Spring

Question 1

Rhyme scheme?

Answer 1

AABBCCDDE

Question 2

What is this rhyme scheme akin to?

Answer 2

Lullabies, yet poem possesses inner significance

Rending for children?

Question 3

How many lines is each stanza?

Answer 3

9 lines

Question 4

How many characters are in the poem?

Answer 4

6

Question 5

Who are the 6 characters ?

Answer 5

Crow
Lamb
Skylark
Nightingale
Little girl
Little boy

Question 6

In what stanza is there a change of grammar in the refrain?

Answer 6

Third stanza; ‘to welcome’ to ‘we welcome’

Question 7

What does the change of grammar in the refrain entail ?

Answer 7

Stressed the unity of the child and lamb

No longer impersonal

Question 8

How important is the unity of the child and the lamb ?

Answer 8

Blames devoted 8 lines out of 27 to create a bond between the lamb and the little boy

Question 9

Where does Blake derive his inspirations from and how does he express this?

Answer 9

Nature

Thus he projects the vivid lively expressions in Nature

Question 10

What sounds are there a lot of?

Answer 10

Soft and liquid sounds;

'Lick'             
'Little lamb'
'Pull'
'Kiss'
'Wool'
'Soft face'

Question 11

What effect do this soft and liquid sounds produce?

Answer 11

Enhances impression of tenderness and gentleness in the lamb and child’s encounter

Question 12

Lamb comes to “Lick/My white neck” and be kissed in turn by speaker

Answer 12

Because the lamb is a symbol of innocence and a person of Christ, it indicates the soul’s response to God’s love as revealed in the natural world

Question 13

Blake’d vivid lively expressions in Nature are criticised at times…

Answer 13

…but seems to be reasoning logically, projecting some fundamental truths of life

Question 14

All 6 characters portray…

Answer 14

…a theme of innocence - except the crow.

Is the crow purely for rhythm ?

Question 15

The vivid portrayal of innocence through the child and the lamb…

Answer 15

…makes the poem more appealing

Question 16

What does ‘Spring’ celebrate ?

Answer 16

The beauty and fecundity of nature

Question 17

What is portrayed with encompassed beauty in the poem ?

Answer 17

Prolife springs of joy, laughter, happiness, merrymaking

Question 18

Idyllic universe

Answer 18

Nature is an idyllic universe that can influence humans in a positive manner

Question 19

Hidden in extreme simplicity…

Answer 19

Lies a deep meaning symbolism

Question 20

Who is the speaker ?

Answer 20

A child

Question 21

When is the speaker identified ?

Answer 21

3rd stanza

Question 22

“Sound the Flute!”

Answer 22

Bids to play flute and Nature embraces the child’s request

Question 23

What does the quote “Sound the Flute!” mark and signify?

Answer 23

Marks onset of spring after Winter

Signifies breaking of the dark silence of the night

Question 24

What characters welcome the spring ?

Answer 24

Nightingale and Skylark

Followed by the other birds and crow

Question 25

What does the second stanza illustrate?

Answer 25

Happiness; there is an image of boy and girls’ playful cheer similar to ‘The Eccohing Green’

Question 26

Why is the speaker welcoming a new season of life?

Answer 26

Because that’s when life itself is renewed throughout nature.

Blake’s springtime is the beginning of his new year

Question 27

What does Blake closely attenuate thoughts of innocence with ?

Answer 27

Age; to him, everything is young and playful

Question 28

Blake’s thoughts of innocence are parallel with Mark Twain’s idea of aging

Answer 28

“Age is an issue of mind over matter, if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter”