Literary Analysis Week 6 William Blake

“The Lamb”

Little Lamb, who made thee?

Dost thou know who made thee?

Gave thee life & bid thee feed,

By the stream & o’er the mead;

Gave thee clothing of delight,

Softest clothing wooly bright;

Gave thee such a tender voice,

Making all the vales rejoice!

Little Lamb who made thee?

Dost thou know who made thee?

Little Lamb I’ll tell thee,

Little Lamb I’ll tell thee!

He is called by thy name,

For he calls himself a Lamb:

He is meek & he is mild,

He became a little child:

I a child & thou a lamb,

We are called by his name.

Little Lamb God bless thee.

Little Lamb God bless thee.

William Blake’s poem, “The Lamb,” seems to be narrated from a young point of view, asking how and where the lamb came in to being. The narrator wants to know who fed this lamb, who took care of it and “gave thee clothing of delight.” As the poem continues, it’s like the narrator is blessing the Lamb, or saying that the Lamb is part of God or some higher power. The narrator shows love and interest in the lamb, wanting to know where it came from and love it and bless it.

A theme I have found in this poem is innocence. The child (narrator) compares himself and the lamb, both being innocent and meek and mild, “He is called by thy name,/For he calls himself a Lamb:/ He is meek & he is mild,/He became a little child:/I a child & thou a lamb.” (P. 335) Here you can see that the child is saying they are one in the same. Both delicate, innocent, meek and mild; like they mean no harm on others.

Depending on how old this child narrator is kind of (in my opinion) determine’s whether they would say “thee.” I understand the time period would probably have the people saying “thee” but at what age do the younger children start picking that up? Would this child possibly be around the age of 6 – 8? And to bless the lamb, saying “Little Lamb God bless thee,” the child would have to be at an age to somewhat comprehend about religion and God blessing things.