Blake: Songs of Experience: The Clod and the Pebble: Flashcards
Plot summary:
What is the plot summary?
Blake contrasts two views of love: the selfless love of the clod of clay and the selfish love of the pebble. The poem explores the tension between giving love and love that seeks personal gain.
Quotes:
Key Quotes (There are 3)
‘Build’s a Heaven in Hell’s despair’ - Love can make the worst situation ‘Hell’ a pleasure - links to Jesus’s sacrificial love - Good overcomes evil
‘Trodden with cattle’s feet’ - Bathos - from beautiful to ridiculous - naivety - suggests harsh reality - voices of innocence are disregarded.
‘And Build’s a Hell in Heaven’s despite’ - Selfish love can make anything ‘hell’ - ultimately evil overcomes good - pebble ha last say - wins argument - corruption wins in the 18th century
Form and Structure:
What is the form/structure like?
The poem has an ABAB rhyme scheme e.g. line 1 rhymes with line 3 and vice versa, three stanzas, and a dialogue structure.
It contrasts two views of love through the clod of clay and the pebble, using regular meter to emphasize the contrasting perspectives.
Themes:
Key themes e.g. selflessness vs. selfishness:
The clod’s love is portrayed as pure and giving, even at the cost of personal suffering, while the pebble’s love is self-centered, seeking pleasure and control.
Themes:
Key themes e.g. idealism vs. reality:
The clod’s view reflects an idealistic and altruistic form of love, while the pebble’s view is more realistic and grounded in personal gain and enjoyment.
Context:
What is the context of Blake?
Written during a time of social and political change in 18th-century England, the poem explores two views of love: the selfless love of the clod of clay and the selfish love of the pebble.
It reflects Blake’s critique of societal norms and his broader exploration of dualities, such as innocence vs. experience and selflessness vs. selfishness.
Other poems it could link to:
What other poems could it link to?
“The Lamb” (SOI) – Contrasts the selfless love of the clod with the innocence of the lamb.
“The Tyger” (SOE) – Explores the duality of creation, similar to the opposing views of love in The Clod and the Pebble.
