Poetry Essay on "The Lamb" by William Blake

810 Words4 Pages
Thesis: William Blake’s lyric “The Lamb” is a simple child’s song, in which he alludes to Christianity and some of its foundational beliefs. Introduction  Quotation/Opening statement  Thesis statement Summary Form Analysis  Form  Symbolism Conclusion Ingelisse Diaz Dr. Rock English 102-B40 Turabian 23 September 2014 William Blake’s “The Lamb” The Lamb is a poem written by the English poet William Blake (1757-1827). He is regarded as an early Romantic poet. His poems seem to have a lyric characteristic. Blake was a religion seeker, but not a Christian, however, “He warmly declared that all he knew is in the Bible. But he understands the Bible in its spiritual sense.” William Blake’s lyric “The Lamb” is a simple child’s song, in which he alludes to Christianity and some of its foundational beliefs. In its question and answer form, it is simple and profound. The Lamb consist of two 10 line stanzas in question and answer form. In the first two lines of the first stanza a child questions a lamb about its creation. “Little Lamb, who made thee? Dost thou know who made thee?” Then, he asks if the lamb knows who provides its food, its clothe of wool, and its soft voice. The main idea of the first stanza is all about the Creator. In the second stanza the child answers the question from the first stanza. He alludes to Jesus Christ as the lamb’s creator. Since Jesus is known in Christianity as the Lamb of God. The symbolism of the lamb in this poem is very clear. Additionally, the child points out similarities between the lamb and Jesus Christ when he says, “He is meek, and he is mild” (line 15). Moreover, he says, “He became a little child” (line 16). In Christianity this is referring to the incarnation of God the Son, who came into this world as a child. The poem ends with the child speaking a blessing over the lamb. The first stanza
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