The Innocent’s Perspective of the World Illustrated in “the Lamb”

The Innocent’s Perspective of the World Illustrated in “The Lamb”

“The Lamb” by William Blake, has been published in 1789 as part of a larger work, Songs of Innocence, which is itself part of Songs of Innocence and of Experience. The point of view is what makes “songs of innocence” different from “songs of experience”. Everything in the “songs of innocence” is written from the point of view of a child. These songs illustrate innocence as a way of looking at the world. The poem “The Lamb” is an illustration of the innocent’s perspective of the world as a creation of God, expressed in child’s point of view. Through the child’s innocent perspective of the world, William Blake wants to show that on the one hand, innocence is something good and powerful, but it also suggests that there are limitations of the perspective of innocence.

To begin with, the poem is a child’s song. This poem provides an example of trochaic meter, which consist of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed. This meter is often found in children’s songs and riddles, and enriches the impression of simplicity. Also, the poem depends upon the repetition of the rhetorical question and answer structure, which emphasizes the idea that this is a child’s riddle. And finally, the simple language of the poem, such as “simple sentence patterns and simple words appropriate to a child, supports the child’s innocent understanding” (McLaughlin 80). All those poetical devices used in the poem, contribute to the effect of a simple and childlike tone of the poem which suggest that the point of view is one of a innocent child.

Further, by using simple question and answer: Little Lamb who made thee / Dost thou know who made thee / Little Lamb I’ll tell thee (9-11), the poem expresses the innocent's perspective of the world as a creation of God. The speaker asks a simple question like an innocent child, but the answer for many people is not that simple. Humankind has...