The Schoolboy (4th Form Exams)

what are the key ideas?

• natural imagery

• shift in tone: joy → oppression

• destruction of childhood potential

natural imagery: “in a summer morn”

repetition/anaphora emphasises joy + freedom in nature

natural imagery: “droopy” “droop”

polyptoton/image characterises child as fragile plant → lack of nurture

natural imagery: “The sky-lark sings with me”

image highlights unity between child + nature, implying freedom + joy

shift in tone: joy → oppression: “O!”

• repeated exclamative mark stark

• joy → oppression = effect of school

shift in tone: joy → oppression: “birds sing” “sky-lark sings”

repeated images of bird singing connotes freedom/vitality + joy

shift in tone: joy → oppression: “dreary shower”

• pathetic fallacy emphasises speaker’s gloom

• shows effect of oppression

shift in tone: joy → oppression: “Under a cruel eye outworn” “sighing” “dismay”

semantic field of suffering + preposition create oppressive atmosphere

destruction of childhood potential: “buds” “nipped” “blossoms blown away”

• warns that crushing child’s spirit early prevents them from maturing into happy adult

• extended metaphor aligns childhood with natural growth + emphasises loss of potential

• plosive alliteration emphasises loss of innocence

destruction of childhood potential: “tender wing” “youthful spring”

couplet connotes vulnerability + potential which are corrupted due to oppressive schooling

context (3 bullet points)

• Blake critiqued 18th century formal schooling

• Romantic belief: childhood should be free and connected to nature

• highlights tension between society’s rules + human freedom