Songs of Innocence and Experience

The contrasting collections "Songs of Innocence and Experience" represent Blake's evolving worldview before and after the French Revolution.

Example: In "Songs of Innocence," the narrator is a shepherd inspired by a child in a cloud, using symbols like lambs and flowers to represent purity.

The transition to "Songs of Experience" reflects a darker perspective, with the bard replacing the shepherd as narrator.

Highlight: Blake's poetic style features:

• Simple structure
• Symbolic imagery
• Repetitive patterns
• Rhythmic elements

The poems explore three symbolic states:

1. Innocence (represented by the child)
2. Experience (represented by the father)
3. Higher innocence (represented by Christ)

Major Works Analysis

This section examines three significant poems: "London," "The Lamb," and "The Tyger."

"London" (1794) presents a devastating critique of industrialization's impact on society. The poem's night-time urban setting reveals:

• Universal suffering
• Institutional corruption
• Social decay

Quote: The poem's power lies in its depiction of "fear in their cries" and the "blood of the soldier."

"The Lamb" (1789) exemplifies innocence through its:

• Sweet sound patterns
• Simple rhyme scheme (AA BB CC DD EE)
• Religious symbolism
• Natural imagery

"The Tyger" (1794) contrasts with "The Lamb" through:

• Hammering rhythm
• Complex imagery
• Philosophical questioning
• Physical rather than spiritual focus

Vocabulary: Alliteration - the repetition of consonant sounds, used extensively in "The Tyger" to create its distinctive rhythm.