1. Songs of Innocence and Experience by W. Blake
William Blake (1757-1827) was a 19th century Gem who inspired millions with his Art, Paining,
Writing and Poetry with garnishing of Romance. He had his first word out at the age of 10. He
throughout his life had surprised many with his profound influence on many including writers,
poets. His bred-age had a religious touch which lasted till his death. He developed the art of
learning-to-portray and implanted it on his work. His early studies include engraving and had a
close relationship with gothic style of literature. One of the best things about Blake was ability of
portraying things with different visions, creating different paradigms, which allowed people to be
impressed even more. His early life is responsible for his most of inspiration starting with a
misunderstanding of poetry and its apparent meaning, he still managed to work with deep
understanding and spirituality which was supported by Bible. His visionary approach astonished
many, his publications are all based on his life, what he had been through, his work, thoughts and
visions. Blake died of a recurring illness leaving his engraved on millions till date. (Maria, E &
Deatrick, P. I)
William Blake has had many publications that change the perspective of seeing things. He even
introduced new method of printing which used copper plates illustration with drawings and hand
coloring art. According to him, this idea was given by a spirit of his late brother Robert who died
of age 24 due to severe abnormality. Songs of Innocence and Experience were the first one to be
implemented by this new printing method. He believed to have independence from Government
and higher authorities because that is how a Man can be more useful and full of joy, expresses its
self in a best way possible because there are no restrictions or obligation. Songs of Innocence and
Experience is divided into two main sections consisting of unique perception of Blake’s life.
Poems in Songs of Innocence are based on Children and their childhood whereas Poems in Songs
of Experience are based on Modern Society and its criticism. At first these two volumes were
published separately but later on Blake revised both volumes and republished it as one as they
were both highly connected to each other even today (William: Vol. 1 No. 2).
Songs of Innocence is collection of childhood memories with no boundaries to fun with a little
criticism to adult age. The joy of childhood effects the conscious part of our brain mostly resulting
it be in our memory forever. There’s no possible chance for an adult mind to have similar
entertainment like a child. Blake portrayed an image of how does it feels, looks like to be a child.
One can enjoy in every best possible manner. No restrictions of government, no rules and
regulations, no study burden, no worries of unemployment, it did not matter how beautiful a girl
was. It did not matter how much debts you might have, they’re honest, loyal, happily oblige their
parents, and respect elders. The Society has destroyed the dreams with electronic gizmos and
gadgets. Blake feared this two centuries ago and we are facing this today. This is the sad reality of
life. It’s somehow a warning to adults that they would not have the chance to enjoy life better than
their childhood, full of dreams, full of memories (Vines, Ch.12, and Vol.1)

2. Songs of Experience is more of a criticism directly of society. His victims include Churches,
Pastors/fathers, society driven wealthy people and cruel and brutal parents with great forcefulness.
Blake always wanted and did implement his way of thinking since he was very religious from early
age, He had accompanied this section with relating it to the study of nature of God and religious
belief in order for the modification of his personal interest. Starting with a question Blake confirms
the existence of God by conflicting some of the living examples just to make everyone understand
the integrity of the situations around us and what we have been taught is true or not. The deficit
what Blake predicted through his words are far more accurate than others. He depicted the true
image of the society, how it runs and who controls the media and other mediums. It is easy for
Men to fall for everything they see in their favor, that’s how the society controls us. Financial
benefits have ruined us till date. Continuing the questionnaire of God’s existence, he let us to
decide whether their so called God is good to people or bad as seeing a poor child suffering and
starving to death, humiliated at every stage of life or the people who use the nametag of Love to
use women and men just for sake of lust and temporary enjoyment, a past time activity one could
indulge in. As said, Blake was an independent freedom writer who always gave upper priority to
free mind, free love, free body. Blake was a man with strengthened beliefs. He also wrote “Free
Love” in the same series which was about dismantling and removing the marriage factor from our
lives. Because according to him Man and Women are tied up vehemently together, destroying
dreams and fantasies of life, destroying the true meaning of life, living in restrictions made by
higher authorizes. Free Love depicted Human Freedom, it’s the biggest freedom a man can ever
dream of (Amanda, 23-28)
Each of the poems in Songs of Innocence and Experience are directly and indirectly linked to one
another. Blake has given a package of thought provoking, eye opening, romantic, full of memories
and joy in this single publication. He made questioning the nature of God, becoming a rebellion
according to society by standing against them, question Christianity on different levels of aspects.
He had given his readers the choice to choose the best suiting poem to their life, because in that
manner they will understand it more profoundly (Vines, Ch.12, and Vol.1).
For that matter, Blake had listed some of the characters to inspire his readers because a fictional
character can motivate and awake people more than a priest in a church or a scholar in a society.
Just to make words more effective he used his poems in a best way possible. A shepherd with an
inspiration of a boy having an obsession of writing songs about lambs, nature and life of children.
Another mostly used character in Songs Experience is “The Brad” who is more of a craftsman
having an opposite personality to the Shepherd. Brad seems to be a fortune teller with a splendid
prophetic voice. “Tom Dacre” a character of labor child who works as a sweeper in chimney
portrays a sad poor life, as the boy who goes and cries daily before sleep and while sleeping an
Angel greets him with a good news that these hardships that he’s going through are going to end
one day, there’s light after this temporary darkness, he will have a life without any labor, pain and
regret. This character is being used few times in Songs of Innocence. Another very enchanting
character of Songs of Innocence is “The Little Black Boy”, this character was created to assess the

3. religious and society driven beliefs. Blake also raised the issue of racism through this character the
boy has a dark tan skin color which complexes him amongst other white boys. His mother always
consoles and soothes him with assurance that one day this all is going to fall apart, things will
change in his favor and only the pure ones will be left for the Love of God. A very unique character
in Songs of innocence is the “The School Boy” who has adultery touch to his thoughts and dreams
without any restrictions and hesitation. He doesn’t like the life of school, bounded by books,
teachers and time. He’s more of an adventurer who loves to be outside experiencing the glamorous
wonders of the world (Magdalena 35-199).
Lastly a recurring character with its counter-character is “The lost little Boy” and “The Lost little
girl”. The first character is an upgrade of “The little Boy” and is in Songs of Innocence, who gets
lost somewhere by the poor failure and management of his parents. Blake hints the unacceptable
behavior of Parents and Society towards their children. They must be dealt with love, care and
attention. He also blames the Christianity and priests who blindfolds the children in early age. The
boy is later found by God himself, he finds the comfort zone of his mother. Same Character is used
in Songs of Experience with a slight change that the lost boy is found by a priest who than burns
the boy when He asks regarding God, his lack of religion. This is so far true as if we look in a
realistic manner we might witness such immoral cruelties are taking place in the society, especially
in the minds of priests and other higher personals. The world is full of culprits, corruption and
repression. Blake describes the moral and ethical values of Children as well as what parameters
should not be taken lightly. According to him the world and all its values are limited to Innocence
and Experience of life with different stages in it. Blake himself wanted to feel what it feels like to
be in these two phases of life that’s why most of the time he stands outside the true deep meaning
of the poem so that he could recognize himself in a better way (Magdalena 35-199).
Blake highlighted the great impact of controlling modes of today’s generation and how what is
more holly and religious to human beings. Songs of Innocence sketches Children as they carry an
innocent, joyous personality and thoughts whereas Songs of Experience draws a perfect image of
an adult is who is far more experienced, having an open, natural and inhibited manners. Blake had
created a beautiful contrast of wishes and desires which controls mostly our childhood and duties
and responsibilities which overtakes our teenage. Being imaginative is more superior to being
rational. It also determined by the relationships between children and adults, how they control their
lives, how to children life is either happiness or misery. We teach children today how they will
have the luxurious lives like their forefathers, how we can compete in education, society and family
to anyone with anything. But we don’t teach them is how to survive in this world as the scale to
future with technology is going very fast. Every Parent rather than giving time, love and attention
to their children they are over-facilitating them and that’s how children are losing the essence of
childhood joy, playing in parks with friends enjoying with no worries. Things are not like that
anymore, by reading Songs of Innocence and Experience we should point out the things which are
wrong, children are not close to their religion, parents no one except their society. Same goes for
the Adults as they have indulge in everything that will destroy them tomorrow with every possible

4. way and the worst fact of this situation is most of them are aware of it. The heading of the direction
is completely off the hook. Parents should not impose anything on their children whether they are
adults or young. Never let a tree of suspicion and mistrust grow in your children’s minds and
hearts. The outcome of all these would be devastating (Maria, E & Deatrick, P. 64)
Thesis & Conclusion: - Facing the reality today and accepting it is the hardest thing one can do.
A culture/ Society based on moral and ethical value should be promoted in order to overcome
situations like poverty, child labor and abuse, inappropriate leniency towards adults. The
dichotomy of Innocence and Experience have had a profound impact on our life and it should not
be taken lightly but with great concern and care. Things would have gone to betterment if we had
given everyone what they need rather than what they want because necessity is more important
than wishes and desires. We need to put ourselves into others place to understand their pain and
sufferings, and what they are going through. Treat Children having a perspective of Children. Treat
adults having both childish and adult perspective. The poems have drawn attention to engrave the
positive aspects of human nature which comes before corruption. William Blake unites the two
states of life by poetic investigation rather than making it more complex.
References:-
 Martin J, William, PhD, “The Unspoken voice in William Blake’s songs of Innocence &
Experience” International Journal of Language and Literature, Vol. 1 No. 2, December
2013. Print
 Visconti, Amanda, Master’s Thesis, “Songs of Innocence and Experience Amateur users
& digital texts” School of Information, University of Michigan, 2010. Print.
 Maria, E & Deatrick, P. Master’s Thesis, “Lively Green and Desert wild: Nature and the
Human imagination in William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience” Department
Honors in English, Middletown Connecticut, April 2014. Print
 Spratt, M. Andrew, Master’s Thesis, “Innocence Lost: The tension of Contrary States in
Blake and Milton” Department Honors in English, Utah State University, January 2011.
Print
 Grabias, Magdalena, “Songs of Innocence and Experience: Romance in Cinema of Frank
Capra” London, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2013. Print