolis a person, place, object, or action that represents an abstract idea or feeling. Symbols work by association, and they often have more than one meaning. For example, the subject of Blake’s poem “The Lamb” symbolizes innocence and gentleness, but Blake also alludes to the lamb as a symbol for Jesus Christ in the New Testament. In addition to such common meanings, a symbol may take on a particular meaning from the context of the work in which it appears.

Although Blake’s poems may seem simple and straightforward, he uses symbols to convey important themes. As you read, analyze the subjects of his poems to determine their symbolic meaning.

Reading skill: compare and contrast poems

As stated in the biography, Blake wrote Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience to explore “the two contrary states of the human soul.” To further your understanding of his view of human nature, you can compare and contrastpoems using the following criteria:

• Word choice—Look for descriptive words, and note how they are used to emphasize characteristics of the subject.

• Ideas—Identify common or contrasting ideas expressed in the poems.

• Tone—Notice the author’s attitude toward the subject.

As you read, use a chart like the one shown to record similarities and differences for each pair of poems.

from Songs of Innocence

The Lamb

Little Lamb, who made thee? Dost thou know who made thee? Gave thee life & bid thee feed, By the stream & o’er the mead; Gave thee clothing of delight, Softest clothing wooly bright; Gave thee such a tender voice, Making all the vales rejoice! Little Lamb who made thee? Dost thou know who made thee?   Little Lamb I’ll tell thee, Little Lamb I’ll tell thee! He is called by thy name, For he calls himself a Lamb: He is meek & he is mild, He became a little child: I a child & thou a lamb, We are called by his name[179]. Little Lamb God bless thee. Little Lamb God bless thee.

13–14 He ... Lamb:In the New Testament, Jesus is sometimes called the Lamb of God.

A Poison Tree

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.   And I watered it in fears, Night and morning with my tears; And I sunnèd it with smiles, And with soft deceitful wiles.   And it grew both day and night, Till it bore an apple bright. And my foe beheld it shine, And he knew that it was mine,   And into my garden stole When the night had veiled the pole; In the morning glad I see My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

7 The accent on eshows that the word sunnèdis pronounced with two syllables.   14 polemeans “sky” or “heavens.”

The tyger

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye Could frame thy fearful symmetry?   In what distant deeps or skies Burnt the fire of thine eyes? On what wings dare he aspire? What the hand dare seize the fire?   And what shoulder, & what art, Could twist the sinews of thy heart? And when thy heart began to beat, What dread hand? & what dread feet?   What the hammer? what the chain? In what furnace was thy brain? What the anvil? what dread grasp Dare its deadly terrors clasp?   When the stars threw down their spears And watered heaven with their tears, Did he smile his work to see? Did he who made the Lamb make thee?[180] Tyger! Tyger! burning bright In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

7 he:the tiger’s creator.     15 anvil:iron block on which metal objects are hammered into shape.

After Reading

Comprehension check: Recall and Interpret

The Lamb

1. State in your own words what the speaker asks in lines 1–10. What does the first stanza reveal about the speaker’s attitude toward the Little Lamb?

2. Explain the answer the speaker gives in the second stanza. Who is the speaker? How are the Little Lamb, “He,” and the speaker connected?

3. After reading this poem, what can you infer about Blake’s religious beliefs?

The Tyger

4. Explain the basic question the speaker asks in this poem. What can you infer about the speaker’s attitude toward the Tyger?

5. To whom does the speaker compare the Tyger’s creator? What images does the speaker use to describe the creation process?

6. What is your interpretation of line 20? Why might the speaker ask this question?

A Poison Tree

7. Summarize what happens to the speaker’s anger with a friend and with a foe. Why, in your opinion, does the speaker deal with anger this way?

8. What are “soft deceitful wiles” (line 8)? Why does the speaker use them?

9. What happens to the foe at the end of the poem? Why?

10. What lesson, or moral, do you think Blake might be trying to teach? Explain.

Literary analysis: Evaluate and Connect

11. Examine RepetitionReread The Lamb and The Tyger, looking for repetition of phrases, lines, and stanzas. What does Blake emphasize through the use of repetition? Cite evidence to support your answer.

12. Interpret SymbolIn The Tyger, Blake uses the animal to symbolize his very complex view of creation—both heavenly and artistic. What troubling aspects of creation does the tiger represent? Cite details.

13. Compare and Contrast PoemsHow is The Tyger similar to The Lamb? How are the poems different? What is gained by reading these poems together?

14. Draw ConclusionsThe word visionary can be used to describe someone who is inspired by visions or who has great imagination and foresight. Based on the poems you have read, what do you think makes Blake a visionary?

Literary Criticism

15. Critical InterpretationsOne critic has suggested that Blake pits himself against despotic authority, restrictive morality, and institutionalized religion: “His great insight is into the way these separate modes of control work together to squelch what is most holy in human beings.” In your opinion, does this comment apply to the poems you read? Explain.

16. Writing About LiteratureThe Lamb first appeared in Blake’s book Songs of Innocence; The Tyger appeared five years later in Songs of Innocence and Experience, in which Blake combined new and earlier poems. Write an explanation of why The Lamb might appear in a book about innocence and The Tyger in one about experience as well as innocence. Use specific quotations and examples from the poems to support your ideas. Save your work for your portfolio.

Reading Focus II: Selected Poetry by Robert Burns

KEY IDEA Too often we are so caught up in the bustle of our lives that we lose sight of what’s important. The sensational and extraordinary can always grab our attention, but what about the more mundane things that make up most of our lives? In the poems that follow, Burns conveys the valuable insights he gained from examining the commonplace.

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 1162