Literatura Inglesa III.

Tasks on William Blake 1

WILLIAM BLAKE

Read the introduction to William Blake in the Norton Anthology (pp. 112-6)

Read the "Introductions" to both Songs of Innocence (pp.118-9) and Songs

of Experience (p.125) and answer the following questions:

"Introduction" to Songs of Innocence

1) How does the poet envision himself?
2) What does the figure of the child represent?
3) Discuss the relevance of using the reed for a pen.
4) Explain the form of the poem: stanzas, rhyme scheme, etc.

"Introduction" to Songs of Experience

1) How does the poet represent himself?
2) How is the world described?
3) How is the Earth described in the third and fourth stanzas?

Prof. Dr. Pilar Villar Argáiz 1

Literatura Inglesa III. Tasks on William Blake 2

"The Divine Image", “The Human Abstract”, “A Divine Image”

Read “The Divine Image” (Songs of Innocence, p. 122) and answer the
following questions:
1) Define the relationship established between God and human beings in this
poem
2) Describe the form of the poem

“The Human Abstract” (Songs of Experience, p. 133):

1) How are the previous four virtues presented in “The Divine Image” now
described?
2) Explain the metaphor of the tree in the poem.
3) Describe the form of the poem.

“A Divine Image” (Songs of Experience, p. 135):

1) Which is the image of humanity that Blake is giving here?

"The Lamb" and “The Tyger”

"The Lamb" (Songs of Innocence, p. 120):

1) Describe the poem in its formal terms.
2) What does the lamb symbolize?

"The Tyger" (Songs of Experience, p. 129):

1) Describe the poem in its formal terms.
2) Is the Tyger a positive or a negative symbol? What is the symbolism of the
tyger?

Prof. Dr. Pilar Villar Argáiz 2

Literatura Inglesa III. Tasks on William Blake 3

"The Little Black Boy", “The Chimney Sweeper”

"The Little Black Boy” (Songs of Innocence, pp. 120-1):

1) Who is the speaker of the poem? Where is he from? Explain in this respect
the binary images of lightness and darkness in the poem.
2) Explain the mother’s attitude in the poem? How is she like? What does she
want to teach her child?
3) Describe the form of the poem.

"The Chimney Sweeper” (Songs of Innocence, pp. 121-2) and "The

Chimney Sweeper” (Songs of Experience, p. 128):
1) What is Blake criticizing in both poems?
2) Compare the speaker’s attitude in both poems and the different ways through
which the poet conveys his critique. From your point of view, which poem is
more effective ideologically speaking? Why?

Prof. Dr. Pilar Villar Argáiz 3