William Blake

Blake�s poem, �The Chimney Sweeper,� contains the voice of child singing his tale of woe. This poem is part of Blake�s Songs of Experience. He uses the child in this poem to express the image of innocence gaining experience. �The Chimney Sweeper� attacks such subjects as religion, politics, and child labor. It takes after the same titled poem from his Songs of Innocence collection. In the version from Songs of Innocence the child speaks of a heavenly place where all the little chimney sweepers go when they die. In this version the child is more realistic and heaven is a place created by the adults out of the children�s misery. This poem contains few elements that reflect the traditional requirements for Romantic poetry, but as it is used in a collection of similar themed poems its importance becomes more significant to the tradition. Blake believed that innocence and experience are necessary for gaining wisdom. Because this poem is found in Songs of Experience the child has grown by experiencing the realities of his job. This journey that the child has made from innocence to waking up to the terror of reality is the journey that all poets of the Romantic tradition take in their poetry.

The Lamb� from Songs of Innocence is another poem from Blake that uses children. This poem, like many from Songs of Innocence, shows a lighter look on life and gives connection between people, God, and animals. By using the voice of the child in his poems, Blake emphasizes the innocence. It also allows him to write the poetry with simple language for all readers to understand. The use of a child�s mind in this poem gives Blake more freedom to express his own ideas of spirituality without including the influences of organized religion or the church. Blake�s use of individual perception on spirituality is another important element of the Romantic tradition.