Blake: Songs of Innocence: Introduction Flashcards
Plot summary:
What is the plot summary of introduction?
The speaker describes a vision of a child who calls for the poet to write about songs of innocence. The child represents purity and the joy of childhood.
The speaker is inspired by this vision to create poetry that reflects innocence and the joy of youth.
The poem ends with the child giving a blessing on the lamb.
Quotes:
Key Quotes in Introduction (CLUE: There are 4)
‘Valleys wild (…) on a cloud I saw a child’ - pastoral idyll - wild but not threatening’ - freedom and joy. ‘on cloud’ - angelic suggesting God is speaking - authority but calm
‘Pipe a song about a lamb, so I piped with merry cheer’ - imperatives - religious message (Jesus) - child is in charge. Repetition of ‘so throughout stanza’ - shows obedience and hearing the voice of innocence also shows how the relationship is reciprocal between child and creator - limited vocab also helps to show innocence - Blake believes that children are the closest thing to God on earth
‘In a book all may read’ - divine message - word of God. Represent folk tales - version of countryside for all
‘And stained the water clear’ - Juxtaposition. Perhaps all acts of creation are somewhat corrupting - spoiled purification. Reflects because the way that society is there can never be pure innocence.
Form and Structure:
What is the form/structure like in the poem ‘Introduction’
Trochaic - syllables- stressed then unstressed
Final syllable is unstressed - doesn’t leave tension. There is peace and calm
Simple and song like/ Happy and ordered - there is no threat.
Repetition helps to show child like innocence.
Themes:
Key themes in Introduction e.g. inspiration:
In the poem, it begins with a piper meeting a heavenly child and shows that the speaker and the child might equally be part of the song-making highlighting creativity showing that God gives people gifts and they can use them for good or evil.
The connection between speaker and child only gets stronger and by the speaker obeying it helps to show that children are creative highlighting the nature of God’s creativity.
The inspiration that the piper gets from the child on the cloud highlights it isn’t in the artist’s control. Artists who seek inspiration and be ready to follow when a spirit appears to lead them as they should always obey the voice of innocence.
Key themes:
What are the key themes in introduction e.g. innocence
In this poem, innocence is used through the symbol of child coming on a cloud making music and poetry. This child represents innocence and the beauty that comes with it.
To be innocent is to be filled with joy and to delight in free-flowing creativity.
Introduction is a poem about a world which is ultimately redeemed because of what Jesus did on the cross but the world is still a place of suffering but people shouldn’t fear as Jesus is with you.
Context:
What is the context of Blake?
Though Blake was a religious man he was very critical of organized religion and the exploitation of children
Blake went against what he saw as a cruel Christianity, a religion which he felt oppressed and stunted people and interfered with people’s direct relationship with God.
To Blake, the whole world linked to God which people could see if only they opened their eyes and drew away from the industrial revolution and looked towards the pastoral.
Other poems it could link to:
What other poems could it link to?
“The Lamb” and “The Tyger” both explore creation, divinity, and nature.
The Introduction ‘Experience’ counterpart to this joyful (but quietly bittersweet) the guardian at the gates of Experience is a sage, wizardly old man compared to this poem in which the guardian is a child.
Helps to show how experience ruins things and shows how the church has become corrupt.
