Blake: Songs of Experience: Nurse's Song: Flashcards
Plot summary:
What is the plot summary?
The poem shows a more cautious nurse who warns the children that the day is ending and they should return home.
The poem reflects on the loss of innocence and the reality of adulthood, contrasting with the carefree tone of the version in Songs of Innocence.
Quotes:
Key Quotes: (CLUE: There are 2)
‘My children, the sun is gone down’ - learned experience and misery - no voice of children - absolute power is seen.
‘Wasted in play (…) night in disguise’ - innocence is seen as useless and the because the world is corrupt it is full of deceit.
Form and Structure:
What is the form/structure like in the poem
The poem of two four-line stanzas with an ABAB rhyme scheme.
The steady, controlled structure reflects the nurse’s cautious and practical perspective, contrasting with the carefree tone of Songs of Innocence.
Themes:
Key themes e.g. caution and protection
The nurse’s concern for the children reflects the protective instincts of adulthood, where the world is seen as potentially dangerous and in need of caution.
Themes:
Key themes e.g. lack of freedom/innocence
The nurse’s cautious perspective contrasts with the carefree freedom of childhood, emphasising how experience and maturity impose limitations on youthful freedom and innocence.
Context:
What is the context of Blake?
Written during the late 18th century, a time of societal change, the poem contrasts with Songs of Innocence by presenting a more cautious, restrictive view of the world.
Blake’s work explores how societal pressures and growing maturity gets rid of the freedom and joy of childhood, symbolised by the nurse’s perspective in the poem.
Other poems it could link to:
What other poems could it link to?
“Nurse’s Song” (from Songs of Innocence) – A contrast, showing the nurse encouraging children’s freedom and play.
“The Garden of Love” – Both explore the loss of innocence and the restrictive nature of society.
