¶ … Poetry and Art of William Bake
Infant Sorrow Guide and Exposition of Illustration Used
Infant Sorrow was one of the poems written by William Blake. It talks of a child being born into a world they aren't familiar with. The poem captures the experience with simplicity, hope and anxiety. Blake pens how the child leaps into the world helpless and naked yet the welcoming world is one which is characterized with precarious situations and activities. Since the newborn is still naive, they don't know how to properly respond to this world. Feelings of helplessness befall upon the baby and the only consolation the baby gets is the opportunity to sulk on the mother's breast.
Blake employs various poetic devices to convey the meaning of the poem. With only two stanzas and eight lines, the poem uses very simple language. One of the devices employed is imagery. For example, Blake uses vivid imagery as he pens "into the dangerous world I leapt: helpless naked piping aloud . . . " This vivid use of imagery allows the poem's reader to clearly visualize what changes take place as the baby is born. It makes the reader consider feelings such as fear and anxiety that they perhaps hadn't associated with the experience of a child coming into the world. Lines five and six also uses imagery as Blake pens how the baby struggles in the hands of the father and strives against their swaddling bands.
Blake...
This makes the reader figure out what sounds the parents made. The groans could be as a result of the delivery pains and the father weeping could be because of his knowledge of the baby coming into a world that is perilous and unkind. The sounds capture the tribulations the baby is likely to face when they leave the
safety of the womb and start interacting with the real world.
Blake also utilizes hidden symbolism and terms to paint the
society the baby is coming into. The terms used include 'father's hands', 'swaddling bands' and 'infant sorrow.'
The mood the poem captures portrays vulnerability and littleness. The use of worlds such as 'naked' 'piping' and 'helpless' helps capture this mood. The poem also uses high emotions and anticipation with words such as 'wept' and 'groan'. In
contrast to the first stanza, the second stanza shows the baby wanting to be free and get rid of constraints.
Infant Joy Review and Style Illustration
William Blake wrote 'Infant Joy' which is another wonderful piece by him. The poem consists of two stanzas and twelve lines. The poem tells the reader the tremendous joy a new born brings to the mother and the bond…
