Tom is overwhelmed by his happiness. These examples show the romantic motif of the connection with nature and the feelings of the chimney sweeper. Thirdly, there is a critique to be found in social aspects given in the poem, which was one of the main goals of romantic writings. The term romanticism stands for “the many manifestations of the spirit of universal revolt against seventeenth and early eighteenth century standards of social life” (Hulme 215). In this poem, the cruelty in the life of the young chimney sweeper is criticized. At that time chimney sweepers often just lived in cellars and were weakened by the work they did. Many did not reach the age of adulthood. Normally, master-sweepers bought five-year old boys, preferably thin ones, often from poor widows, orphanages or workhouses to work for them (Fulford 37). The boy described in the poem was also sold by his parents: “They clothed me in the clothes of death, And taught me to sing the notes of woe” (Blake line 7-8). The “clothes of death” could be seen as a symbol for his work clothes and therefore for his possible early death, because of the bad work conditions. The pronoun “they” presents his parents but also the whole society who did nothing against the harshness of
Tom is overwhelmed by his happiness. These examples show the romantic motif of the connection with nature and the feelings of the chimney sweeper. Thirdly, there is a critique to be found in social aspects given in the poem, which was one of the main goals of romantic writings. The term romanticism stands for “the many manifestations of the spirit of universal revolt against seventeenth and early eighteenth century standards of social life” (Hulme 215). In this poem, the cruelty in the life of the young chimney sweeper is criticized. At that time chimney sweepers often just lived in cellars and were weakened by the work they did. Many did not reach the age of adulthood. Normally, master-sweepers bought five-year old boys, preferably thin ones, often from poor widows, orphanages or workhouses to work for them (Fulford 37). The boy described in the poem was also sold by his parents: “They clothed me in the clothes of death, And taught me to sing the notes of woe” (Blake line 7-8). The “clothes of death” could be seen as a symbol for his work clothes and therefore for his possible early death, because of the bad work conditions. The pronoun “they” presents his parents but also the whole society who did nothing against the harshness of