Coming Of Age Analysis

The differences between childhood and old age are represented via a conventional village scene. A human lifespan is metaphorically depicted through this scene with different stages of life represented by periods of the day, with morning representing birth and childhood, afternoon being middle and evening/night depicting the coming of age and death. Blake explores the idea that the process from the innocence of childhood to death is a short-lived experience. The poem follows the reminiscent thoughts of a man towards the gaiety of childhood and the sublimity of the natural world that disappears within a fleet of the moment.
The Romantics dismissed the earlier ideas of children being born as sinners and instead saw it as a time when individuals were innocent and untainted by the evils of society. Blake explores this notion through symbolising childhood as a sunrise, when nature comes to life as shown through the personification of
the skies as “The sun does arise, and make happy the skies”, an image portraying the daily rebirth of the beauty and liveliness of nature that brings delight and comfort to one’s life. The natural imagery of “skylark and thrush…sing louder around to the bells cheerful sound” allows the reader to experience the sounds of happiness and vitality that represent childhood while highlighting a newfound sense of companionship with the natural world.
Blake also explores the transient nature of life through the cyclic passage of time, which is reinforced by the direct speech in ‘When we all, girls and boys, in our youth time” to personalise his hindsight into the meaning of life while emphasising the process of maturation from youth to adulthood.
The enjambment stresses the inexorable passage of time as “little ones” become weary with frivolity until they can play “no more”, further highlighting the fluidity of time and denoting the coming of age. Throughout the poem, the happiness and carefree play during childhood is deeply contrasted with the worries and responsibilities that come with age, emphasised through the repetition of the phrase “no more”. This gives a sense of finality and reiterates the ongoing significance of finding joy in our childhood before advancing to the final stage of adulthood and experiencing the burdens of work and responsibility, where “no more can [one] be merry”. Childhood was therefore regarded as a period of innocence and a time that was to be
cherished.