Blakes cry for a voice

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Recommended: William Blake's use of symbolism in his poetry the Tyger

Blake’s cry for a voice

William Blake had a vision. It was a thought that changed the way poetry and writing would be viewed from here to eternity. Blake’s point of views and associations with the characters represents a change in the way the reader dictates who the victim is really and who is not. In Blake’s “The Chimney Sweeper” from the Songs of Innocence and Experience, both aspects of heaven and hell can be examined just the same as a good versus evil aspect of the two different styles of the poem. One poem, two totally different views on manners, morals, customs, and what is right and wrong.

To understand what William Blake was thinking and trying to say the reader must first know about how Blake’s mind worked. Forgotten by his contemporaries but venerated by modern society, British poet, prophet, publisher, and artist William Blake was the earliest of a long line of reformist romantic poets. Regarded widely as a mad man, Blake was above all else a rebel whose anti-authoritarian spirit, and belief in freedom and individuality formed the basis of his revolutionary poetry. With his own unique style and form, Blake’s poetry outlived its critics, and William Blake is now widely identified as one of the greatest lyric poets of all time.

From humble beginnings as the son of a hosier, Blake was essentially self taught, drawing inspiration and influence from German mystic Jakob Bohemia and the pivotal works of Emanuel Swedenborg. After his preliminary education, he briefly attended the Royal Academy before being requested to leave after challenging the school’s president. Later on Blake managed to establish friendships with renowned academicians such as John Flaxman and Henery Fuseli, whose works may or may not have influenced his later poetry. Blake is usually referred to as a pre-romantic as result of the manner in which he would reject the traditional neoclassical style and modes of thought.

A significant part of Blake’s writing is the presentation of his own dominant ideologies and beliefs. He once stated: “I must create my own system or be enslaved by another man’s.” this truly defines the rebellious spirit of Blake. Similar to the notions examined at great length within the Songs of Innocence, Blake is strongly in favor of intuition, spontaneity, energy...

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...on his masterful writing and allowed him to perfect the elements of point of view, characterization, setting, tone, irony, and theme.

To the reader, Blake could be seen as a person with multiple personalities due to his way in describing two different aspects of life. However, maybe he was right in speaking both right and wrong words? Blake always saw things in to or more different sides of the story. The same could be seen in a mirror, from the front angle there is a reflection. On the opposite side there is a dirty surface which is dull and has little or no reflection. Together, both Blake and a mirror could see beauty from both sides. The sweepers cleaned chimneys, suffered under harsh conditions, and didn’t get very much money. Yet, at the end of each day they would still be happy with each others company. A companionship that could be felt through the cold, rain, and soot that would wash off on there faces.

Work Cited

Blake, William. New Standard Encyclopedia. 1995 ed. Vol 3. Pg B-281.

Blake, William. The World Book Encyclopedia. 1965 ed. Vol 2. Pg 314.

Meyer, Michael, ed. The Bedford Introduction To Literature. Sixth edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s 2002

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