This document analyzes and summarizes two poems by William Blake: "The Chimney Sweeper" from Songs of Innocence and Experience, and "Holy Thursday" from Songs of Experience. The summary of "The Chimney Sweeper" from Songs of Innocence describes a dream had by a young chimney sweep of being rescued by an angel. The summary of the same poem from Songs of Experience depicts the harsh reality and cruel conditions faced by chimney sweep boys, who were treated almost like animals. The summary of "Holy Thursday" notes the ironic and hypocritical tone of the poem in highlighting the corruption and exploitation of children by the church, despite outward displays of charity. Children are

1. Songs of Innocence and Experience (analyze)
The Chimney Sweeper
Innocence:
The poem "The Chimney Sweeper"is about the dim foundation of youngster work. At there young age,
men were offered to clean fireplaces, because of their little size. These youngsters were mistreated and
had a humble presence that was socially acknowledged at that point. In this poem, a youthful stack
sweeper describes a fantasy had by one of his colleagues, in which a holy messenger saves the young men
from final resting places and takes them to a bright glade. An alarm, like repetitive chirping birds do in
nature to warn other birds of predators or danger. So young can’t say sweep The Chimney Sweeper- From
Songs of Innocence During Blake’s time there were very few instances where someone’s head was forcibly
shaven. It was a practice reserved for prisoners could be saying that they are washing away the sins inflicted on
them by others. Tom has accepted his fate and has fallen asleep, he may have been so physically and mentally
traumatized, that he fell asleep exhausted. There’s little Tom Dacre, who cried when his head, that curled like a
lamb's back, was shaved: 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 allof them locked up in coffins of
black. And by came an angel who had a bright key, and he opened 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. By referencing the reader’s chimney, Blake speaks to the original audience
and lays blame for the plight of the narrator at the feet of the reader; Purity and innocence.
Experience:
The poem The Chimney Sweeper from songs of Experience by William Blake brings into light the animal like
condition of children during the 17th
and 18th
century era. It was the time when the industrial revolution took
place. It led to urbanization and thus slums, child labour, poverty, depression etc were quite common William
Blake, as a human and poet was against these atrocities. Not only this, but he is also critical of religious people
of church who were equally responsible for atrocities on poor and particularly the children here in the poem. in
this poem, a clearly grown-up speaker experiences a youngster fireplace sweeper relinquished in the day
off his folks are at chapelor potentially even endured passing where church is alluding to being with God.
The poet tells the readers about a child who is Chimney Sweeper and happens to meet and talk to him. The
poet asks the young boy about his parents and the young boy tells the poet his sorrowful story. This poem
discusses dark sides of life.

2. Holy Thursday
Experience:
“Is this a holy thing to see, In a rich and fruitful land, Babes reduced to misery, Fed with cold
and usurous hand?” irony used to highlight the corruption and hypocrisy of the church.
“usurous” denotes church only helps the children for self-interests. The metonymy with “hand”
represents not merely the guardians, but the whole city to show a general social responsibility.
Lexical field of sadness, sorrow and misery in the world of experience, in which society exploits
its poorer members for their own gains. “And their sun does never shine. And their fields are
bleak and bare; And their ways are filled with thorns; It is eternal winter there.” repetition of
“And” makes it seem misery is never ending. Metaphors describe the situation of the helpless
children “sun” symbolic of hope shows the children cannot escape the poverty; alliteration of
“bleak and bare” connotes desolation; “thorns” suggest children as sacrificial victims like Jesus on
the cross. Sun and rain are necessary for life, thus the absence of them suggests the children are
slowly dying.
Innocence:
Ironic tone adopted for poem, to show hypocrisy of charity in church, the church is a misnomer.
“their innocent faces clean” children’s vulnerability and naivety illustrated. Suggestive that the
children are normally not well looked after, only for appearance do the church “clean” the
children. “The children walking two & two” controlling and structured society, rigid rules. Links to
biblical reference of Noah’s Ark and the pairs of animals. “Grey headed beadles walked before
with wands as white as snow” image like prison guards who use their “wands” to control the
children. Another interpretation is the idea of children being sexually abused in that the “wands”
are phallic symbols.
“like Thames waters flow” – simile is ironic, as charity event is trying to reduce number of
children orphans, yet the description shows there is many. If society was helping the poor, surely
there would not be “multitudes” of children there. Idea that the river flows one way only, thus
the children have no way out of the corrupted society. “harmonious thunderings” as
“harmonious” suggests joy and pleasure, whilst “thunderings” connote chaos and anger. Children
are forced to put on a face to please the public, but in reality, they are filled with misery through

3. the abuse and exploitation that is inflicted upon them. “Then cherish pity; lest you drive an angel
from your door” sarcastic intent to denote how charity tricks people.