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Without Contrariness Is No Progression
Without Contrariness Is No Progression
Without Contrariness Is No Progression
progression”–William Blake
Without contrariness is no progression” said Blake from your reading of his poems,
describe how, Blake move from Songs of Innocence to Songs of Experience, “The
exquisitely tender vision of childhood is crossed and shadowed by the darker
realities of life”.
The huge difference between childhood and mature life, if one wants to see, he can
read “Songs of Innocence and Experience” by William Blake. Both these stages
are vastly different from each other. In first one, life is charming. There is nothing
to worry; no fears and if there is any tiny fear, next friend in shape of mother,
father or brother can be found for consolation. With the passage of time, these
small fears become huge hurdles and problems. The heart which was once innocent
became fearful. The feelings of joy and happiness end with the growth of mind and
body. The heart, in the age of innocence, is harmonious and fearless from the hard
realities of life but with the experiences of life, it becomes harsh and emotionless.
As a painter and poet, William Blake, thinks differently than the masses. Pictorial
representation of childhood life and experienced life is the theme of “Songs of
Experience and Innocence”.
There is no doubt that “Songs of Innocence” is totally poles apart from “Songs of
Experience”. If we put both these type of poems in juxtaposition, we find that an
illustration has been adjudged twice by the poet. First one is innocent, charming,
joyful and immature, whereas the other is miserable, unhappy, gloomy and
dejected. Take an example of “Holy Thursday”; in “Songs of Innocence”, the
children are happy while wearing coats of different colours but same poem in
“Songs of Experience” has gloomy side; the poet has questioned social and moral
justice. “Nurse’s Songs” is another example of skilful defiance depiction of two
periods of life. In innocence, the nurse allows the children to play and she has no
fear. The children are also oblivious to the dangers. When the children insist, the
nurse allows them to continue their game. In experience, the situation is totally
different; now the nurse has different attitude; she is bitter and fears the
consequences of her actions. Likewise, “Infant Joy” is in contrast to “Infant
Sorrow”. In “Infant Joy” the child is happy while saying “I happy am, Joy is my
name” but in “Infant Sorrow”, the child is scared as his father wept because the
world, in which his child has came is dangerous. There are uncertainties about the
future and his father is worried about them. How the child will survive in this cruel
world is a question, which is being asked repeatedly by the uncertainties.