William Blake Research Paper

Emma Lynch
Mrs. Oliveros
British Literature H
February 1, 2016
Once Innocent, Now Exposed Influential English poet, William Blake, wrote during the Romantic era, and coined and integrated the term contrary states into his works. Blake’s two most popular works Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience express his profound concern, in which he labels “the Two Contrary States of the Human Soul.” Blake’s term, contrary states, refers to the differing conditions of the human soul. His poems express this thought as the first describes the naïve side of the human soul, and the second describes the knowledgeable state. Blake effectively depicts “the Two Contrary States of the Human Soul” in his poems, Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience, by

To begin Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience, Blake appropriately titles the first poems of each collection, “Introduction.” The introduction pieces share different point of views, as one is from the voice of a naïve persona and the other is from the voice of an exposed and knowledgeable persona. In Songs of Innocence, a child’s voice is discerned, “And I wrote my happy songs / Every child may joy to hear” (Blake, Lines 19-20). It is apparent that the narrator is listening to the voice of a child. In contrast, Songs of Experience is listening to the voice of a Bard. It becomes clear that the narrator has lost all characteristics of innocence and youthfulness. It is focused on the past, awaiting a change for the future, rather than Songs of Innocence, which is entirely focused on the present. Blake effectively delivers the different aspects of the human soul through setting descriptions. In Songs of Innocence, the setting is friendly like the narrator, “Piping down the valleys wild / Piping songs of pleasant glee” (Blake, Lines 1-2). Conversely, Songs of Experience sets place in an aged placed, also like the narrator, “That walk’d among the ancient trees” (Blake, Line 4). Innocence

His poems, such as “The Chimney Sweeper” in both Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience, serve as excellent parallels to demonstrate his beliefs. In Songs of Innocence, “The Chimney Sweeper” is told from the perspective of a young child. The voice of the narrator is apparent due to the use of the lisp, “Could scarcely cry ‘weep! ‘weep! ‘weep! ‘weep!” (Blake, Line 3). The child has lost both parents, and doesn’t know any better than to say that they are with God. They do not fully understand the concept of death, and therefore, do not face hardships from their parents’ deaths. As a result, these children do not fear harm. All they know and look forward to is that when they die they will be reunited with God and with their families. On the other hand, Songs of Experience looks at the true identity of the chimney sweepers. Blake tells tales of woe, as the children on this side of the soul understand their parents are dead and that they are left to a life of labor and danger. In a sense, the children from Songs of Experience feel all of the emotions that the innocent children did not. Instead of lightly discussing the issue like in Songs of Innocence, Blake strikes directly at the problem in Songs of