ENGLISH LITERATURE- WILLIAM BLAKE (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) Two of his most famous poems.

In these two poems we can clearly appreciate the two different feelings of the author throughout these key years in Modern History. At the beginning of the French Revolution (1789- 1799) the author sympathises with the revolutionary cause, thus the feeling of fraternity, sympathy and hope showed in “The Lamb”, which subsequently impregnates the whole Songs of Innocence. The bloody development of the French revolutionary process will move Blake’s feelings towards disenchantment and scepticism, hence the cruelty and even brutality showed in Songs of Experience. These two works would be eventually published in a volume titled Songs of Innocence and of Experience Showing the Two Contrary States of the Human Soul. Many poems are paired (as it is the case of the works presented here) to highlight these “two contrary states of the human soul”.

"The Lamb" from Songs of Innocence (1789) Little Lamb who made thee   Dost thou know who made thee Gave thee life & bid thee feed. By the stream & o'er the mead; Gave thee clothing of delight, Softest clothing wooly bright; Gave thee such a tender voice, Making all the vales rejoice:   Little Lamb who made thee   Dost thou know who made thee   Little Lamb I'll tell thee,   Little Lamb I'll tell thee: He is called by thy name, For he calls himself a Lamb: He is meek & he is mild, He became a little child: I a child & thou a lamb, We are called by his name.   Little Lamb God bless thee.   Little Lamb God bless thee.

"The Tyger" from Songs of Experience (1794) Tyger! Tyger! burning bright In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye Could frame thy fearful symmetry? In what distant deeps or skies Burnt the fire of thine eyes? On what wings dare he aspire? What the hand dare sieze the fire? And what shoulder, & what art. Could twist the sinews of thy heart? And when thy heart began to beat, What dread hand? & what dread feet? What the hammer? what the chain? In what furnace was thy brain? What the anvil? what dread grasp Dare its deadly terrors clasp? When the stars threw down their spears, And watered heaven with their tears, Did he smile his work to see? Did he who made the Lamb make thee? Tyger! Tyger! burning bright In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?