Institution of the Church in Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience

Criticising institution of the church

paints a clear picture of how far they have strayed from the actual teachings of religion. To Blake this coincides with industrialised society, craving money and power corrupts anything, even the purest ideas of religion.

The Shepard (SOI)

He shall follow his sheep all the day, And his tongue shall be filed with praise.

• double-meaning

  • How religion is meant to look, guiding authority

  • Critique of religious leaders who say they have a “flock” and control how the individual accesses God

Holy Thursday (SOI)

Beneath them sit the aged men, wise guardians of the poor

• sense of hierarchy

  • Priests have authority rather than care - ironically foregrounds the children rather than the priests to criticise the church’s priorities.

Holy Thursday (SOE)

Is this a holy thing to see, In a rich and fruitful land

• mocking and combative tone

  • Questioning how people see and perform religion

  • Economic comment - ideas of socialism emerging

The Chimney-Sweeper (SOE)

They are both gone up to the church to pray…

And are gone to praise God and his priest and king

• church excuses child labour

  • Faith and religion becomes justification for abuse and neglect

  • Reversal of roles, child working and parents praying

  • Confused hierarchy of priests above kings

• Acknowledges social power that the church has compared to monarchy, which they manipulate to their advantage

London (SOE)

How the chimney-sweeper’s cry

Every black’ning church appalls

• church has failed vulnerable children

  • Acrostic form in stanza 3 “HEAR” - imperative command concealed in poems form is an imprisoned pleas for someone to hear their suffering, and help them.

A Little Girl Lost (SOE)

To her father white

Came the maiden bright;

But his loving look,

Like the holy book,

All her tender limbs with terror shook.

• father figure represents God

  • Terrified of persecution, how the church has manipulated religion to keep children submissive and obedient, terrified to step outside of teachings for fear of sinning in “God’s eyes” which is actually just the church.