Themes in Blake

Question 1

What are the main themes running through Blake’s poetry?

Answer 1

• Religion
• Oppression
• Adults/Authority Figures
• Children/Childhood Innocence
• Social Reform
• Love/Sexuality
• Pastoral/Nature
• Urban/Misery/Poverty
• Imagination

Question 2

What are the top poems that depict the key theme of Religion?

Answer 2

• Holy Thursday (SOI & SOE)
• The Garden of Love
• The Little Vagabond

Question 3

What are the top poems that depict the key theme of Oppression?

Answer 3

• The Little Black Boy
• The Schoolboy
• London

Question 4

What are the top poems that depict the key theme of Authority Figures?

Answer 4

• Nurse’s Song (SOI & SOE)
• A Little Boy Lost (SOE)
• The Schoolboy

Question 5

What are the top poems that depict the key theme of Childhood Innocence?

Answer 5

• The Chimney Sweeper (SOI and SOE)
• Nurse’s Song (SOI and SOE)
• Holy Thursday (SOI and SOE)

Question 6

What are the top poems that depict the key theme of Social Reform?

Answer 6

• London
• The Little Black Boy

Question 7

What are the top poems that depict the key theme of Love/Sexuality?

Answer 7

• The Angel
• My Pretty Rose Tree
  -The Little Girl Lost (SOI) and The Little Girl Found (SOE)

Question 8

What are the top poems that depict the key theme of Pastoral/Nature?

Answer 8

• The Echoing Green
• The Little Girl Lost (SOI)
• The Little Girl Found (SOE)

Question 9

What are the top poems that depict the key theme of Poverty/Misery?

Answer 9

• London
• The Garden of Love
• The Chimney Sweeper (SOI and SOE)

Question 10

Poems to Revise in Detail

Answer 10

• Holy Thursday (SOI and SOE)
• The Garden of Love
• The Little Vagabond
• The Little Black Boy
• The Schoolboy
• London
• Nurse’s Song (SOI and SOE)
• A Little Boy Lost (SOE)
• The Chimney Sweeper (SOI and SOE)
• The Angel
• My Pretty Rose Tree
• The Little Girl Lost (SOI)
• The Little Girl Found (SOE)
• The Echoing Green