William Blake's poem "The Chimney Sweeper" depicts the tragic life of young boys in 18th century England who were forced into child labor as chimney sweeps. The poem tells the story of a young boy, Tom Dacre, who has his head shaved in order to fit into chimneys to clean. Tom dreams of being freed from his life of misery and rising into the sky. The poem highlights the injustice and lack of innocence faced by chimney sweep boys, whose short lives consisted of difficult, dangerous work.

1. The Chimney Sweeper
By William Blake
Done by: Muzna AL Hooti

2. William BlakeWilliam Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August
1827) was an English poet, painter and
printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his
lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal
figure in the history of the poetry and visual arts
of the Romantic age.
Considered mad by contemporaries for
his idiosyncratic views, Blake is held in high
regard by later critics for his expressiveness and
creativity, and for the philosophical and mystical
undercurrents within his work. His paintings and
poetry have been characterised as part of
the Romantic movement and "Pre-Romantic",
for its large appearance in the 18th century.
Reverent of the Bible but hostile to the Church
of England (indeed, to all forms of organised
religion), Blake was influenced by the ideals and
ambitions of the French and American
Revolutions.

3. • "The Chimney Sweeper" is the title
of two poems by William Blake,
published in Songs of Innocence in
1789 and Songs of Experience in
1794. The poem "The Chimney
Sweeper" is set against the dark
background of child labor that was
prominent in England in the late
18th and 19th century. At the age of
four and five, boys were sold to
clean chimneys, due to their small
size. These children were oppressed
and had a diminutive existence that
was socially accepted at the time.

4. Romeo's Blue Skies

5. The Chimney Sweeper
by William Blake
• 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 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 all of them locked up in coffins of black.

6. 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.

7. 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.
Introducing Tom Dacre’s story.
His childhood was stolen from him.
Weep ?!

8. 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."
Lamb: symbol of purity and
innocence.
White hair on a child? think
Think : Why did they
shave his hair?

9. 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 locked up in coffins of black.
The dream.
They are dead already Their
lives are their black coffins!!

10. 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.
Sense of happiness!!
The newly freed children run through a green field and wash
themselves in a river, coming out clean and white in the bright sun.
What do you feel about it?

11. 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.
Conflict in emotion!!
happiness
Angel: gives feeling of
comfort.
To be critical: Religion
participate in the
exploitation of children!!
Tom’s intense longing to
be free is more evident.

12. 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.
No perfectly rhyme or end words!!
Reminding you of Tom’s condition.
What if it was perfectly rhymed??
Reality is appeared.

13. Themes
• Innocence: That's because this particular song
is all about the absence of innocence.
• Death: it was dirty business, and those kids
suffered from abuse, cancer, and early death.
• Suffering: shaving heads, being sold by his
father, no joy except in dreams, and the
saddest thing is…….

14. Thank
You
For
Your
attention