"The Chimney Sweeper: A little black thing among the snow", by Blake
Follow the same steps as above to read and analyze Blake's "The Chimney Sweeper: A little black thing among the snow" (written in 1793). In addition to the discussion points mentioned above, ask them to notice that the "King" (the British government) is also held culpable by the poet. Answers to some of the questions are provided here:
- What is the rhyme scheme in the poem? [Answer: 3 quatrains; AABB CDCD EFEF]
- The movement of the poem (Answer: first stanza is a conversation between an outside viewer and the narrator, and the other two are the narrator's lament and indictment of the church, family, and king)
- What sensory effects and contrasts does the poem create? (colors like black and white, heath and snow etc.)
Read William Blake's poem "The Chimney Sweeper: A little black thing among the snow" (written in 1793) and try to recite it aloud to get a sense of its rhyme and rhythm. Try to notice that the "King" (the British government) is also held culpable by the poet.
Use the following points to analyze the poem in detail:
- What is the rhyme scheme in the poem?
- The movement of the poem
- The characters of the narrator (for instance, the narrator is so young that he speaks " 'weep" when he means "sweep")
- What sensory effects and contrasts does the poem create?
- The significance of the title.
- Poverty, child labor, and the use of coal.
- The role of family.
- The use of religion and religious symbolism in the poem.
- Juxtapositions of life and death.
- The emotions that the poem arouses in the reader's mind.
- What elements of Romantic poetry can be seen in this poem?
Poem by William Blake. Provided by The Poetry Foundation