The Lamb

Question 1

Little Lamb who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?

Answer 1

• Counterpart to the Tiger
• ‘lamb,’ Innocent and vulnerable
• Interrogative, child narrator is asking the lamb about its creator, is it aware?

Question 2

Gave thee clothing of delight.
Softest clothing woolly bright;

Answer 2

• ‘Delight,’ —> emphasises God’s goodness
• ‘Softest,’ ‘bright,’ —> positive existence

Question 3

‘feed, stream, mead’

Answer 3

• Lamb has a blessed life —> God is good.

Question 4

‘Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice!’

Answer 4

Valley (nature) is personified to enjoy the lamb’s voice.

Question 5

Little Lamb I’ll tell thee,

Answer 5

Answers the questions → Nursery rhyme, Intelligence beyond childish assumption/ self-aware)

Question 6

He is called by thy name,
For he calls himself a lamb.

Answer 6

‘Jesus’ is called the lamb too. The lamb is in his image.

Question 7

I am a child and thou a lamb,
We are called by his name,
Little Lamb God bless thee.
Little Lamb God bless thee.

Answer 7

• ‘Child,’ Explicit narrator.
• ‘called by his name.’ —> Christians
• ‘god bless thee,’ —> blessed with good fortune, literal acceptance/ farewell. —> reverence

Question 8

Connotations of ‘The Lamb,’

Answer 8

• Sacrificial
• Purity/innocence/childlike
• Spring/ New life and beginnings
  Also,
• Biblical reference, Jesus was named the lamb in bible stories.

Question 9

Demographic (A02)

Answer 9

• Intended audience was children for the poems short length, simplicity and melodic rhymes reminiscent of nursery rhymes.