Literatuur klas 6
William Blake
Romantic Period
Hand-out: The Chimney Sweeper
Romantic poetry:
William Blake (1757-1827)
Contents:
• Briefly: Romanticism
• William Blake’s life
• Discussion of two poems: “The
Chimney Sweeper”
I’ll tell you when to make notes!
Remember:
To fully understand and
appreciate literature, you
should always know the
context of the writer and the
society he or she lives in.
William Blake’s life
-
Brilliant poet, but only recognized after his death
Lived mostly in poverty
Could hardly get published
Poetry + engravings: few copies sold
Idealist: opposed materialism of Industrial
Revolution
- Imagination superior
- Esp. Opposed to child labour
Continued…
William Blake’s life
- Misunderstood and derided
- Thought to be immoral and seditious
- Borderline madness, visions
William Blake’s life
make
notes
Summarizing:
- He was a fine visionary poet and engraver
- Idealistic, esp. about social issues
concerning Industrial Revolution
- He was a bit of a nutter
- He was ridiculed by most
- Huge recognition after his death
William Blake’s work
make
notes
His most renowned bundle of
poetry and engravings is called:
“Songs of Innocence and Experience”
In these poems, the world is seen through
a child’s eyes.
“Songs of Innocence and
Experience”
The Songs of Innocence are full of love,
hope, faith, and goodness.
The Songs of Experience are full of
disillusion, bitterness, evil and gloom.
make
notes
The Chimney Sweeper
Little boys, sometimes only six or seven
years old, were used as chimney
sweepers.
Many of them choked to death.
They would collect soot in bags.
Blake wrote two poems by this name: one in
Songs of Innocence, one in Songs of
Experience.
The Chimney Sweeper
When my mother died I was very young,
And my father sold me while yet my tongue
Could scarcely cry " 'weep! 'weep! 'weep! 'weep!"
So your chimneys I sweep, and in soot I sleep.
There's little Tom Dacre, who cried when his head,
That curl'd like a lamb's back, was shav'd, so I said
"Hush, Tom! never mind it, for when your head's bare
You know that the soot cannot spoil your white hair.“
And so he was quiet, and that very night
As Tom was a-sleeping, he had such a sight!
That thousands of sweepers, Dick, Joe, Ned, and Jack,
Were all of them lock'd up in coffins of black.
Continued…
And by came an Angel who had a bright key,
And he open'd the coffins and set them all free;
Then down a green plain leaping, laughing, they run,
And wash in a river, and shine in the sun.
Then naked and white, all their bags left behind,
They rise upon clouds and sport in the wind;
And the Angel told Tom, if he'd be a good boy,
He'd have God for his father, and never want joy.
And so Tom awoke, and we rose in the dark,
And got with our bags and our brushes to work.
Though the morning was cold, Tom was happy and warm;
So if all do their duty they need not fear harm.
Analyse this
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notes
Who is the speaker?
A little boy, because boys were used as
chimney sweepers, not girls. He’s little,
otherwise he couldn’t do the job (line 4).
Analyse this
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notes
What is the speaker like?
A boy who doesn’t lose heart (“never mind
it”, “if all do their duty…”), despite his
background (“when …tongue”) and
working conditions (“morning was cold”, “in
soot I sleep”). He finds strength in his faith
(refers to Angel, having God for your
father).
Analyse this
Why is this poem Romantic?
Escape from visual reality: dreamworld,
imagination, innocence of a child.
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notes
Analyse this
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notes
Can you find strong images or metaphors?
-
Coffins of black
Lamb’s back
Rise upon clouds
Key
Naked
 chimney
 innocence
 heaven
 help
 free from working stuf
Analyse this
What can you say about the use of the
colours white and black?
First, look for the colours in the poem.
White: lamb, naked and white, white hair,
wash, clouds.
Black: chimneys, soot, coffins, we rose in
the dark.
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notes
Analyse this
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notes
What can you say about the use of the
colours white and black?
Black and white are contrasting colours.
Always look for contrasts!
White stands for innocence; black for the
loss of innocence.
Analyse this
make
notes
What can you say about the tone of the poem?
You have a poet, who lets a child do the
talking.
You know the poet is opposed to child labour. The
last line could be read as ironic. The poet
doesn’t agree with the child at all!
The Chimney Sweeper
A little black thing among the snow,
Crying "weep! 'weep!" in notes of woe!
"Where are thy father and mother? say?"
"They are both gone up to the church to pray.
Because I was happy upon the heath,
And smil'd among the winter's snow,
They clothed me in the clothes of death,
And taught me to sing the notes of woe.
And because I am happy and dance and sing,
They think they have done me no injury,
And are gone to praise God and his Priest and King,
Who make up a heaven of our misery."
Analyse this
Who is the speaker?
Again, a little boy.
make
notes
Analyse this
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notes
What is the speaker like?
A sad boy, crying in ‘notes of woe’ (l.2);
disillusioned with his parents (because he
was happy, they clothed him in the clothes
of death, and ‘they think they have done
me no injury’); he’s also lost his faith in the
Church (‘who make up a heaven of our
misery).
Analyse this
make
notes
Can you find strong images or
metaphors?
- Little black thing  soot
- Clothes of death  working clothes, this
work often led to death
- Sing the notes of woe  being unhappy
- Snow
 happiness
Analyse this
make
notes
Again, the colours white and black are
used to contrast innocence and loss of
innocence, happiness and
unhappiness.
Analyse this
make
notes
What can you say about the tone of the
poem?
The speaker is a little infant, who is able to
reflect upon his own life. He sounds like an
adult!  this is again an illustration of the
loss of innocence.
Analyse this
make
notes
Why is the first poem part of ‘The Songs
of Innocence’, and the second of ‘The
Songs of Experience’?
This could be a question on your test. Think
about it!
Some final thoughts…
Blake wasn’t a truly Romantic poet, although the
Songs of Innocence have the most Romantic
elements.
When Romanticism came to an end, Blake
became more popular. He was simply ahead of
his time in originality and complexity.
In these poems, he seems anti-religious, but in fact
he was a religious man. Yet he didn’t appreciate
everything the Church claimed.
Things to remember
• The mood of the Romantic Period
• Key facts about William Blake
• The analysis of both ‘The
Chimney Sweeper’ poems.
Romantic poetry:
William Blake (1757-1827)