Holy Thursday Flashcards
Who is the poet who wrote Holy Thursday ?
William Blake
Why does the poet use rhyming couplets throughout his poem ?
To echo the children marching 2 by 2, creating a beautiful rhythm throughout the readers mind whilst reading the poem.
Also echoes how jolly children are .
What is the viewpoint of this poem ?
This poem is written in the viewpoint of an adult who is watching among the children walking “two and two”
What does the idea of the “grey headed Beadles” walking with “wands as white as snow” convey ?
This idea of the “snow” conveys a sense of harshness, as we would normally associate “snow” to be harsh.
What does the phrase “Thames waters flow” imply ? And what is the subject terminology used here.
The poet has used a simile to paint a vivid picture inside the readers mind: comparing the “multitudes” of children like “Thames waters flow” implies an almost alluring image of the way in which the children walked, perhaps also implying their swift movements as well in an almost orderly fashion.
How else has the poet perceived the children’s appearance similarly to the “Thames waters flow” ? Include why he has used specific punctuation as well.
Blake has metaphorically described the children in a emphatic way like “flowers of London Town!”.This immediately paints a picture of the children’s personalities, like flowers they are eager to bloom and grow, which reinforces their innocence and how they are eager to learn and are always cheerful.Blake has used an exclamation mark at the end of this metaphor to make his statement crystal clear and to announce the importance of children, which almost reflects his eagerness.
Name one structural feature used in this poem
The repetition of “multitudes” within the second stanza.Blake has done this to remind us of the children’s significance, perhaps reflecting just how many children their are.
How does Blake refer to the children as being innocent ?
“Raising their innocent hands” and
Name another structural feature found in this poem
Throughout the poem Blake has used a number of long complex sentences with very few full stops as well as a few commas and semi colons however.This perhaps reflects his awe in seeing the “radiance” in the children’s faces, there is no stopping in most of his description.This somehow places the reader in the poets shoes making it almost seem as if the reader is watching the “multitudes of lamb”.
How has Blake represented the children to sound powerful ?
In the last stanza, Blake has described the children to being like a “mighty wind”, which connotes the idea of the “innocent” children has changed as they are seen as powerful as they sing.
What does the “mighty wind” represent
As previously stated the children are “innocent” and when they are juxtaposed to being like a “harmonious thundering” it almost sounds as if heaven is on Earth and Blake is describing angels who are innocent as well with their “faces clean”, However this is contrasted when they sing they are mighty and powerful. Oxymoron used here, “little” and “innocent” children singing, with power and mighty.
“Then cherish your pity, lest an angel from your door”
What does this phrase imply ?
This ending phrase sends the message of the poem, because Blake has almost described the children like angels, the message of this poem is to cherish children, they are valuable.
What did the poet believe in ? And what did he claim
He believes in Christianity and he claims he saw God.This idea of the juxtaposition of the “innocent children” and the power they had, could be reminiscent of Blake’s claim to see God.As he describes the children as being “little” but at the same time they are powerful, this could be similar to Gods appearance, how no one can see God, but yet there is a “mighty wind”.
What type of person was Blake? Meaning aswell
He was a philanthropist , meaning he gave money to the poor as for him being rich which paints a vivid image of the type of person he was who was concerned with children and the poor.
