Monday, February 7, 2011

Blake responses

111 comments:

  1. On "The Lamb"
    Elements of romanticism are portrayed in this poem's comparison of a child, god and the lamb. In suggesting that god, an omniscient and eternal force, is "meek and mild" Blake reflects the contemporary romantic ideal of finding wisdom and truth in the youthful innocent and pure of heart. Additionally, scenic imagery of the "stream o'er the mead" reflects a romantic emphasis on nature. The short, simple lines of the poem contribute to it's mellow tone, and yet still convey wisdom, mirroring it's philosophy. The question and answer format of the poem reinforces it's clarity and simple organization, as well as addresses the lamb directly, as though it's natural animal form could not inhibit it from comprehending the joy of it's existence.

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  2. Daniel House, 1st period, "The Tyger"

    When discussing Romanticism in class, I got the impression that the poetry we would read in this unit would be sad and overly emotional. That said, "The Tyger" proved to be much different than I anticipated. While Blake's poem possesses the same introspective, emotional expression which characterizes the Romantic movement, "The Tyger" lacks the self pitying sadness I expected. Instead, the poet is found analyzing the tiger as an observer, wondering how it moves, works and feels. He notes various aspects of the tiger as mysterious and awesome, asking how such a beast was made (in his frequent employment of rhetorical questions) and what it must feel to be one. The description of this mighty beast almost borders on the eerie, Blake's lurid descriptions and laconic verses eloquently inspire the reader to think about the tiger as a majestic, if dangerous creature. I personally enjoyed this poem quite a bit, as it evoked emotions of awe and wonder for the creature that is the tiger, much as that beast must have evoked those emotions for Blake.

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  3. On "The Tyger"
    In the iterated stanza of the poem, "The Tyger" Blake writes of the tiger's "fearful symmetry", portraying a sentiment common to many romantics. The symmetry and organization of the tigers stripes counters the natural and untamed characteristics idealized by romantic works, and is therefore condemned by Blake. It is interesting to compare the subject matter between the two poems ('the Tyger' and 'the Lamb') and common themes in romanticism, because upon first thought it seems as though the tiger, with it's fierce demeanor and untamed
    behavior, might seem to be the more natural (and therefore more appealing to romantics) creature as compared to the docile, domesticated lamb. Yet Blake is able to industrialize our image of the tiger he speaks of, and bring it to represent a force in opposition to his concept of romanticism. By using word such as "anvil" "chain" and "furnace", Blake associates the tiger with the Industrial Revolution and its "deadly terrors". The tiger, seemingly incapable of showing emotion with his sinewy heart directly contrasts with the complacent and utterly sweet lamb Blake illustrates in his opposing poem. This poem maintains a tone of fear and reveres the tiger as a powerful but dreaded force that may seem beyond the "immortal hand or eye of god" in strength but not in wisdom.

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  4. Daniel House, 1st period, "The Lamb"

    Because I really liked "The Tyger," I decided to read "The Lamb" next because it is also by Blake and is even referenced in "The Tyger." Much like "The Tyger," this poem lauds the virtues and mysterious attributes of the eponymous creature. In this poem however, the lamb is seen as the epitome of innocence, a comparison largely derived from it's "softest clothing, woolly, bright," and its "tender voice." Such adjectives help to give readers a mental image of what makes this creature so elegant and pure. Tying into the romantic style of rejecting cold logic in favor of spirituality and emotion, Blake seems to identify the creator of this beautiful beast as Jesus, the similarly named, "lamb of god." I like this poem quite a bit, its sweetly brief verses really appealed to me, much like its companion, "The Tyger."

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  5. The Tyger

    I got a sense of an exaltation of the power of animals and natural beings. The poem speaks of how powerfully the tiger's eyes glow, and what kind of strength it would take to create one. However, there is not a sense of the tiger as a benevolent creature like the lamb. The tiger is strong and beautiful, but also terrible and evil. His speaks of "dread hands" and "fearful symmetry", which gives an implication of darkness of evil in the tiger. I rather liked the poem, due to its relatively unique twist to the reverence of nature found in Romanticism, with it having equal potential for good and evil.

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  6. Jack Conover, Francesca Conover's dad:

    responding to The Sick Rose by William Blake

    This poem is an eight-line tour de force. And as such, it is hard to assign a single meaning. The rose is Goodness, it is the Feminine in general and the feminine in particular. If not literally, then literarily, the rose is the best the Natural world has to offer. Given that, ‘O Rose, thou art sick!’ is like a punch in the gut. It’s an opening line to rival the opening of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolff: ‘What a dump.’ From the exalted and the pure to the corrupt and the venal in the course of five words.

    If the rose is the feminine in particular then the invisible worm is the masculine. And if the rose is pure then the worm is corruption. As such the worm is, from its first appearance, the masculine emasculated and flaccid. Despite this, the worm - through guile, cunning, general worminess – traverses the night and the howling storm to discover that bed of crimson joy. First note that the worm’s biological drive, its sole purpose, is to achieve that bed. Second note that ‘thy bed of crimson joy’ is another five-word masterpiece.

    So is this poem a screed against pre-marital sex? Maybe. More likely it is a caution for all that is pure to be vigilant against all that is corrupt. Unless Blake was the father of a teenage girl, then maybe it was just a poem about that first thing after all.

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  7. Michelle Zhang, 6th Pd
    Analysis of "The Sick Rose" by William Blake

    Blake uses a classic symbol of passion and beauty, the rose, to establish a newer, more negative interpretation of love. The rose, pure in form, is corrupted by the “invisible worm”, both savage and unpredictable like “the howling storm” it is compared to. These natural phenomena are used to enhance the feeling of nature’s power and enigma, conforming to the ideas of the Romantic time period and the interest in the natural and untamed. Because the rose is sick, this likewise indicates that the desires which it represents are also sick. The poet gives a generally negative connotation to the expression of love as a catalyst of destruction, and the subtle implications of a “bed of crimson joy” reference the darkness and many impurities of love, as if to caution us against these natural emotions.

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  8. William Blake- “The Tyger”

    The tiger which Blake describes is also related to his feelings on humans, within nature. Blake describes the tiger with reverence and respect but also fear, a majestic being with potential to create great things but that can also destroy and be murderous. Blake asks in the poem “Did he who made the Lamb make thee?” contrasting the savageness of the tiger and also humans, and how amazing it must be that both species could come from the same place as a creature as benign as a lamb. The poem uses the personification of the tiger to be self reflective, as it praises the tiger for being such a brilliant animal but has a fearful undertone because the tiger’s nature is to kill, just as ourselves as humans have the capacity to do brilliant things but it seems it is in our nature to kill as well. The overt natural aspect of the poem is what characterizes it as Romantic.

    Gabby McRoberts 7th

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  9. My English class read the Sick Rose when I was at UT in the late 70s. I remember this very clearly because it was springtime, and we sat out in the quad on the grass, just south of the tower. The class went round and round about what kind of love the poem was interpreting. Some felt it was a love gone sour due to selfishness and possessiveness. Others said only jealousy could poison so suddenly and harshly. One student strongly argued that it was about an unwanted pregnancy that threatened to destroy the mother's freedom and heretorfore carefree existence.

    Now, over 30 years later as I read it and remember that day, what strikes me about Blake's poem is the very interesting personification of the rose. It suffers sickness, as people do...it has a refuge from the elements as people secure shelter from bad weather...(some kind of little rose bed-ha?!)and the poet attributes complex emotions to it: joy!

    Now I think Blake's poem is simpler than a love gone wrong, or a young life unduely burdened by responsibility. "live in the moment," is what I read...the impending destruction of the rose's life is a reminder of the ephemeral quality of life. Life is beautiful and joyous, and just when you understand and love it for that, it is threatened.

    It brings to mind other rose-reminder-rhymes: "Cueillez les aujourd'huis, les roses de la vie!" by Pierre de Ronsard. And, Herrick's poem that begins "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may."

    Live in the moment.

    Mahan, Persis' mom

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  10. William Blake’s "The Tyger” is a piece that focuses on a beast of nature. It’s beautiful with its glowing eyes and “fearful symmetry”. It not only generates awe, but it generates fear. The tiger is powerful and deadly asking the reader, “[w]hat the hand dare seize the fire?” Blake questions who dared to create such a fierce creature and “[d]id he who make the lamb make thee?” In Blake’s eyes, God made the lamb, a symbol for innocence and purity, so as a creator he must have also made this monster, which stands for the complete opposite. At this conclusion, he only leaves the reader wondering why the tiger was created, and leaves one to their own interpretation. The poem contains an intensity and tension due to brightly burning tiger, and tearful heavens. I thoroughly enjoyed it, because it leaves the reader hanging, and doesn’t enforce one solution to its dilemma. Instead of focusing on humans, it focuses on nature as the scenario for the basis. Adding to its romantic elements, it also contains so much emotion, including fear or awe depending on perspective.

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  11. The poem “London” by William Blake starts out with the two words “I wonder” (1), immediately bringing the reader back to a primitive sense of mind, for in today's world, humans travel with purpose, whereas back in the day, humans didn't necessarily need nor want a reason to do anything, including walking or wandering. Blake then proceeds to use repetition of the word “cry” in lines 5, 6, and 9, after stating that he met “[m]arks of weakness” (4). This created a somber tone about the poem, for my mind was filled with images of tears and dreadful laments. This poem made me regret taking the life that I currently live for granted. Even though Blake lets sun shine through as a conclusion to his poem, the cloud of rain blotting out its cheerful rays that make up the body of the poem is comprised of depressing imagery that makes a reader feel iniquitous.
    Emily Johanning, period 6

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  12. On "London"
    What I felt most inclined to respond to in this poem was definitely the tone. Somber and downcast, Blake does nothing to glorify the unfortunately realistic elements of the city of London in the 1790s. As a whole, the poem appears very tight, especially in the second stanza as Blake follows a very uniform structure with the consistency of the "In every" phrase. This, to me, seems like somewhat of a political statement and indicates some possible anger about this essentially chaotic situation, and this poem is Blake's own form of repression against that anger. His written form of repression is especially evident as he uses strong imagery such as the blood running down the palace walls at the end of the third stanza.
    (Katie Pastor, period 8)

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  13. Peter Hunt, 8th, "The Chimney Sweep"(longer version)

    The Chimney Sweep speaks of the solace and acceptance of god. The images used to convince the boy that heaven and God are beautiful and to be striven for are in sharp contrast to the Industrial Revolution. I preferred the poem, most likely due to the pacing and tone, to the Lamb. The feel of The Chimney Sweep is darker and more gray, and as I read it I could not help but envision clouded, soot filled skies and bleak horizons. Yet despite all that, the feeling of the poem was more solid, more honor bound, more resonant than that of the Lamb.

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  14. William Blake “The Lamb”
    Although the poem has strong Christian connotations, the emphasis in this poem still remains on the joys of youth and naivety. The manifestations of youth and naivety are demonstrated in the likeness of a lamb, also a running motif. Much emphasis is placed on the immaturity of the lamb and the inherent ignorance of youth as a natural phase in life. Simultaneously, the preference toward natural actions, and organic materials and subjects are blatant Romantic characteristic which portray the author’s desire for a purer environment. Rhetorical questions allow the poem to progress smoothly from question to answer as such questions of knowledge are reiterated repeatedly. Despite this apparent lack of knowledge, the sweet and gentle tone affirms the blessed state of the lamb regardless of its apparent lack of knowledge. In saying this, the author makes himself a child too, transporting himself back to simpler days and exalting childhood and the innocence that accompanies it.

    Lydia Liou 8th period

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  15. Hannah Bangs 7th
    " The Tyger"

    The poem brings both elements of God and of nature together through Blake's praise of the tiger. He asks the tiger itself how it was created and whether or not God was happy with it when completed. This gives God emotions that make him relatable to humans. Blake is praising the tiger for its power and ability, and explores the expanse of God's ability by comparing the tiger's creation to that of the lamb. The themes of religion and nature as well as emotional aspects of Blake's prose make it a romantic work. The repeated questions are asked in a way that praise both god and the tiger for the tiger's creation and power, which is a metaphor for the celebration of both religion and nature.

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  16. Peter Hunt, 8th, "London"

    I love this poem, not only for its content but its construction. While the ending is a bit abrupt to be read aloud, the flow of the poem up to that point maintains a steady pace, one that wraps up the ready in the fervor of Blake's voice. This pacing, however, does not detract from the meaning attached to his words, nor their relevance. The title is also most apt, considering Blake's perspective on the times and "advancements", and their result.

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  17. ~Raeneisha Cole/Period 8

    In "The Tyger", Blake ties in the elements of nature and religion and uses them to portray his feelings about humans and their actions. The poem is similar to that of human life, as we can be great and destructive as well. The natural and religious aspects of the poem is what characterizes it as Romantic. In the poem, Blake regards the tiger highly, giving (showing) that it demands respect. Fear however is also another element present which Blake ensures not to leave out. He uses his words to describe the tiger as a great animal with the potential to cause horrific damage but create magnificent things as well. It is clear that Blake praises the animal in the poem and respects what he is capable of. Furthermore, he talks about the capabilities of god (personifying him) and compares the creations of both the lamb and the tiger. All in all, i thoroughly enjoyed this poem due to easy understanding and readability.

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  18. William Blake’s set of poems, The Chimney Sweeper, represent the argument between belief and rational thought. “Songs of Innocence” ridicules the belief system and attacks the industrial revolution. The young boy works during life and ascends to heaven afterwards. He tolerates sweeping chimneys and sleeping in soot because he holds on to the notion that one day work will come to an end. It is okay for the little boy to work and suffer because he believes his angel dream will come true. The second poem, “Songs of Experience,” contradicts the first. Blake points out the misery of sweepers masked by the rituals of singing. Rational thought in Blake’s poem reveals the woe of a member of the working class. Blake’s imagery focuses on the color and (relative) luminescence of objects. The description created a feeling like a soft stroke painted on a picture, adding a smooth detail to the information. Initially, I did not understand the first poem. After reading both a few times, I felt empathetic towards the chimney sweeper. The “chimney sweepers” in today’s world face just as harsh conditions if not more, and I placed the same feeling towards them.

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  19. Songs of Innocence-The Chimney Sweeper

    The romanticism in this poem emphasizes the natural Christian religion. Blake uses a simile to describe Tom's hair to a lamb's and he refers to an angel in Tom's dream. He even mentions the possibility of God being his father. "Little Tom" was innocent like a lamb as he cried about his hair. God is known as the "Shepard" who guides the many lost and distraught lambs. This profound dream causes a total eruption of change in Tom's attitude and he spontaneously transforms to being a jolly boy. This poem made me feel uncomfortable do to the fact that Tom changed his attitude and automatically believed in God without much convincing. All the poems written by Blake dealt with a very biased, religious idea woven through out.

    Makala Kuhr

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  20. William Blake’s The Tyger exemplifies the theme of natural religion prevalent in Romanticism. The last two lines of the first stanza read “What immortal hand or eye / Could frame thy fearful symmetry?” This contemplation explores natural facet of religion, and marvels at the perfection of the tiger. Blake’s word choice (“fire of thine eyes”, “deadly terrors grasp”) lingers on the feral aspect of the tiger. The admiration of the untamed wilderness is an intrinsic view of Romanticism. The absolute awe Blake expresses at the predatory apex symbolized by the tiger represents another value held dear by Romantics, the importance of natural genius, whose hand is evident in the imagination and creation of the tiger.

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  21. Alexa Etheredge "The Lamb"

    Blake expresses a romantic voice in this poem through the ideas that he puts forth of the innocence of a lamb, an innocence which connects it both to God and to the naive child of romantic literature. The innocence communicated throughout the poem is applied to God in a way that demonstrates the romantic ideal that the wisest of people are those who haven't lost their innocence yet, or children. This lamb in particular is innocent because it has a "tender voice". By calling God "meek and mild", words we associate with youth and innocence, he is expressing just how superior the people of this time thought that children were. Also, by saying that God not only possesses qualities similar to that of the lambs, which make Him great, but also that he created the lamb gives him more power because he is creating such innocence. I was drawn to this poem by its brief but precise language and the way that the imagery brought the lamb to life.

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  22. William Blake - The Lamb
    Henry Kellison, per. 6

    Like many of the other Romantic examples, “The Lamb” is displayed in two stanzas, the first being the question (“Little lamb, who made thee?”) and the second being the response (“Little lamb, I’ll tell thee”). The rhyme scheme used here resembles a nursery rhyme, and while the first portion fits this form with a lighthearted and carefree tone, the response tackles the mystery of human origin. From a Christian standpoint, the lamb represents Jesus, the biblical son of God. However, Blake leaves the actual identity of the lamb ambiguous, perhaps as a means of celebrating the wisdom and innocence of the youthful (“He became a little child: / I a child & thou a lamb”). On the whole, this poem connects nature and religion to celebrate the awesome power of the young at heart - a full set of Romantic ideals.

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  23. In William Blake's “The Sick Rose”, practically every word is a metaphor for something else. In both the opening and closing lines, Blake implies that the rose is destined to die as a flower and wilt. This makes me feel helpless, for I can't help the rose by preventing the attack of the invisible worm. The worm makes the poem Romantic, for it is the untamed and disorderly side of Nature. When Blake uses the verb “found” (5), it presents a tone as if the worm had just stumbled upon the bed of the flower, randomly finding it rather than seeking out a new home. When the worm finally finds its bed of “crimson joy” (6), he destroys its life. A symbol that people commonly associate with the color crimson is blood, like how Blake is showing that the worm's crimson joy is to kill the rose after making it sick and harming its 'blood'.
    Emily Johanning, period 6

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  24. William Blake - "The Sick Rose"
    Rachel Zein - 8th

    When thought about metaphorically, the rose could represent any one person that is dying in the world. The “invisible worm” is a metaphor for death, and death destroys every person’s life. I interpret this poem to be a quick, meaningful reminder to live life to the fullest, due to the fact that death may come along at any moment. When that happens, death will enforce his “dark secret love” and destroy our lives. Blake is able to propagate this message in a concise poem that incorporates elements of nature and an exaltation of the individual, both essential concepts of the Romantic style.

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  25. Christina Clemens - Period 8
    "London"

    What I really love about this poem is the great scenery that Blake created in a mere 16 lines. The city is seen fully, from every aspect. He describes the cry and the woe of every person, with great imaginary, throughout the town--from the chimney-sweep, to the soldier, to the baby. No one is left untouched by "marks of weakness, marks of woe." This highlights Romanticism and it's association of moods with nature. Weakness is a part of nature, and woe, a human emotion, comes along with it.

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  26. Tyger, William Blake

    William Blake’s Tyger explores an aspect of nature in that wild, “fearful” beast, primitive and untamed. The poem creates a tone of awe as well as fear of the tiger, a creature “burning bright/In the forests of the night.” The poem successly strikes within myself a feeling of admiration for the tiger’s raw power and deadly grace – it’s wonder at what nature can achieve, at what beautiful and terrible things it can produce. But here lies the question at the core of Blake’s poem: Blake asks “what immortal hand or eye” could have been responsible for making this tiger. It’s clear the author portrays the creation of the beast as deliberate, forged with “hammer” and “furnace” and “chain.” The poem is a series of questions, the key question repeated in the identical verse at the beginning and end. Always searching for the why of the who: how “he who made the lamb” was also responsible for the tiger, how the God people believe in could generate two such contradictory creations, a symbol of good, innocence, and faith put in the same world as its savage counterpart of deadly beauty. Like Voltaire and the many other philosophers, Blake probes at the problem of evil, whether it stems from God, and why it should.

    Katherine Nehyba, period 8

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  27. “London” by William Blake

    Blake’s description of the city is verging on morbid. Titled simply “London”, the poem examines the bustling and “charter’d” city, the antithesis of the Romantics ideal of nature and individualism, and reveals misery to be abundant. This focus on individual emotion to express quality of the life as a whole plays into the value and credit Romantics placed on feelings. Additionally, Blake treats a variety of individuals in a similar way, having all “Man”, “Infant”, “Chimney-sweeper”, “Solider” and “Harlot”, despite their different statuses and education levels, subject to the same suffering and cries. Previously, the lines between these classes would be much more distinct, but in the Romantic era, Blake can treat all of their anguish as equal. The concept of “min-forg’d manacles” implies that all the distress is self-constructed, representative of the negative power of the imagination, and also promoting the need for creativity to escape such a trap. I find the consistent gloom Blake describes depressing, enhanced by repetition of negative words and the emotional appeal of an infant. The manner of defining each individual only in context of their misery is upsetting, but the real power of the poem comes in the last line. The juxtaposition of a joyous marriage with a mournful funeral creates an inescapable cycle that is not only tragic, but terrifying.

    Courtney Trutna,
    3rd period

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  28. William Blake - The Tyger
    (Henry Kellison, per. 6)

    William Blake’s poem “The Tyger” addresses the beautiful yet awesomely destructive power of our creator. Though I had read this poem many times before, it was only through the Romantic lens that I better understood Blake’s meaning. Through repeated use of rhetorical questions, he compares the “fearful symmetry” of the tiger with “the fire of thine eyes” - in other words, its captivating beauty with its deadly strength. Just before the closing stanza, in which Blake repeats the opening statement, the author wonders, “Did he who make the lamb make thee?” Similarly to “The Lamb”, Blake is using the biblical image of the lamb (Jesus) to allude to God’s own omnipotence. William Blake therefore uses the double-edged sword that is the tiger’s being to display God’s almighty reign over nature.

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  29. Elie Ferdman, Period 8

    Response to "The Lamb"

    I particularly enjoyed this poem until the end of the second paragraph. It has a nice, light rhythm which seems light and springy, most like a lamb in a meadow. I began singing it in my head while I read it, and apparently it was originally intended as a song. It is short and sweet but its message is too preachy for me. William Blake is undoubtedly a gifted writer, but even if god is in both lambs and all other living things, enough has been proclaimed of his eternal and glorious brilliance. I would rather hear of something original and inspiring, something which pangs about in those dark parts of your mind where you forge new thoughts, unique and alone in this world.

    Response to "The Tyger"

    I thoroughly enjoyed this poem. Blake's frequent and short questions greatly excelled the rhythm to a chaotic level as I read the poem in my head. I appreciate his effort to separate and question faith and god's plans. Blake has a wonderful ability to transgress topics and views on them which is a great quality to have as a writer. I really look forward to reading more of his poetry.

    Response to "London"

    This is a fine poem. It isn't too bleak or too full of action; it does have many observations within though. Unlike the previous two poems I have written, while this poem does reflect on something great and massive, (god, London town) it also focuses on observations, on reasons for Blake's conclusion. The two past poems are but pretty words, whereas this is a tale. From the babes to manacles to the soldiers to harlets, Blake does paint a pretty scene.

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  30. William Blake "The Tyger" Amber Mangalindan-period 8

    Blake uses literary devices to create a sense of danger and destructive beauty toward nature and religion, which gives the poem a Romantic aspect. He uses phrases like "twist the sinews of thy heart" to appeal to my fears and strike me with dark interest. He also uses the uncanny phrases to connect his readers to the deep significance behind them. Using words like "immortal," which appeal to the nature of humans in our search for immortal beauty. At the same time, this word sets the pace and forges an eerie tone over the whole poem and urges his readers to continue.

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  31. The traditional comparison of Jesus Christ to the lamb is explicit in this poem, with lines such as "He became a little child" mirroring the stories told in the Gospels. The tone of the poem is light and story-like, as if it is to be told to a small baby as a bedtime story. This style reflects the feelings and emotion prevalent in Romantic literature, qualities that had not been previously seen during the Renaissance. The repetition of the lines "Little Lamb I'll tell thee," and "Little Lamb God bless thee" also contribute to the lullaby attitude, similar to many phrases which, in regular story books, are repeated to emphasize the meaning to the child. Furthermore, lines such as "Gave thee such a tender voice" are reminiscent of the encouragement parents often give to their children as they grow older.

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  32. The Tyger
    Romanticism focused heavily on nature and throughout The Tyger there are several instances present such as “In the forests of the night” and “when the stars through down there spears”. Alliteration is present in the poem in both lines one and four and helps move the poem along. Some other literary devices are present like metaphors, the eyes of the tiger being compared to fire and symbolism. The tiger represents evil, the lamb symbolizes God, and hell/heaven is being symbolized by the “distant deeps” and “skies”. The poem evoked unhappiness for me because the tiger is constantly being compared to evil and how someone ever could create a monstrosity, and just like in present day there are many of these roaming around in the world.
    -Sebastian 7th

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  33. In the poem"The Sick Rose", Blake creates the mood of distraught, disturbing pain. In the line" his dark secret love" he creates a slightly sinister, creepy feeling which can relate back to the dark inner-workings that disturb the human mind. These thoughts ruin and kill all beauty and joy eventually. "Crimson joy" is sort of the opposite of "dark secret love" and creates a process of happiness turning to horror because of the beauty being destroyed by secret, hateful evil. This mood is a predominate romantic theme of good and beauty eventually fading into death and sorrow. I feel slightly disturbed by the line of secret dark love because of the creepy connotation.

    Bobbi Sears

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  34. The Chimney Sweeper
    This poem appealed very heavily to the emotional side of romanticism in poetry, leading in the poem with the fact that his mother has died and his father has sold him. Imagery is a key aspect in this poem, using phrases like "his head that curled like a lamb's back" and "wash in river and shine in the sun" that provide a vivid description and picture for the reader. The Chimney Sweeper implores lots of pathos behind it, and it really appealed to the softer side of me. I imagined children being put into coffins, and an angel coming from heaven to release them, which is a very powerful image that evoked a sense of sadness in me. It also had a feeling of hopefulness to it, the idea that an angel CAN come down and release you from death.
    May

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  35. The Tyger
    This poem is romantic in the sense of its spirituality, and its relation to Christianity and the story of creation. The question behind the poem is "who created the tyger?", and by extension the Earth. The main literary device used here would be imagery, as well (as in lots of poetic cases) the rhyming scheme. Imagery such as "in what distance deeps or skies burnt the fire of thine eyes" creates a powerful image for the reader, and helps to create tone. I thoroughly enjoyed this poem, I found the writing style similar to something of Candide, which is written in light tone of a serious subject matter. The fact that he can discuss creation in a rhyming scheme illustrates his talent as an author.
    May

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  36. The Tyger
    Blakes poem focuses heavily on the wild aspect of life, and the feral nature of the tiger. He sees it as taboo, and fixates on it. His imagery makes the tiger seem like a bright fire, dangerous and attractive, compared to the dark forest. He even goes so far as to treat it as an animal of the devil with the line "Did he who made the Lamb make thee?" Yet still, he glorifies it and paints it to be a beautiful strong creature.

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  37. on "The Lamb" by William Blake...
    (for the previous one I forgot to specify the poem)

    The traditional comparison of Jesus Christ to the lamb is explicit in this poem, with lines such as "He became a little child" mirroring the stories told in the Gospels. The tone of the poem is light and story-like, as if it is to be told to a small baby as a bedtime story. This style reflects the feelings and emotion prevalent in Romantic literature, qualities that had not been previously seen during the Renaissance. The repetition of the lines "Little Lamb I'll tell thee," and "Little Lamb God bless thee" also contribute to the lullaby attitude, similar to many phrases which, in regular story books, are repeated to emphasize the meaning to the child. Furthermore, lines such as "Gave thee such a tender voice" are reminiscent of the encouragement parents often give to their children as they grow older.

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  38. The Tyger
    Mo Quinn, 3rd period

    I had not heard this poem in a really long time, but as soon as I began to read it, I realized that I had been required to memorize it in elementary school, back then I figured it was about a guy talking to a tiger, but now I was able to appreciate it on a deeper level. As far as romantic poems go, it is not exactly standard. It addresses the love of god more than love on earth. The poem uses natural imagery to go with the theme of animals. The Tiger to me, represents sin, it is described as firey and sinew-y, both of which are coarse descriptors. Especially after hearing Blake's other poem "the lamb", this tiger was a sharp contrast. While the lamb seems saintly and pure, the Tiger is rough and dark.

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  39. William Blake:
    Analysis by Selin Kutanoglu

    "The Lamb"

    This poem shows the increase in the interest in nature during the Romantic period, by describing an animal, the Lamb. The pure nature of the Lamb is shown through the words "wooly, bright" and "tender" which associates moods to the nature of this animal. The repetition of "Little Lamb" as well as "God bless thee!" calls attention to those phrases. This also points out the desire for religion (as well as a God figure) to be recognized, which was blooming in the Romantic period.

    "The Tyger"

    This poem reminds me of a book I had read when I was younger, in which there was a poem that was inspired by "The Tyger". So this poem is familiar and reminds me of the child's thoughts on William Blake's poetry. (This book I'm mentioning was written by a kid, I think.)
    There is a rhyming scheme in this poem, which makes it more whimsical to me, and I just find it easier to read also. Tigers are my favorite animal, and the description he has included in the poem is very fitting. "Burning bright" provides us with imagery and is using alliteration, which makes it sound pleasant together, and intense, like a tiger. This also points to the "moods" of nature and how during the Romantic period there was an appreciation for what used to be seen as "primitive" and "uncivilized"- like a wild tiger.

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  40. "The Lamb" demonstrates Romanticism through its interest in nature and its religious commentary. The natural aspect appears in the lamb, which is being addressed as if it were a human being. This personification helps carry through the religious aspect of the poem, since while the lamb is being told about God, it is also being compared to Him (For he calls himself a lamb). The verbatim repetition of entire lines seems a little bit overly done to me, and though I know there must be a reason for it, I think that the point would have gotten across with only one line saying "Little lamb, I'll tell thee."

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  41. The Chimney Sweeper

    This poem focuses on a young boy visiting his ideal heaven to get away from his harsh everyday life. He dreams of a beautiful outdoor scene, where he can let go and be free. The poem uses nature as a release from the industrial world of 18th century London. The 'mood' of the nature in this poem liberating and it evokes the imagery of cleanliness due to the boy "wash[ing] in a river. The poem shows how ones imagination can create happier worlds to live in, and how if you focus on the heavens, then the real world would be easier to deal with.


    My Dads Response:

    This is a poem that Charles Dickens could have penned. After the death of his mother a poor child is sold into slavery. Pip or Oliver Twist could have stepped into the role of the main character. As far as romanticism you have a young "hero" trying to overcome impossible odds. The sweep dreams of death to escape his life, but when they awake "happy and warm" there is a hint that somehow, someway their lives have a chance to change for the better.


    The Lamb

    Blake uses the imagery of a 'tender' and 'meek' animal and compares it to that of a human child. By converting an animal into a human Blake reminds the readers that we are a part of the natural world, even if we separate ourselves from it with buildings, money, and the idea of civilization. The tone of the poem mirrored the theme, and was light and breezy. He incorporates a religious tone to the poem, using the repeating lines "Little Lamb, who made thee?" and "Little Lamb God bless thee!". By reminding the readers that God was the creator of all living things, it once again reminds them that they are equal to the animals in the world.

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  42. London, by William Blake

    This poem paints a picture of a tormented city. Blake writes of a city where everything and everyone is in turmoil, ranging from "every cry of every man" to "every infant's cry of fear." Even "the chimney sweepers cry." Blake continues this picture of turmoil by describing "how the Chimney-sweeper's cry every black'ning Church apalls." This says that the Church ignores the common chimney sweepers, and Blake describes how that is appalling.

    - Lane Kolbly, 7

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  43. "The Sick Rose"
    Blake uses the rose not only as a way to infuse nature scenery into his writing, but also as a poweful symbol of love and romance. The Rose is in a terrible storm when the worm begins to eat away at the rose. The way Blake uses his language, by saying that "his dark secret love" destroys the flower, makes it appear as though the symbol of romance, the rose, is being raped by the worm. You can tell how sad the rose is because he places the worm eating away at the rose in the middle of a storm, and storms in general are associated with terrible depression. This poem is Romanticism at its height, using plants, chaos, and weather to convey Blake's feelings in his poem "The Sick Rose"
    Clare Lewis, 7th Period

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  44. Response to "The Lamb"

    William Blake connects his poem to Romanticism by talking about nature and a divine figure. He uses imagery to enhance this Romanticism in his poem when he describes the lamb. He diligently explains from where the lamb has come, showing Romanticism even further. This poem evoked a sense of innocence because of how soft and tender the lamb is. I felt compassion towards the lamb because of this innocence.

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  45. David Liu period 3
    "The Chimney Sweeper"

    This poem illustrates romanticism on a very shallow level. Rather than a love for humans, this poem is talking about a love for God. "If He'd be a good boy, he'd have God for his father..." The author's smooth transitions between lines, and solid connections between stanzas evokes a sense of imagery for the reader. Ever since childhood, the main character of this poem was abandoned by both of his parents, but "an Angel had a bright key" had set him free from not just slavery, but their mindsets. In the end, even "tho' the morning was cold, Tom was happy and warm."

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  46. Juliana Hall 1st Period
    Response to "The Lamb"

    The theme of natural religion is expressed emphatically throughout the entirety of "The Lamb". This increased interest in nature is unique to the Romanticism movement,and is portreyed with many rhetorical questions to drive the point home to the reader. Blake asks, "Little Lamb, who made thee?/ Dost thou know who made thee?" By answering his own questions at the end of the poem, Blake brings closure and makes final emphasis on the will of God and his overall importance. This poem embraces Romanticism and uses it as a key component to get the point of religion and creationism across. This poem does not trigger any emotions from me personally, because I do not value view and opinions on religion.

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  47. "London" by William Blake

    William Blake’s “London” perfectly embodies the essence of Romanticism in its dark description of a tumultuous and devastated city of London. Within the first stanza, Blake establishes a tone of sorrow, hopelessness, and disparity that remains present throughout the whole poem. In “London,” Blake explores the imperfections in the disorderly society he lives amongst, and takes many liberties in descriptions. The lines “and mark in every face I meet/ Marks of weakness, marks of woe” illustrates the plight of the people of London, while affirming the emphasis that Romantics placed on emotions and the tendency to “exalt the individual and his needs.” The repetition of the phrase “in every” found in the second stanza acts to create a sense of uniformity. No one that lived during this time period was exempt from pain or strife, not even “man”, “infant”, “chimney-sweeper”, “soldier”, or a “youthful Harlot.” When reading this poem, I found myself being swept up in Blake’s bleak depiction of London, feeling the same aloneness and helplessness that he and the citizens of London were experiencing at the time when this poem was written.

    Olivia Berkeley

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  48. "The Tyger"
    It makes me think of the song "Eye of the Tiger".

    Bailey's Dad

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  49. "The Lamb" by William Blake

    Blake utilizes the first stanza to describe the lamb as a "tender" creature, having the "softest clothing." In the second stanza, the lamb is related to God in the nature described previously. In conclusion, the lamb, the human, and God are all unified because of their "mild" and "meek" characteristics. Clearly, the poem is making a religious statement, but also Romantically connects nature, represented by the lamb, and man because of a single creator. Blake associates a certain mood with nature by using religious interpretation.

    -Zach Krebs, Period 7

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  50. Response to "The Tyger"

    This poem is a contrast to the poem "The Lamb". Not only is "The Lamb" is refrenced in this poem, but the choice of words used by Blake prove to be contradictory to the ones that he used for "The Lamb". I interpreted "The Tyger" to be somewhat human, and Blake shows sort of a lust for power that is exhibited by humans. This is the complete opposite of the lamb because the lamb was so innocent and tender while this creature has a terrifying figure to it. This is a romantic poem because Blake is referring to nature and a divine being, in fact the same divine being that he refers to in "The Lamb". My reaction to this poem was one of awe because I have never seen the human race as Blake does, burning with lust for power and aspirations.

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  51. Juliana Hall 1st Period
    Response to "The Tyger"

    "The Tyger" is very similar to "The Lamb" in the way Blake uses rhetoric as well as expresses similar themes of natural religion. I found more depth in "The Tyger" though, through Blake's use of personification. When Blake writes, "When the stars threw down their spears,/And watered heaven with their tears", it creates an emotional reponse for the reader. The poem made me question, probably as Blake intended, whether or not there was a divine hand by his use of imagery as well. The imagery persuades the reader to believe in the fantastic nature of a God, and to question ourselves in our own personal beliefs.

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  52. "The Sick Rose"
    " The Sick Rose" posses a dark and ominous tone. Imagery such as "the howling storm," "dark secrete love," and "life destroy" depict a dark world that is chaos. This, along with the symbols of the worm and the rose add to the theme of nature, helping to classify the poem as Romantic. Additionally, the rose symbolizes not only love and beauty but society at the time. The worm is general associated with dirt and filth. Blake describes the worm as "That flies in the night" in secrecy and destroys the rose's life and beauty. Given the symbolism of the rose and the addition context of the Romanticism movement, this suggest that worm is destroying the beauty of nature and society. Given the Romanticism movement and the above, the worm could represent the Industrial Revolution, following the symbolism of filth and pollution. Therefore this pollution is destroying not love and society but the beauty of nature.- Caitlin Schneider

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  53. The Sick Rose
    Monica FALCONATER, 1st period

    Though the rose in this poem may exist as a potentially beautiful object in nature that becomes infected by a worm, it is also a symbol of love itself. The image of the worm is closely related to that of the serpent which represents the evil and sickness that can eventually come to those who are in love. When the rose becomes sick, it is not aware of its own demise because in reality that would be the behavior of a rose. This suggests that love is sick as well and does not recognize its own ailing state. The 'crimson joy' that is referred to in the poem implies both the sexual pleasure and shame that is attached to love. The roses positive attitude towards love is not only tainted with shame, but also the secrecy that humans also attach to love in our modern day society.

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  54. The Lamb

    After reading The Tyger, I was curious to read the continuation to it and much to my surprise I enjoyed it as well. The flow of the poem is heavily based on the rhetorical questions that are being asked and helps create a tone of confusion, such of a little kid The Lamb described as a soft, fragile, harmless creature helps replenish ones memory with the thoughts of childhood being easy and loving. Once again the concept of childhood is brought up when Blake states, “For He calls himself a lamb” referring the lamb to Christ. Romanticism is seen throughout the poem with its constant references to nature such as “by the stream and o’er the mead”.
    -Sebastian 7th

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  55. "The Sick Rose"

    The sick rose describes something that is natural and beautiful in life. It can represent friendship, love, trust or family relations. However, the worm in this poem is significant because it represents an infection that can ruin such beautiful things. Love can be overcome with the evil of jealousy, obsessiveness, temptation, and greed. It can quickly drop from something beautiful and passionate to something overwhelmingly disturbing and almost a trap for the subject.

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  56. The Lamb
    The Lamb focuses on the natural aspects of romanticism. The poem shows the interest in senery in stanza one by describing where the lamb is and what it looks like. The quality of purity is also a main point in this poems. By comparing the lamb to God, and by describing the lamb as little shows the purness of the scene. The poem being told from a childs perspective also lends to this quality because children are generaly thought of a pure.
    -McKenzie Stribling
    per.3

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  57. The Tyger
    This poem focuses on societies interest in the untamed aspects of nature. Throughout the poem blake uses words like fire, dread, and terrors to describe the scene. All of these words make us think of the untamed or disorderly parts of nature around us. This poem also has a spontaneous feel to it. The beat feels fast and the words used make me feel like something is about to happen.
    -McKenzie Stribling
    per.3

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  58. William Blake
    “The Tyger”
    Sydney Cho

    The poem addresses one of the most distinct concepts of Romantic literature: the emphasis on natural religion. He ponders why the great creator would see fit to produce a predator for such an innocent creature, and this quest for enlightenment and the tendency to exalt the individual and his needs – in this example, knowledge – is another theme of Romantic literature. Blake associates the tigers with manmade objects and tools, mentioning “the hammer”, “anvil” and “furnace”. The tiger could be a metaphor for mankind and its creation, and by associating it with these powerful and unbreakable tools, perhaps Blake is referring to the impetus with which the Industrial Revolution occurring at the time, and how the products of the revolution are fueling more war and “deadly terrors”. The poet further emphasizes the tiger’s strength by juxtaposes the image of the peaceful lamb with the violent predator and expressing disbelief that “he who made the Lamb made [the tyger]”.

    Despite characterizing the tiger as “deadly” and worthy of “dread”, Blake treats the tiger with a cautious reverence, regarding it from a distance, and with his imagery truly brings it to life. I enjoyed his vivid descriptions that painted a picture of a stealthily moving tiger so brilliant it seemed to be “burning bright” in the midst of a thick forest. I also appreciated that although Blake repeats the first stanza at the very end for further emphasis, he leaves the poem’s central question open-ended for the reader to decide.

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  59. The Lamb

    William Blake talks about nature's most primal aspects in his poem entitled "The Lamb". He describes the origins of life and what makes the lamb different from everything else, such as its "clothing of delight". By using a simple rhyming scheme and repetition, it seems as though these thoughts and questions are coming from an innocent child who is full of genuine wonderment. The poem was heartwarming and the youth aspect of it was charming which evoked memories for me.

    --Aiden Kahn, 3

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  60. "London"

    This poem falls under the category of Romanticism automatically because it perfectly describes the utter devastation and woe on the people of London. Blake's use of strong imagery envokes a thick feeling of doom in me. In the second stanza, when Blake mentions "every cry in every man" and repeats the word "every" five times, it explains that everyone in the city was a part of this horror. With his use of the word "I", he personally involves himself in the suffering, intensifying the feeling of devastation even more. His analogy of describing the "soldier's sigh" running in blood down the palace walls sends a shudder of fear right down the reader's spine.
    -Molly gipson, 3

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  61. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  62. The Sick Rose:
    3. The initial impression of this poem can simply be a melancholy description of a rose that can be seen as romantic through its value of nature. However, a darker theme arises in the case that the rose represents England. Through his description of the rose, Blake then creates an ominous picture of the country’s fate. For example, the rose is sick and lying in a bed. This bed can be a simple flower bed, or a death bed, in which case the crimson color of the flower would represent blood and demise. To emphasize the finality of the poem, Blake uses a rhythm through it that rhymes in an inevitable pace. The prospect that England is lying on its death bed provides a depressing outlook on one’s life, however, it also brings a determination in by presenting the audience with a chance to act out freely so that they make the best of the time they are allotted. These emotions as well as the ties to nature and strong imagery make this poem romantic.

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  63. London:
    1. This poem works very strongly with the emotional aspect of romanticism. Blake’s use of negative descriptions mirror his walk through the city and he describes the despair before him. These descriptions are coupled with a plodding rhythm that emphasizes the helplessness of the gloom as if it will continue forever. Due to this continual gloom, a trapped and depressed feeling is created. The strong emotions emitted from this poem are reminiscent of romantic writing, yet the mood is not the only romantic aspect of the poem. The trapped feeling creates a need to escape and thus emphasizes freedom which is a key part of romanticism.

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  64. "The Tyger"
    Blake begins the poem with questioning the creator of the tiger and comparing this creator to a smith with a hammer and anvil. This reference to the smith indicates a reference to the Industrial revolution through the use of tools and thus the idea of constant building and creating, as was done during the time period. In the fifth stanza with the line "And water’d heaven with their tears" and the repeated first and last stanza, the theme of nature is repeated. Blake describes the tiger as "Dare its deadly terrors clasp!" This suggests that Blake viewed the tiger and by extension nature as a whole, both beautiful but yet deadly. Similarly, the mood of the poem is both curious yet fearful. For me, this produces an emotion response of awe and the deadly beauty as the tiger is described and yet fear.

    Parent Response:
    The use of strong, active, visual verbs provides a tone of fierceness and power in "The Tyger." The mastery of God the creator over what man can fashion is reflected in the fourth verse when compared to the fifth and sixth verse. For example, the short phrases ending with question marks illustrate man's industrial tools which are drab and dull. In contrast, the power of nature and the heavens, the "immortal hand" has the stars throwing spears and watering heaven with tears. The descriptive words paint a picture. The "fearful symmetry" could only be showed by immortal hands. The poem describes the awesome, fierceness of the tiger, a creation of God, which no man could create with mere tools.- Kathleen Schneider (mother of Caitlin Schneider)

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  65. The Chimney Sweeper
    The Chimney Sweeper shows the interest in scenery that was seen in romanticism. Throughout the peom blake is describing what it looks like in each scene such as the "coffins of black", and the "green plain". This poem also shows the interest in the uncivilized and primitive aspects of life. In Tom's dream all of the boys run off naked after washing in a river, leaving all of their bags behind. The boys are reverting back to a more primitive and uncivilized state of life.
    -McKenzie Stribling
    per.3

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  66. The Tyger

    Blake's poem is the opposite of an earlier one he wrote, called The Lamb. It is from the same perspective, a young child who is full of questions and wonderment. But this time, he is shocked and wonders "Did He smile His work to see?" The child doesn't understand why God would create such a monster. It exhibits themes of romanticism because it discusses Nature's primal aspects of life. It also shows a respect for natural genius because the voice in the poem seems to understand that the Tiger's creation was necessary

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  67. “the lamb”

    This poem is rooted in the purity and perfection of nature and the natural world. The lamb has the “softest clothing, [and] such a tender voice,” and represents purity and childlike innocence. The poem asks the lamb “who made thee?” and answers with God, saying “little lamb, god bless thee!” While this is a very christian approach, essentially it is telling the lamb to rejoice his natural perfection and be thankful for its life. While it mainly focuses on the greatness of nature there is a subtle undertone that refers to the inherent imperfection of the modern world and its fight against the natural order of things.

    Shannon Plunkett
    period 3

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  68. In "The Lamb" William Blake expresses his infatuation with nature relate it to God. He begins with a description of the lamb and the field in which it lives. Then asks the lamb who created it, a allusion to the bible particularly genesis in which god creates all living things. He continues this allusion with other parts of the bible such as "the Lamb of God" and the mildness of Jesus Christ. It is then expressed that God and the lamb bear the same name as well as our own children's holiness in their relation to the Christ child. In this Blake puts forward the idea of a natural religion and the holiness of nature in its unspoiled glory.

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  69. "The Sick Rose"

    Though brief, this poem has a myrid of ways to interpret it. It definitely falls under the category of Romanticism with its obvious description of nature, hence the rose and the worm. The rose and the worm provide two main symbols in the poem. The rose could easily be referring to love and the worm, due to its dark description in the poem, could be symbolizing temptation. The connection of the worm and the rose to human emotion again guarantees it a spot as a Romanticism poem.

    -Molly Gipson

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  70. The Tyger by William Blake
    Youry Aglyamov

    This is a Romantic poem, as after all it talks about a natural animal. Beyond that, though, it is far from a typical Romantic poem. Beyond the animal, the main focuses are the divine, the forge, and danger. None of this is Romantic, and this is in a sense a poem that combines the Romantic style with other types of poetry, such as the medieval hymn.

    Blake uses alliteration several times. I especially like:
    "what dread grasp
    Dare its deadly terrors clasp?".

    I liked this poem a lot more than several others I read. Its rhythm wobbles, but then again English-language poets seem not to realize the value of consistent meter even in metrical poems. It's also somewhat religious, and very short. Despite all of this, it's still quite enjoyable.

    A Tentaclist analysis: The Tyger is a poem about the question: why were danger and evil ever created? The answer obviously depends on one's religious standpoint, but one must note that unlike humans, tigers do not threaten creations- only lives. They simply want to eat. Blake analyzes the Tiger as a perfect killing machine, and wonders how it was created. This is the essence of the poem. In a way, this is a hint that humanity might want the designs to such machines. Therefore Blake is also decrying the wastes of our creative efforts on destructive weapons. The Tyger is a poem about creation, and it is very much Tentaclist, unlike much Romantic poetry. Indeed, I would not necessarily classify it as Romantic at all.

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  71. "The Chimney Sweeper"
    Jenna Lang, 7th period

    In "The Chimney Sweeper", Blake deals with the matters death and life in a thinly veiled approach. The chimney sweeps are shown as sad, destitute children who are without their parents and left to cry in the soot of their labor. These images evoke real emotions for the reader, who will have pity for the children. However, the asking of pity from Blake doesn't last long. Soon, one of the boys has a dream where all are set free from coffins by an angel. They are then released to nature, a common theme in romanticism. The dream gives a vision of the chimney sweeps returning to the home of man in the naked wild as well as promising God's love. This second detail is an idea completely devoid of science, which romantic works were moving away from.

    Parent's response:
    In my opinion, the poem is about death and trying to combat that darkness with religion. The angel talking about God suggests the idea of Heaven and a good afterlife to those who are faithful and good in their life.

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  72. Elizabeth Bowie, period 1
    "The Tyger"

    "The Tyger" shows undoubtedly Romantic ideals as it describes the wild, savage tiger. It also asks how something so fierce could have been created, next to the gentle lamb, or perhaps even humans. Blake is afraid of the tiger but also respectful as he asks "What the hammer? What the chain? In what furnace was thy brain?" Perhaps creatures as gentle as humans will never understand how creatures as fierce as tigers and can be created, and at the same time creatures as gentle as lambs exist too, from the same biology (or theology, as the case probably was with Blake). I am left feeling rather frightened of the tiger, yet wondering the same things- how can such ferocious creatures exist in the same manner we do?

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  73. "The Chimney Sweeper"

    In this poem Blake examines the Christian faith of a young chimney sweeper, Tom Dacre. Tom, who cried when his head was shaved and covered in soot, had a dream about heaven. In his dream he freed his fellow chimney sweepers into a bright, shining sun and following river, contrary to the dark, industrialized city they reside in know. When he wakes, Tom is happy once more, believing that "if [he] do[es] [his] duty, [he] need not fear harm". Blake's poem is Romantic because of its distaste of the industrialized city and its escape to Tom's own perception of heaven. This poem make me feel lucky, but at the same time at a loss, because although I don't have the same troubles as Tom, I don't think I have the same unquestionable faith Tom does.

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  74. Nate Hattersley, 7

    Response to "The Chimney Sweeper"

    In Blake's poem, the darkness of humanity is the somber reality, whilst the escape is in nature. Blake maintains an optimistic tone in his poem, though it is set in a depressing place. The anecdote offered up by the narrator embodies the optimism and the idea that all is for the best (see "Candide" for further reference). The great moment of optimism, when the boys are released, is imagined, showing a more Romantic emphasis on imagination and idealism. The liberating Angel may seem oddly non-Romantic as it is neither natural, primitive, nor uncivilized, but Blake's placement of it is merely a vessel to express his faith.

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  75. Hannah Rieden
    Period 1
    The Chimney Sweeper
    In this poem Blake brings about the topic of good, honest work and heaven. The last line of the poem states "So if all do their duty, they need not fear harm." Blake is saying that if one pays their dues, they won't face punishment. The poem also deals with the idea of nature vs. man. Blake starts the poem talking about chimney sweeps and how they say "So your chimneys I sweep & in soot I sleep." He then goes on to say that angels release these chimney sweeps into nature, "then down a green plain leaping laughing they run/And wash in a river and shine in the Sun", or heaven. This poem is a romantic poem because it brings in and discusses nature, a major aspect of that genre pf poetry.

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  76. William Blake: "The Sick Rose"

    The Sick Rose presents a scene that is distinctly Romantic. Blake immediately introduces a single rose that is symbolic of nature. This symbolism relies on the established view that the rose is somehow separate from unrefined nature. In characteristic Romantic fashion, Blake dismisses this idealized view of the rose and nature. He introduces an "invisible worm" that invades the rose. The worm is symbolic of the Romantic movement. The worm contrasts the rose to show the imperfectness of nature. Blake's words "Does thy life destroy" exemplifies the act of Romanticism's breaking down of the idealized view of nature.

    Matt Goodman - Period 7

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  77. Ari Rogers, 3rd
    The Lamb

    This poem emphasizes the religious concept of Romanticism. Blake consistently refers to god, and his allusions get more and more frequent as the poem progresses. But within this religious emphasis throughout the poem, Blake more subtly creates a theme of innocence. The first intimation towards this theme is in the title its self. Lambs are known throughout society as innocent and pure creatures, so the fact that the title is "The Lamb" already sets the poem up for this theme. Another time Blake expresses this theme is when he starts to make his hints towards god more obvious. He describes god as "[calling] himself a lamb/he is meek and he is mild." The same symbolism associated with the lamb also applies here, because god is said to call himself that, and innocence is further emphasized with his description as gentle.

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  78. Nate Hattersley, 7

    Response to "The Tyger"

    Blake's poem of the tiger is less a portrayal and more a bombardment of questioning. A vast part of the poem is made up of questions that portray Blake as in awe of the tiger's awesome power. This is Romantic in that Blake is writing about a wilder natural being and he is shrouding this in mystery. He also questions the spectrum of God's creativity in asking if the same being that made the lamb also made the tiger. His musings about the tiger's furnace-brain and deadly claws stand in stark contrast to his description of the innocent lamb detailed in his aptly named poem "The Lamb."

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  79. Hannah Rieden
    Period 1
    The Sick Rose
    In this poem the rose represents innocence, love, beauty and nature. The worm embodies destruction, specifically the destruction of nature. The mood he sets is ominous, his tone helped by words like "howling", "dark secret", and "destroy". Blake uses the theme of nature, as most romantic poets do, to emphasize a deeper meaning. Though the rose, because it is a rose, is sweet and pretty, it can still be ruined, as what is happening to nature all around us. The rose can be interpreted as nature and the worm as humans. If the poem is regarded in this manner, then the point that Blake is attempting to get across is that we are destroying nature.

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  80. "The Tyger"
    Sander Trubowitz, 7th Period

    Blake's poem "The Tyger" is a romantic work because of the praise it offers to nature and religion. The author wonders "what immortal hand" could make something of such "fearful symmetry," embracing wonder and imagination over science and reason. The natural power of the tiger "burn[s] bright," showing its awe-inspiring beauty. However, Blake also describes the tiger as a "deadly terror," revealing its second side, which is why he refered to the beast as symetrical. In this way Blake praises God for his ability to create such an amazing creature.

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  81. "London"
    Sander Trubowitz, 7th Period

    In this poem Blake paints a picture of the streets of London, focusing on the feelings and emotions of the individuals suffering there. In this way the poem is Romantic because of its focus on the individual. Instead of being a place of nature and beauty, the city has had all the nature choked out of it, leaving only "marks of weakness [and].... woe." "London" also contains a criticism of the English government, where "blood [runs] down Palace walls." Through his depiction of the suffering in London, Blake calls for a return to the ideals of nature from the suffering and bleakness of the city.

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  82. "The Chimney Sweeper"

    Blake’s poem embodies the elements of Romanticism, especially with relation to Nature and individual imagination. The setting of the majority of the poem—Tom’s dream—is strictly confined to his subconscious, and is infused with elements of nature, from coming “down a green plain” to “shining[] in the sun” and “rising[] upon clouds” to convey a utopian paradise. Though there are “thousands of sweepers” in the dream, which lessens each one’s sense of individuality, the fact that it is Tom the chimney sweep’s dream reinforces his sense of self-worth and desire for self-expression. Additionally, the simple aa/bb rhyming stanzas in themselves create a light, cheery atmosphere, despite Tom’s dismal experiences as a chimney sweep. The “angel who had a bright key,” and symbolizes the entryway to heaven, comes to lift Tom from this misery, and the world to which she transports him is so ethereal that the reader cannot feel anything but hope for this earnest chimney sweep (and for the Romanticism movement as a whole), who is “happy and warm” and knows that if he does his duty, he “need not fear harm.”

    Priya Veeraraghavan (3rd Period)

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  83. “The Tyger” and “The Lamb”

    Simple and easily appreciated by young and old alike, William Blake’s sister poems “The Tyger” and “The Lamb” communicate the flip sides of nature with its beauty and its terror. In wonder, Blake contemplates the power of God who can create life in such contrasting ways. Considered Romantic poems because in them the writer admires the primeval essence of these beings, “The Tyger” and “The Lamb” encourage us to share this respect for the natural world.

    Blake uses almost every figurative device in these poems to make them appealing to us. Employing the device of personification, Blake respectfully addresses these two very different creatures, asking if they know who could have created them. (“Little Lamb who made thee Dost thou know who made thee/Little lamb God Bless Thee”. . . and ‘Tyger, Tyger burning bright, In the forests of the night, what immortal hand or eye, Could/Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?) Blake chooses several other examples of personification in the poems to give life to natural elements (. . .” Making all the vales rejoice:” In “The Lamb” and “When the stars threw down their spears and water’d heaven with their tears:” in “The Tyger.”) He uses alliteration (“he is meek and he is mild” in “The Lamb” and “distant deeps” in “The Tyger”) and other devices.

    Through the allegory of these poems, William Blake also gently explains to children the gentleness (lamb) and danger (tiger) of the world and urges respect for living and nonliving things. Both poems are presented in parallel in a childlike, sing-song way.
    The rhythms of both poems are the same, and each poem is written in an ABAB rhyming pattern. The opening and closing lines resemble one another. Although not part of the written words of the poem, the artwork for these poems in the Songs of Innocence and Experience track one another with common features such as the trees in the margins and similar painting style. The literary feature of assonance makes the poems attractive to the young (“little lamb” and “Tyger Tyger”).

    I love these poems because of Blake’s ability to lure most anyone into them through visual and sound devices, permitting us to appreciate the observations he wants to share with us.

    Anne Veeraraghavan (Priya's Mother)

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  84. Response to William Blake’s- “The Tyger”
    Through the poem “The Tyger,” William Blake reflects upon the tiger’s existence and the creation. The poem introduces a fearsome tiger with respect by opening and closing the poem with the words "Tyger! Tyger! Burning bright/ In the forests of the night." This vivid use of imagery evokes an emotional response, a common aspect of romantic poems. The tiger is given both a fierce and serene side to it, which is defined and emphasized by the lamb. William Blake expresses disbelief that the same author that created the lamb created the tiger. He says “Did He who make the lamb make thee?” By capitalizing the “He,” Blake introduces the idea of a Creator. Lastly, Blake compares the tiger within the forest to a fire among the trees. This metaphor not only defines the tiger’s power and danger, but also presents an image of a blazing fire, which could possibly trigger an emotional response. I personally felt in awe because I imagined a mighty tiger when I first read this poem.
    -Daniel Kim, Period 7
    Response to William Blake’s- “The Sick Rose”
    “The Sick Rose” voices a depressive mood and a sorrowful tone. This romantic poem marks a great interest in nature, as seen from its personification of a rose and worm. The worm is described to have a “dark secret love” and the rose is described to have a life that is destroyed by the worm. Although the worm and rose are both technically “alive,” the worm’s ability to love indicates that Blake is giving the worm characteristics of a person. Similarly, the dying rose mirrors a figure of a human being. This metaphor proves the poem Romantic because it associates human moods with the mood of Nature. My initial reaction to was dismay because the poem asserted that love destroys life.
    -Daniel Kim, Period 7
    Response to William Blake’s “London”
    Blake’s portrayal of London through his poem illustrates the gloomy appearance of the city and evokes woeful emotions. He uses words such as “cry,” “hapless,” “fear,” “curse,” “tear,” and “woe” to establish a melancholy tone. This same tone is then maintained throughout the rest of the poem through the descriptions of individual struggles. Blake talks about the grief that the speaker sees near the Thames River. He also mentions the blood that runs down the palace walls, and the curse of the harlot. The individual struggles, which Blake portrays through the scenery, establish the Romantic side of this poem. A key concept of Romanticism is “a tendency to exalt the individual” and thus Blake’s poem is Romantic. The poem also proves itself Romantic by manifesting itself with the gloomy emotions, as described earlier. Reading this poem gave me a horrid and gloomy feeling because the poem was so low-spirited.
    -Daniel Kim, Period 7
    Dad’s Response to William Blake’s “London”
    Although I have never been to London, this poem makes me feel like I am there in person. Its vivid imagery helps me picture the city but this image is not a pleasurable one. Blake describes the city as a city of woe and dread. His dark beliefs towards London makes me wonder what inspired him to write such a depressed poem.

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  86. The Chimney Sweeper
    by William Blake

    The opening of the poem seems a little strange mainly because of how the focus changes from who I presume to be Blake to, "Tom Dacre." This makes it seem like the point of view shifts along with the focus, however it does not. The poem still follows Blake as he is a chimney sweep himself, and is telling the story of Tom.

    Blake looks at the hardships that chimney sweeps have to go through, and their role in society simply as chimney sweeps and nothing else. Tom's dream is so important to the story because it will change the tone of the poem as the dream progresses. The fact that Tom sees, "[T]housands of sweepers," dead, "[L]ock'd up in coffins of black," shows the vast amount of sweepers dying and how minimal their role in society is. As the dream progresses and the, "Angel who had a bright key," comes along to let the sweepers into the gates of heaven, the tone of the poem shifts from dismal to a charming happy ending. The closing line, "So if all do their duty, they need not fear harm," functions as a happy ending that if the sweepers suffer now the after life will be repayment.

    The rhyme scheme is a simple AABB but, it seems as though the more dismal the tone the more of a rhyme it is. In contrast the happier the tone the more dissonant the rhyme is. In the last stanza the rhymes are slant rhymes, where "dark" rhymes with "work" and "warm" rhymes with "harm." This is in complete opposition to all other stanzas, this may have been done to lighten the mood to the stanzas that have a dark tone.

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  87. The Sick Rose
    by William Blake

    This poem displays two different sections of Romanticism nature and natural beauty, and a primitive way of life. The content of the poem is about a rose dying. The Rose is already sick, and the, "[I]nvisible worm," comes into play. This is symbolic for death or an entity close to death. Death, "[F]lies in the night," meaning that death can happen at any time and at this moment the rose is dying. The, "Crimson Joy," is a way to describe the color of the rose that is dying, a beautiful red. This constrasts with the, "[I]nvisible [worm's], dark secret love." The love of taking life because in this sense the worm is killing the rose. Finally, the rose dies from the worm's actions.

    Strangely this short poem follows an ABCB rhyme scheme. Why Blake does this is hard to figure out, but it it may be to lighten the mood as he does in "The Chimney Sweeper."

    Frank Garza

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  88. Blake’s poem “The Lamb” establishes a Romantic connection between nature, humans, and God. He does this by pointing out similarities in the lamb and child, which are also tied to God because He “gave [them] life.”There are Romantic elements of nature’s beauty in the idyllic scene of a “stream and o’er the mead” portrayed in the first stanza. Blake explores the concept that truth and wisdom are not limited to things that are old, but can also be found in youth, sometimes even in a more pure form. The themes of repetition also contribute to the tone of a lazy, rolling meadow because it feels like the poem isn’t progressing when one has to read the same information multiple times.
    Clare Zarker 1st

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  89. “London”
    This poem emphasizes the evils of the civilized, “charter’d” streets of London. Blake introduces this idea through the use of a pun, in which he utilizes the word “mark” in successive phrases with different definitions. This draws greater notice to the anaphora that, through its repetition and slowing of pace in the poem, emphasizes the “weakness” and “woe” that the inhabitants of London display in their expressions. Blake again employs the anaphora in the second stanza to imply the omnipresent influence of “[t]he mind-forg’d manacles” in London. In the third stanza Blake creates parallel phrases that imbed imagery pertaining to the occupations of the characters to whom he refers. This parallelism compares the relationship of the characters (the chimney sweeper and the soldier) to their implied emotions (the anguish of a “cry” and the sadness of a “sigh”) and their place of employment (the palace and the church). In the next stanza, Blake again shows the misery of a London citizen as he describes the wretchedness of the harlot’s life. Through these descriptions , Blake again represents the ubiquitous nature of London’s misery, for despite the widely contrasting nature of the citizen’s occupations, they all feel the unhappiness of London. This poem demonstrates Romantic ideals because it explicates how thoroughly distasteful life is within London, regardless of the citizen’s place in society.

    Veronica Busa (1st period)

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  90. “The Chimney Sweeper”
    This poem demonstrates Romantic ideals through its emphasis on the individual and the individual’s undertakings. This is accomplished by creating a narrative that includes the names of specific people instead of addressing the population of chimney sweepers as a whole. The poem is narrated from the point of view of a chimney sweeper who is never given a name to allow for a more open, inclusive feeling to the poem. As is alluded in the first stanza, the boy had a difficult childhood, his mother having died while he was a newborn and his father having sold him so that he must now live in squalor. The second stanza implies the difficulties of life and how they must remain optimistic. Despite the unfortunate matter of Tom’s hair, the main character turns the situation into one with a positive result instead of mourning for the loss of the boy’s beautiful hair. Again using allusion, Blake tells of how “thousands of sweepers [were]...locked up in coffins of black”, telling of how harsh the life is because so many died so quickly. By giving names to a few of the dead sweepers, it draws more emotion for their deaths, giving them more personality for the reader miss. However, the character describes how the sweepers travelled to heaven, which is alluded as “an angel” with “a bright key...opened the coffins and set them all free”. Scenery lends to the emotion as the dead boys play upon “a green plain...and shine in the sun”, showing the pleasures of heaven. The angel, through his message to Tom, gives Tom hope, a feeling which permeates the poem, despite its overall dismal settings. Though the scene of the city is not a happy one, the hope of a nature-filled heaven in which one would “never want joy” would appeal to those of Romantic ideals.

    Veronica Busa (1st period)

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  91. Ari Rogers, 3rd period
    The Tyger

    In "The Tyger" the tiger is representative of the nature. But, the symbolism in the rest of the poem represents how we humans have taken over nature, specifically as technology improved during Blake's time. The first hint Blake gives towards this symbolism is when he says "what the hand dare seize the fire?" His use of rhetorical questions is a way to question if our intrusion on nature is justified. In this question, the fire is representative of the tiger, and therefore nature, and bye using the word "dare" he implies that "seizing the fire" is not something that should be done. The use of words like "hammer" and chain" are what hint towards technology as the entity intruding on nature.

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  92. “The Tyger”
    This poem exalts the powerful, untamed nature of the tiger, emphasizing that it was God, not man, that created the tiger through the phrases, “Did He smile his work to see?/ Did He who made the Lamb make thee?” This supports the ideas prominent in the Romantic era in its laudation of that which is purely natural and yet still stunningly beautiful and powerful. As Blake writes, “In what distant deeps or skies/ Burnt the fire of thine eyes?” thereby emphasizing the natural quality of the tiger. The power Blake feels to be present in the tiger is expressed in the subsequent lines in which he writes, “On what wings dare he aspire?/ What the hand dare seize the fire?” Through these rhetorical questions Blake implies that none mortal are powerful enough to “seize the fire” that burns in the tiger’s eyes. This fire most likely represents the soul of the creature, and although few prior to the Romanticism movement graced animals with a soul, Blake seems to believe that even animals, despite the teachings of the previously omnipotent Bible, have souls. Though hardly noteworthy in modern literature, this marks a dramatic turn from the belief that only humans had souls and therefore emotion to beliefs that stated that nature could hold such qualities as well.

    Veronica Busa (1st period)

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  93. “The Chimney Sweeper” (Songs of Innocence) by William Blake

    It’s interesting when a poem can be both sad and happy at the same time. This one shows the awful depression of children forced into dirty labor sweeping chimneys. But is also shows how they get by on their dreams of a better life – even if only in death. The angels taking them to heaven is their hope that someone will rescue them from their daily work. Even if no one does rescue them, maintaining their hope is the only way they get by each day.

    Ledi Trutna
    Mother of Courtney Trutna, 3rd period

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  94. "The Tyger"
    (Willa Brown)

    This poem is Romantic not only because of the deep curiosity towards nature and the untamed ways of the typer but because it also goes into asking questions of the readers own belief. Blake asks, “What immortal hand or eye/Could frame thy fearful symmetry?” I would take an “immortal hand” as being god or a higher being who created nature. This is a philosophical question of why terror was created, “what dread grasp/Dare its deadly terrors clasp?” Why is there so much beauty but so much pain. I believe this would be something the romantic writers would think about, looking deeper into the ways of society and human emotions. I liked this poem because, at the first look ,I thought that the tyger was a wonderful natural creature but then I looked again and realized that the tyger was being described in a negative context.

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  96. "The Chimney Sweeper"

    This poem demonstrates Romanticism because of its use of nature. It has an emphasis on natural religion present, for it is when the men are set free from their "coffins of black", that they are free to run through nature and appreciate it. They can be individual and they can express themselves in whatever way they deem most appropriate. It is while they are experiencing the nature that an angel appears to them and tells Tom to "have God as his father". These two ideas being placed so closely together (nature and God), associates the two for the reader, and creates an image of a free, expressive landscape, where God and nature coexist perfectly.

    Lucy Kalar, 1st period

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  97. Claire Colombo (Gabe's mom) said...

    I’ve always been fascinated by Blake’s decision to use slant rhyme in the second couplet of the first stanza of this poem—especially slant rhyme that blatantly undermines the rhyming symmetry of the couplet itself. Perhaps he was striving to recreate, poetically, the dissonance he detected in “experience”: the human desire to “rhyme” in the context of a senseless, cacophonous world; the human desire to find our true lock-step with life even as we knock clumsily against the “twisted sinews” of our own reality. Maybe he meant to say we do rhyme, even when we feel we do not; that we do bring a smile to the Maker’s face, even when we frown at our own apparent failures. Maybe he meant to say that we, in our fearful, irregular beauty, are as wondrous and mysterious as bright-burning tyger itself.

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  98. Period 7, “The Lamb”

    I must admit, when I first received this assignment, I was expecting romantic poetry to be the sappy verses we sometimes have the misfortune of reading in popular poetry anthologies. The Lamb was a pleasant surprise. It is deeply concerned with natural religion, and the portrayal of Jesus as the Lamb of God, as well as the child, which draws similarity between a stage of life seen in both Nature and man. There is also close attention to scenery that can be found in lines such as “Gave thee life, and bid thee feed/By the stream and o’er the mead.” Blake focuses as well on the individual’s relationship with God as in the last two lines of the poem: “I a child, and thou a lamb./We are called by his name.” He utilizes several key aspects of romanticism that bring the reader closer to religion and the way the divine is seen and expressed in Nature.

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  99. Allan Sadun, period 7, on "London"

    The poem's external meaning is clear - Blake is expressing a very Romantic dislike for the city, and thinks it brings out the worst "weakness" and "woe" in men. It's easy to empathize with him, seeing as the worst crimes and most disgusting slums are found wherever people congregate. But obviously this is the sort of thing you see if you go wandering around in "midnight streets", and there are plenty of streets that have much happier people on them.

    Reading this poem makes me feel like when I see a homeless man. Yes, the "Harlot's curse" is terrible and yes, our city is to blame, but I enjoy it, and so all I feel is a vague guilt. The "mind-forged manacles", with which Blake alludes to society, are no more restrictive than rustic emptiness.

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  100. In William Blake’s The Chimney Sweeper, the conflict between technology or civilization and nature. Civilization is viewed to be cruel because It causes fathers to sell their children into slavery. The children which are often viewed as the innocent are then forced to work in the dark (symbolized by coal) world and are kept from ever enjoying the bright and happy things that are expressed by nature. Joy is only seen in the one natural thing within the children's life which is death. In death nature is seen as beautifully and bountiful and and the children are described as being white and pure, the opposite of what they were before they met the heavenly nature.
    Ben G

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  101. Response to "The Tyger":
    Some of Blake's description falls within normal Romanticism, as he mentions things like forests and skies. however, he contrasts the earlier natural imagery with elements like furnaces and hammers. Interestingly, he places dread hands and hearts between his earlier natural description and the later industrial ones, as though diving humanity between both poles. The combined descriptions of fire and wings bring images of dragons to mind. Overall, I enjoyed this poem much more than most of the other romantic ones.
    Arlen W 8th

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  102. Response to "The Chimney Sweeper"
    When I started reading this I expected it to be sad, like most other Romantic poems we've read but this one was not only sad but also funny. He uses similes and imagery. There are a few references to Nature in this poem as well as some scenery. It brings up religion by talking about the angle. Over all I liked this poem.

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  103. On "The Chimney Sweeper"
    Tom Darce's life is not one to be envied. Orphaned by his mother and sold into servitude by his father, he dreams of being set free from his dirty, dark life at death, then having a beautiful afterlife.
    Romanticism comes from his vivid dreams of afterlife. In his reality, the dream is all he has to look forward to.
    A far cry from Dick Van Dyke's carefree chimney sweep as Bert in "Mary Poppins".
    Julie Pastor
    (Katie Pastor's mom, period 8)

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  105. In the poem "the Sick Rose" Blake uses euphemism to paint a picture in one's mind of a bright red rose in the dark night. However, the true meaning was revealed to me when I read the poem a second time. The line "The invisible worm,That flies in the night," caught my attention because usually worms dwell in the earth churning the soil. It was then I realized that the poem is about sex and the resulting consequence. One can tell this is a Romantic poem because it deals with the human emotion of regret and lust. These emotions are experience at some point in a majority of human kind thus allowing a majority of the audience to relate to the poem. If one has neither experience, then the poem has a different impression on the reader. Another observation I made while reading the poem is that the euphemism and lack of words allows the reader a wider range of imagination to picture the event. The symbolism of using a rose to describe a teenage girl is another element of Romanticism because of the reference to Nature. This symbolism of the rose also illuminate the dark scene by telling us the girl is beautiful, as most people would describe a rose. On the emotional level, the poem the first time reading it had left me feeling sympathetic and empty. The second time reading the poem, I had felt slightly uneasy, probably because teen pregnancy is frowned down upon in our society.

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  106. Blake believes in using alliteration to attract the attention of his audience. In the first line Blake describes a tiger "burning bright in the forest of the night" meaning that the tiger stands out from the forest that encompasses it. This could be a representation of the tiger being different from those of the expected surrounding. Knowing that this poem is a Romantic poem, because of the lamb reference relating to Christianity, one could come to the conclusion that the tiger is symbolic of evil. In terms of the tiger and the forest, the forest is the typical human, expected to do good, and the tiger stands out from the typical trees in the forest. Another way one could derive from this is in the same line as the Lamb reference Blake questions "Did he who made the Lamb make thee?". Blake also talks about how the tiger is something to be both feared and awed because if it's perfect proportion, which can be derived from "fearful symmetry". The poem continues by questioning if this being was created by heaven or Hell, and for what purpose is there evil. The final stanza is a repeat of the first, the tone in the final is different from the first. Where as in the first stanza Blake has posed a question, in the final, he is simply restating the question he posed and allowing the reader to ponder upon the idea that he had just contributed. I felt that the tiger does pose an interesting question that challenges the ideas of the Church. If their god is all powerful, when why should he allow evil into the world of mankind?

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  107. "London" appears to be Blake's call to social justice as he observes the poverty and tragedy that surrounds the lives of common Londoners. Blake's focus on individuals' emotions, the attendance to "[e]very cry of every man" feels typically Romantic, as does a desire to revolt against the established political system (the French revolutionaries were all Romantics, after all). Blake, however, avoids much of the florid language here for which his contemporaries are known. Instead he writes simply with significant use of repetition, which helps to emphasize the constant and perpetual despair that he sees around him and feels himself about the desperate state of his city. Images such as the ubiquitous "[marks] of weariness, marks of woe" are made to feel ever more frequent to the reader through repetition, as are the images in the second stanza (the "[i]nfant's cries of fear", the "voice[s]" and the "ban[s]" of London), each introduced with the words "in every--". The poem takes clear stabs at the British monarchy and the Church, which are made all the more pointed through Blake's use of strong imagery, supported by connotative diction, such as the "hapless Soldier's sigh/ [which][r]uns in blood down Palace walls". Assonance and alliteration, both of which are present in the quote directly above ("runs in blood" and "[s]oldier's sigh", respectively) support the flow of the poem, allowing its mournful tone to come through clearly to the reader. In a few brief stanzas, Blake succinctly evokes the dejection that surrounds him, pathetically "[b]last[ing] the new born Infant's tear,/ and blight[ing] with plagues the Marriage hearse" and appealing to each reader's social conscience in the process.
    Rebecca Pittel

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  108. Kathryn Laflin Period 8 “The Chimney Sweeper” (Songs of Innocence) by William Blake

    In "The Chimney Sweep," Blake shows a how prominent the sense of nationalism. One way that he does this is by using the phrase "he'd have God for his father & never want joy." By using this phrase the author shows that the chimney sweeps, all of whom were suffering at this point, were in fact happy, due to the fact that they had never wanted joy because they loved their country, and their God. This also shows the religious aspects of this time period.

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  109. Callie Slaughter Period 8

    "The Tyger" is a fairly straightforward poem of Blake's, evident in its romantic nature because of its use of nature and strong religious tone. Blake alludes to the almighty creator and speculates at how someone who created this powerful tiger could also create the innocent lamb. Blake uses the repition of the word what to first wonder how the tiger was made and then to compare the tiger to a machine and hardware. This gives the reader an image of this hard, indestructible tiger that we then compare to the sweet lamb. Less literally, one could look at the tiger as the creation of all terror and evil and the lamb as good. Blake seems to be asking a philosophical question of the reader, how could one God have created good and evil? This was one of the main themes in Blake's songs of experience and innocence.

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  110. Callie Slaughter Period 8

    "The Lamb" is one of my personal favorite's of Blake's and is both simple and elegant. The use of nature and religion are clear Romantic influences. The question and answer format of the poem make it almost seem like a children's rhyme and further simplify and clarify it's meaning. The innocence and purity of the lamb and it's believe in God's love can be compared to all of the good in the world and the child as humankind. We tell the lamb to believe and of God, and we tell ourselves to believe and even though the lamb has no idea what we're talking about, it's comforting. This simple poem seems to relate to good in this world and how God and humankind fit into that.

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  111. Callie Slaughter Period 8
    Parent's response

    The scene in industrialized London of Blake's day must have been dreary indeed. Only the Church and the royalty seem above it, but at the expense of the chimney-sweeper and the soldier. Whoever is mad enough to believe in the future to the extent of having babies or pledging their troth are cursed by the downtrodden Londoners and this mournful poet.

    Implicit in this sad poem, however, is a vantage that sees there should be more than this. Blake writes to urge the reader to break the manacles of industrialization and find a river that is not chartered, but free. In this week after the people's revolution in Egypt, breaking free from misery and attempting to forge a new uncharted course seems the order of the day. One is envious of the unbelievable joy in the young Egyptians' faces. Blake would applaud how the soldiers kissed the revolutionaries and prevented blood from flowing.

    Although this poem seems hopeless in its images and phrases, much of Blake's writings praise innocence, love, redemption, and action. Here he sees the chains as “mind-forged.” The poem shows a world which is ripe for changing if people look up from their weak and woeful downward stare. Blake no doubt longed for a bold and clear new beginning which the American and French Revolutions gave to other societies of the time.

    The trudging quadrameter of the poem and the strict rhyme scheme mirror a controlled society. Blake's playful freedom and transcendent tone in many of his poems is sadly but effectively missing here. The imagery is of darkness and blood, curses and cries. The poet wanders with no purpose. This is the nadir of despair, but the reader must know that there is a river that is free and a future that has hope.


    Interesting –

    Kathy Slaughter
    2/12/11

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