m. Children laugh, play, and live without fear. They enjoy simple joys. They feel safe in their world. Blake believes that children are naturally pure and innocent.
In the poem “Nurse’s Song” (Songs of Innocence), children are playing freely in the green fields. They laugh and shout with joy. The nurse watches them kindly and allows them to keep playing. She understands their happiness and does not stop them. She says:
“Well, well, go and play till the light fades away.”
This line shows love, care, and trust. Blake creates a bright and joyful picture where children feel protected and free.
Innocence Even in Suffering: Blake also shows that even poor children can have innocent minds. In “The Chimney Sweeper” (Songs of Innocence), the little chimney sweep works in very hard and dirty conditions. Still, he remains hopeful. Through a dream, Blake shows the innocent thinking of children. Tom Dacre, a little chimney sweep, dreams of an angel who frees the boys from “coffins of black,” which means their painful lives.
“And he opened the coffins & set them all free;”
The children then leap, run, laugh, and play in the green fields and bathe in the river. This dream shows the child’s innocent belief that good behavior and faith will bring reward in heaven. Even in pain, the child does not lose hope.
Childhood and Nature: Blake often connects childhood with nature. He uses green fields, flowers, birds, and sunlight to show innocence. Nature shows the beauty and purity of children. In “Holy Thursday” (Songs of Innocence), Blake compares poor children to flowers:
“O what a multitude they seem’d, these flowers of London town!”
This line shows that children are pure and beautiful like flowers. They are not yet damaged by the cruel world. Blake wants us to see their innocence and value it.
Exploitation of Children: In Songs of Experience, Blake shows a darker side. Society becomes cruel and uncaring. Children are forced to work and suffer.
In “The Chimney Sweeper” (Songs of Experience), Blake shows a child crying alone in the cold snow. He is covered with black soot and ignored by society. Blake writes:
“A little black thing among the snow,
Crying ‘weep! weep!’”
This image is very painful. While the child suffers, his parents pray in church. Blake criticizes society and religion for pretending everything is fine while children are being exploited.
Loss of Childhood Innocence: Blake also shows how innocence is lost with age. In “Nurse’s Song” (Songs of Experience), the nurse is no longer happy. She watches children play but feels bitter and jealous. She remembers her youth with sadness and says:
“The days of my youth rise fresh in my mind.”
She believes that childhood joy is useless because life will end in pain. This shows how experience destroys the freedom and joy of childhood.
Blake’s Message to Society: Blake’s poems are not only about children. They are a warning to society. He wants people to protect children and value their innocence. He strongly criticizes systems that exploit children through poverty, labor, and false religion.
In conclusion, William Blake presents childhood in two opposite ways. In Songs of Innocence, childhood is joyful, free, and pure. In Songs of Experience, childhood is painful and oppressed. His message is clear: childhood is precious and must be protected.