London’s Children
William Blake was born in the year 1757, over 300 years ago, and yet his writings are still a source of social criticism in the 21st century. Blake began the love of writing at the early age of twelve. He learned and traveled around the world developing his writer’s sense until he decided he would teach the world to not be ignorant. People would have their eyes opened to the truth. His poem, “The Chimney Sweeper,” was an eye-opening poem on the horrors of young children in chimney sweeps. Blake’s poem reveals the evils of child labor and the bitter division of classes in London in the English Romantic period. His poem provides elements of anecdotes, biblical allusion, and onomatopoeia as he depicts the despicable nature of child labor in the English Romantic period.
The poem first made its appearance in the Songs of Innocence in 1789. The poem was written during a pivotal time in French history as the revolution was …show more content…
Blake uses onomatopoeia with the words “Weep, weep, weep, weep” (3). Here Blake appeals to the heart strings of the reader with the child’s weeping. He uses this repetition to express the narrators young age at being separated from his father. Blake uses the weeping of the young child as a way to explain the plight of the children that were orphaned, and to emphasize the desperate situation of people in poverty. London society was indifferent to the dire situation of the young boys cleaning the chimneys. Likewise, many wealthy people today are unmindful to the poverty of children. Even today, many countries still employ children to work in sweat shops. They are made to work horrible conditions, and little to no child labor laws are being observed all just to make a profit at the cost of the children’s innocence. In that sense, the message of Blake’s poem is still relevant
William Blake was born in the year 1757, over 300 years ago, and yet his writings are still a source of social criticism in the 21st century. Blake began the love of writing at the early age of twelve. He learned and traveled around the world developing his writer’s sense until he decided he would teach the world to not be ignorant. People would have their eyes opened to the truth. His poem, “The Chimney Sweeper,” was an eye-opening poem on the horrors of young children in chimney sweeps. Blake’s poem reveals the evils of child labor and the bitter division of classes in London in the English Romantic period. His poem provides elements of anecdotes, biblical allusion, and onomatopoeia as he depicts the despicable nature of child labor in the English Romantic period.
The poem first made its appearance in the Songs of Innocence in 1789. The poem was written during a pivotal time in French history as the revolution was …show more content…
Blake uses onomatopoeia with the words “Weep, weep, weep, weep” (3). Here Blake appeals to the heart strings of the reader with the child’s weeping. He uses this repetition to express the narrators young age at being separated from his father. Blake uses the weeping of the young child as a way to explain the plight of the children that were orphaned, and to emphasize the desperate situation of people in poverty. London society was indifferent to the dire situation of the young boys cleaning the chimneys. Likewise, many wealthy people today are unmindful to the poverty of children. Even today, many countries still employ children to work in sweat shops. They are made to work horrible conditions, and little to no child labor laws are being observed all just to make a profit at the cost of the children’s innocence. In that sense, the message of Blake’s poem is still relevant