The Circle of Life in the Ecchoing Green, by William Blake
Blake uses the symbolic nature of the world in the Ecchoing Green to describe the stages of life, and how life is an echo that repeats itself over and over until the final stage of life: Death. He does this by using the fresh beginning of spring in the first stanza, the reminiscence of old people in the second stanza, and the darkening events that evening holds in the third stanza. The Ecchoing Green is a Ballade, which is a sonnet that is usually three stanzas in length, with all stanzas ending in the same, or similar, lines. The ending line of the first two stanzas refer back to the “Ecchoing Green”, which is echoing with timelessness in the beginning of life, to the “Darkening Green” …show more content…
Blake describes it by using the happy setting of spring, where nature is flourishing and full of life. This is comparable to childhood, and how energetic and innocent the children at play are. “The sun does rise” (line 1) describes the morning, or the beginning of a day, to describe the beginning of life as it takes place. The sun brings light and warmth, which is representative of the warmth and happiness within a child. This starts the reader off with a fresh beginning. “The merry bells ring/To welcome the Spring” (lines 3-4) represents youth and the renewal of life. Spring is a time for renewal and a time for joy and play. The “birds of the bush” (line 6) are used to describe the freedom of childhood, without the shackles of society, as they are free to spread their cheer by flying around the skies. This stanza is all around full of cheer, as sport is played by the children of the poem, enjoying the freedom of their …show more content…
“On the Ecchoing Green” is repeating in the last lines of the first two stanzas. The “Ecchoing Green” is the echo of life, and how it repeats itself again and again for many years, and will continue for the next generation of youth. Blake first uses “On the Ecchoing Green” in the first stanza, because the characters know they have many more years to go before their course is over. They are young, and they will see the scene of life play out for many years to come. Blake uses it again in the second stanza. However, it is not used in the same tone as the first. These older folk know that they have had their years on the “Ecchoing Green”, and that their time for it is running out. The tone still remains hopeful, but it is fading. Their scenes will soon come to an end. In the third stanza, Blake changes the last line slightly to “On the Darkening Green” (line 30). This represents the idea that all things must come to an end; this is the circle of
Blake uses the symbolic nature of the world in the Ecchoing Green to describe the stages of life, and how life is an echo that repeats itself over and over until the final stage of life: Death. He does this by using the fresh beginning of spring in the first stanza, the reminiscence of old people in the second stanza, and the darkening events that evening holds in the third stanza. The Ecchoing Green is a Ballade, which is a sonnet that is usually three stanzas in length, with all stanzas ending in the same, or similar, lines. The ending line of the first two stanzas refer back to the “Ecchoing Green”, which is echoing with timelessness in the beginning of life, to the “Darkening Green” …show more content…
Blake describes it by using the happy setting of spring, where nature is flourishing and full of life. This is comparable to childhood, and how energetic and innocent the children at play are. “The sun does rise” (line 1) describes the morning, or the beginning of a day, to describe the beginning of life as it takes place. The sun brings light and warmth, which is representative of the warmth and happiness within a child. This starts the reader off with a fresh beginning. “The merry bells ring/To welcome the Spring” (lines 3-4) represents youth and the renewal of life. Spring is a time for renewal and a time for joy and play. The “birds of the bush” (line 6) are used to describe the freedom of childhood, without the shackles of society, as they are free to spread their cheer by flying around the skies. This stanza is all around full of cheer, as sport is played by the children of the poem, enjoying the freedom of their …show more content…
“On the Ecchoing Green” is repeating in the last lines of the first two stanzas. The “Ecchoing Green” is the echo of life, and how it repeats itself again and again for many years, and will continue for the next generation of youth. Blake first uses “On the Ecchoing Green” in the first stanza, because the characters know they have many more years to go before their course is over. They are young, and they will see the scene of life play out for many years to come. Blake uses it again in the second stanza. However, it is not used in the same tone as the first. These older folk know that they have had their years on the “Ecchoing Green”, and that their time for it is running out. The tone still remains hopeful, but it is fading. Their scenes will soon come to an end. In the third stanza, Blake changes the last line slightly to “On the Darkening Green” (line 30). This represents the idea that all things must come to an end; this is the circle of