AN ANALYSIS OF WILLIAM BLAKE’S SONGS OF INNOCENCE AND OF EXPERIENCE AS A RESPONSE TO THE COLLAPSE OF VALUES TIMOTHY VINES∗ Blake’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience are a much studied part of the English canon, and for good reason. Blake’s work depicts a quandary that continues to haunt humanity today: the struggle of high-order humanity against the ‘real’ rationality and morals of institutionalised society. This essay seeks to explore both Blake’s literary reaction to the Enlightenment and the…

In “London” by William Blake the grunge, and domineering nature of a city engaged in a transformation of industry, is articulated through the setting. London of the poem, and the 1700s and 1800s, was griped by a sense of overwhelming entrapment in the mechanical comings and goings of industry. This massive shift is expressed through the stark nature of the setting, and the speaker’s awareness of a sense of confinement, and malaise in the face of great progress. Blake’s choices in the portrayal…

The poem “London” describes a person wandering around the streets of London who comments on the observations they are making on the life surrounding them. The speaker presents the social and political injustice that occurred in the city of London highlighting the differences between the wealth of the ruling classes and the poverty facing the common man. It is one of the few poems in the “Songs of Experience” that does not have a corresponding poem in the “Songs of Innocence”. The first stanza creates…

poem essentially the only account of the event that is happening. William Blake’s “London” from his collection of poems Songs of Experience uses poetry of witness to castigate London as a place of happiness by exposing the oppression of the common people by a dominating government and elite class. Blake notices the inequalities of London and he describes the people he sees as sad, suffering, and stagnated by their environment. Blake uses strong imagery, repetition, and metaphor to present the archetype…

5. William Blake: London From Within If we want to discover the particularity of eighteenth century London’s appearance or the details of its growth, there are both scholarly and temporary guides to consult. Through the historical background exposed in the previous chapters, in fact, we came across only to the objective point of view of the city, but if we want to discover the feel of London life, its people, its sounds and smells there is a more direct source: literature. Through poems we can…

Comparison between William Blake and William Wordsworth’s Views of London William Blake grew up in the slums of London and this is shown in his poem, he wrote his poem in the slums and back alleys of London as he never had very much money. He describes London as being “charter’d”, this gives us the impression that everything has rules and boundaries in London, and that there is no mystery to be discovered. Also chartered means on a map, almost as if it is owned, by the king perhaps. The line…

Explication of William Blakes Poem London William Blake’s poem “London” takes a complex look at life in London, England during the late seventeen hundreds into the early eighteen hundreds as he lived and experienced it. Blake’s use of ambiguous and double meaning words makes this poem both complex and interesting. Through the following explication I will unravel these complexities to show how this is an interesting poem. To better understand this poem some history about London during the time…

Comparing London by William Blake and Westminster Bridge by William Wordsworth William Blake was born in London in 1757. He was taught by his mother at home, and became an apprentice to an engraver at fourteen. In addition to poetry Blake spent much of his time painting. Blake lived on the edge of poverty and died in neglect. His poetry receiving little acclaim while he was alive. ‘London’ was written by Blake in 1789. Taken from Blake’s ‘Songs of Experience’, the…

London by William Blake and Upon Westminster Bridge by William Wordsworth This essay aims to compare and contrast the differences and similarities between the two poems 'London' and 'Upon Westminster Bridge'. They both create powerful, contrasting images but are both similar in the use of language and exaggeration. The first poem to be commented upon is 'London' by William Blake, written a couple of decades before the second poem written by William Wordsworth. William…

Comparison of Westminster Bridge by William Wordsworth and London by William Blake Throughout the coursework I will refer to William Wordsworth as Wordsworth and William Blake as Blake. The poems of Wordsworth and Blake are both about London however, Wordsworth’s poem was written when he came to visit London whereas Blake lived in London. Wordsworth’s poem is about the finery of London one can see this as he writes in line 1; “Earth has not anything to show…