How Blake’s Age and Time Reflect in “Infant Sorrow”
How Blake’s age and time reflect in “Infant Sorrow”
William Blake was born in 1757 in London (“William Blake”, The Poetry Foundation). During his life in London, which became the site of the Industrial Revolution, Blake lived through a time of great social and political change, (“William Blake”, The Poetry Foundation) that had a great impact on his writing. Because of Blake’s experiences seeing the terrible living conditions and social effects on children caused by the Industrial revolution, many of Blake’s poems are told in a Childs point of view. This is very true in Blake’s poem, “Infant Sorrow” where the whole poem is described by a child and discusses the loss of innocence during that time. Because of what Blake witnessed living through the Industrial revolution and seeing the effects on children, his poems reflect the events that had been going on during that time such as children being forced to work in factories while being stripped of their childhood and innocence.
During the Industrial Revolution, many ordinary working people found increased opportunities for employment such as working in mills and factories, but these were often under very strict working conditions. Many of these workers earned less than the minimum deemed necessary for a decent life. Because children could be paid less than an adult with their productivity virtually the same, an increase in child labor happened. Children as young as three years old were sent to work in the factories. The chances of suirving child hood were not improved during this time because many of them lost their lives to the fast paced machines they worked on. Many of the children suffered abuse and diseases working in the factories and had limited opportunity for an education. Because of the long hours of work and the little pay, many children were stripped of their childhood and innocence in exchange for experience because as soon as they were old enough, they were sent to work in the coal
William Blake was born in 1757 in London (“William Blake”, The Poetry Foundation). During his life in London, which became the site of the Industrial Revolution, Blake lived through a time of great social and political change, (“William Blake”, The Poetry Foundation) that had a great impact on his writing. Because of Blake’s experiences seeing the terrible living conditions and social effects on children caused by the Industrial revolution, many of Blake’s poems are told in a Childs point of view. This is very true in Blake’s poem, “Infant Sorrow” where the whole poem is described by a child and discusses the loss of innocence during that time. Because of what Blake witnessed living through the Industrial revolution and seeing the effects on children, his poems reflect the events that had been going on during that time such as children being forced to work in factories while being stripped of their childhood and innocence.
During the Industrial Revolution, many ordinary working people found increased opportunities for employment such as working in mills and factories, but these were often under very strict working conditions. Many of these workers earned less than the minimum deemed necessary for a decent life. Because children could be paid less than an adult with their productivity virtually the same, an increase in child labor happened. Children as young as three years old were sent to work in the factories. The chances of suirving child hood were not improved during this time because many of them lost their lives to the fast paced machines they worked on. Many of the children suffered abuse and diseases working in the factories and had limited opportunity for an education. Because of the long hours of work and the little pay, many children were stripped of their childhood and innocence in exchange for experience because as soon as they were old enough, they were sent to work in the coal