The Garden Of Love Flashcards
Who is the poet?
William Blake
What genre is it?
Romantic
What is the extended metaphor in the poem?
That the church is restrictive and destroys all joy
“I used to play on…
…the green”
“Thou shalt not…
…write over the door”
“Tomb stones where…
…flowers should be”
What is significant about the speaker?
That it is valuing the child’s view - shown by syndetic repetition of ‘and’ and iambic tetrameter which gives it a nursery rhyme quality
How does it conform Romantic characteristics?
By valuing the child’s perspective and dismissing the church it is questioning the view of the elites
Also everything that is good is described through nature and an appreciation of nature is typical
“Priests in black gowns…
…we’re walking their rounds”
What is the significance of “Binding with briars…
…all my joys and desires” because briars are thorny branches which Jesus wore when he was crucified so his innocence was taken like ours is
How does the speaker get his anger across in the final stanza?
The internal rhyme used in “gowns” and “rounds” and “briars” and “desires” speeds up the pace along with the syndetic list of “and” at the start of every line
Is there any specific context for this poem?
William Blake was highly religious but opposed organised religion
Also at his local church, people paid for their own pews so the poor people could not attend he was angered by this
What significance does the title have?
It could link to the garden of Eden
The gates…
…were shut”
“A chapel was built…
…in the midst”
