William Blake

I really enjoyed the Songs of Innocence and of Experience by Blake. I found it very interesting how Blake's outlook in the different poems could be so contrasting. The contrast between the innocence and the experience was very evident to me in the The Chimney Sweeper poems of the two states.
In the songs of innocence, The Chimney Sweeper discusses a child that was sold to be a chimney sweep at a very young age. The chimney sweeps are clearly upset about the conditions they are being placed in. For example, Blake writes "Theres little Tom Darce, who cried when his head That curl'd like a lambs back, was shav'd". Tom was not happy about his head being shaved, but he is told not to be upset because this way his hair will not be ruined. This passage demonstrates perfectly the optimism that much of the time accompanies innocence. The poem goes on to talk of a dream that Tom has about dying. Once again there is not a negative tone that goes with dying. In this poem Tom dying is the best thing that could happen because he will be st free. The passage states, "And came an Angel who had a bright key, And he open'd the coffins and set them all free". This simple dream was able to cheer Tom up and make him happy while he was doing his work. Tom was able to see that his freedom and happiness would come if he was "a good boy".
In the songs of experience, however, The Chimney Sweeper gives off an entirely different feeling. Right from the first passage, the reader is able to sense the unhappiness of the chimney sweep. Blake writes, "A little black thing among the snow; Crying weep, weep, in notes of woe!". The reference to black in the first line can be viewed as dark and pessimistic. Blake goes on to write, " They clothed me in the clothes of death, And taught me to sing the notes of woe.". In this passage they refers to the chimney sweep's parents. I think that this passage gives off a very negative and resentful attitude. Later Blake writes "They think they have done me no injury: And are gone to praise God and his Pries and King Who make up a heaven of our misery". The chimney sweep is clearly bitter toward his parents in this passage. They put him in this horrible life and now they are off praising God about it. There is also a very different perspective on God in the two poems. In the songs of innocence, God was viewed as a savior from the current life and gave hope to the chimney sweep. In this poem, however, God is no longer a savior; he is now viewed as part of the problem. In the chimney sweeps mind, God is part of the authority that has placed him in this life and given him no way out. He no longer views heaven as an escape, it is now just a continuation of his misery.
The difference of the two poems demonstrates the different outlooks of innocence and experience. Many times experience corrupts the innocent and takes away hope and certainty that previously existed. In my opinion it is very important to find some type of balance between innocence and experience. I do not think relying solely on either one is sufficient because they provide such different outlooks.