songs of innocence and of experience by william blake

In the poem Tyger, experience is represented in a tiger. On the other hand, Blake associates Experience with adults and nature. However, he also criticizes church in 'The Chimney Sweeper' from Songs of Experience as it should be an institution that does not support cruelty and is made of humans who sin less often. Blake usually associates Innocence with childhood and sinless people. Additionally, all human souls should go naturally through both states in one point or another of their lives. As evidenced in William Blake’s poems, one cannot be at the same time innocent and experienced in the same area. Innocence and Experience can be perceived as contrary states of the human soul. Experience makes someone skillful or wise.

On the other hand, this dictionary defines experience as the conscious perception or understanding of reality or of an event.

It is the state of being free from evil influences or effects that come from the lack of sophistication, guile or self-consciousness. Based on my understanding on his poems, I believe that Blake meant these two words in a different way that some dictionaries define them today.Īccording to the Merriam Webster’s School Dictionary, innocence is the freedom from guilt or the blame of sin. Throughout both books, many poems fall into pairs, so that a similar situation or theme can be seen in both Innocence and Experience.Many scholars thought the years have tried to understand the meaning of the words 'Innocence' and 'Experience' based in William Blake’s poems from Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. Poems here are darker, concentrating on more political and serious themes. Directly contrasting this, Songs of Experience instead deals with the loss of innocence after exposure to the material world and all of its mortal sin during adult life, including works such as The Tyger. Its poems have a generally light, upbeat and pastoral feel and are typically written from the perspective of children or written about them. Songs of Innocence mainly consists of poems describing the innocence and joy of the natural world, advocating free love and a closer relationship with God, and most famously including Blake's poem The Lamb. Although Songs of Innocence was first published by itself in 1789, it is believed that Songs of Experience has always been published in conjunction with Innocence since its completion in 1794. “Songs of Innocence and of Experience: Shewing the Two Contrary States of the Human Soul are two books of poetry by the English poet and painter, William Blake. © 1794 William Blake Songs of Innocence and of Experience First published on/in 1794.

Songs of innocence and of experience by william blake