Examine the view that ‘the poems in the “Songs of Innocence” contain a vision of existence that is
sweet and pure’
Agree
The Shepard
- The Shepard roams freely, he is free from restrictions associated with organised city life
- The poem seems to place alongside an image of pure freedom
- Conveys the relationship between the Shepard and the ewes as the Shepard wanders from
the morn to the evening
- Repetition of ‘hears’ reinforces idea that the Shepard is a trustworthy guardian
- Embodies theme of innocence – language ‘innocent’ ‘tender’ and ‘sweet’
- Repetition of diction ‘sweet’ and alliteration in the opening line creates a calm, relaxed
atmosphere
- Religious imagery ‘he shall follow his sheep all day’ places the Shepard in the role of
discipline, loyally following Jesus
- Metre of 2 stanzas is irregular = sense of freedom, lack of restricted structure = carefree
movement of lambs
- Rhyming of simplistic monosyllabic words such as ‘strays’ and ‘praise’ helps to reinforce
simplicity of nature
- Critic ‘the city both restricts and corrupts people’
The Ecchoing Green
- Sees the entire circle of life in one neighbourly day on a ‘green’
- As elderly forms sit and watch children play on the grass, they happily remember the time
when they played in just the same way
- The poem continues the pastoral theme already established in SOI, looking at harmony
between nature and human beings, as well as harmony between old and young
- Idyllic picture created through adjectives ‘rising sun’ ‘merry bells’ that ‘welcome spring’
- Simplicity of structure mirrors innocent play of children
- Sense of joy and contentment that draws in other elements of nature, such as the birds
‘singing loud’
- 1st stanza concludes establishing the voice in the poem as one of the children who ‘sports…
on the Ecchoing Green’ sporting and playing = innocent past times of children
- 2nd stanza focus shifts to the ‘old folk’, separated separates adults from both the children
and the play
- 3rd stanza the ‘sun does descend’ and the children are ‘weary’ = unification between adults
and children as the ‘many sisters and brothers’ are at their mothers ‘lap’
- Imagery of birds = simile of children to ‘birds in their nest’
- Ends with a partial repetition of the refrain; the green no longer echoes with the sport of the
children but is now ‘darkening’
- Critic Evans ‘wisdom speaks with the voice of a child’
Disagree
The Chimney Sweeper
- About a very young chimney sweeper who exposes the evils of chimney sweeping as part of
the cruelties created by the sudden increase in wealth
- Poem was used as a broadsheet or propaganda against the evil of chimney sweeping
- The chimney sweeper’s life was one of destitution and exploitation
- The children were either orphans or were sold by poor parents to master sweepers
sweet and pure’
Agree
The Shepard
- The Shepard roams freely, he is free from restrictions associated with organised city life
- The poem seems to place alongside an image of pure freedom
- Conveys the relationship between the Shepard and the ewes as the Shepard wanders from
the morn to the evening
- Repetition of ‘hears’ reinforces idea that the Shepard is a trustworthy guardian
- Embodies theme of innocence – language ‘innocent’ ‘tender’ and ‘sweet’
- Repetition of diction ‘sweet’ and alliteration in the opening line creates a calm, relaxed
atmosphere
- Religious imagery ‘he shall follow his sheep all day’ places the Shepard in the role of
discipline, loyally following Jesus
- Metre of 2 stanzas is irregular = sense of freedom, lack of restricted structure = carefree
movement of lambs
- Rhyming of simplistic monosyllabic words such as ‘strays’ and ‘praise’ helps to reinforce
simplicity of nature
- Critic ‘the city both restricts and corrupts people’
The Ecchoing Green
- Sees the entire circle of life in one neighbourly day on a ‘green’
- As elderly forms sit and watch children play on the grass, they happily remember the time
when they played in just the same way
- The poem continues the pastoral theme already established in SOI, looking at harmony
between nature and human beings, as well as harmony between old and young
- Idyllic picture created through adjectives ‘rising sun’ ‘merry bells’ that ‘welcome spring’
- Simplicity of structure mirrors innocent play of children
- Sense of joy and contentment that draws in other elements of nature, such as the birds
‘singing loud’
- 1st stanza concludes establishing the voice in the poem as one of the children who ‘sports…
on the Ecchoing Green’ sporting and playing = innocent past times of children
- 2nd stanza focus shifts to the ‘old folk’, separated separates adults from both the children
and the play
- 3rd stanza the ‘sun does descend’ and the children are ‘weary’ = unification between adults
and children as the ‘many sisters and brothers’ are at their mothers ‘lap’
- Imagery of birds = simile of children to ‘birds in their nest’
- Ends with a partial repetition of the refrain; the green no longer echoes with the sport of the
children but is now ‘darkening’
- Critic Evans ‘wisdom speaks with the voice of a child’
Disagree
The Chimney Sweeper
- About a very young chimney sweeper who exposes the evils of chimney sweeping as part of
the cruelties created by the sudden increase in wealth
- Poem was used as a broadsheet or propaganda against the evil of chimney sweeping
- The chimney sweeper’s life was one of destitution and exploitation
- The children were either orphans or were sold by poor parents to master sweepers
