How William Blake Uses Poetry as an Instrument for Social Comment :: Laughing Song London William Blake Essays

How William Blake Uses Poetry as an Instrument for Social Comment Living in a world without modern technology and media. William Blake (1757 - 1827) used his poetry as a powerful instrument for social comment. This is particularly evident in 'Laughing Song'; and 'London'; taken from The Portable Blake. The two poems present conflicting views of creation and mankind. In his innocent years, Blake saw the world as a 'joyous meadow, natural and free. However as he grew with experience his naive ideology was tainted with images of war and devastation. Blake's purpose in writing these poems is to position his readers to see the world as it lies before them, unmasked and raw. He is inviting society to take a stand against the degradation of our land and our people, a timeless invitation. To do so Blake exploits the traditional poetic conventions of persona, form, language, tone and atmosphere. The persona of both 'Laughing Song and 'London'; is Blake himself. However he is writing in two opposing states of mind. 'Laughing Song'; comes from the Songs of Innocence, a collection of celebratory poems, offering a view of the world with the 'voice of joy' though perhaps through rose-coloured glasses. Blake is simply enjoying nature, and through this is therefore praising God. In 'London'; however, the glasses are removed and Blake's images of a once 'merry scene' are lost, replaced by 'charter'd streets'. Coming from the Songs of Experience, Blake is presenting his perceptions of a changed world, moulded and suppressed by human hands. To structurally support meaning, Blake has exploited the form of both poems. 'Laughing Song'; consists of three, simple, four-lined stanzas. Perhaps representing succinct periods in Blake's childhood. Beneath the apparently simple form however, lies an intricate web of complex meanings. Although ordered, Blake's use of rhyming couplets and longer lines stress the delight in nature and the harmony between nature and man. In 'London';, all harmony is lost, and therefore so is the coupled rhyme pattern. Alternate lines rhyming in five quatrains replace it, emphasising the disjointed city, lacking in society love and unity. Language, and in particular, imagery plays a vital role in Blake's poetry to convey meaning. Perhaps this is because Blake was also a talented artist and was therefore able to make images come alive on the page. In 'Laughing Song';, Blake uses light and joyous terms to describe the world around him. The 'green woods' provoke images of lush nature, spring and happy times.