Blake and WordsworthAuthor’s Purpose

Author’s Purpose

3 General Purposes:• To inform • To entertain• To persuade

• Blake’s General Purpose? • To inform or educate - Blake worked to bring about a change both

in the social order and in the minds of men • As he continued to write, his purpose became to entertain.

• Wordsworth’s General Purpose?• To inform or educate – “[the] understanding of the reader …

[should] be in some degree enlightened, and his affections strengthened and purified."

William Blake

• Specific purpose: to present one particular point of view in order to demonstrate the limitations of the speaker’s state of consciousness. He wants to change the way people see in order to open up new worlds to them.• Poems of innocence: to show the light/childlike

quality of faith and how that influences their view of the world. • Poems of experience: to show how the realities

of world have influenced or impacted their view of the world.

Blake Poem Purpose

“The Tyger”

“The Lamb”

“The Chimney Sweeper” (Inn.)

“The Chimney Sweeper” (Exp.)

“A Poison Tree”

“The Ecchoing Green”

“The Fly”

yBlake Poem Purpose

“The Tyger” To present an experienced view of the world that questions whether a creator who makes something as fearsome as the tiger could be considered a “good” creator

“The Lamb”

yBlake Poem Purpose

“The Tyger” To present an experienced view of the world that questions whether a creator who makes something as fearsome as the tiger could be considered a “good” creator

“The Lamb” To present an innocent view of the world that looks at life as one and holy; the lamb & the child speaker are created by the same good creator

yBlake Poem Purpose

“The Lamb” To present an innocent view of the world that looks at life as one and holy; the lamb & the child speaker are created by the same good creator

“The Chimney Sweeper” (Inn.)

To present an innocent’s view of an unjust situation (child labor); the speaker’s only hope is the hope of being rewarded in heaven

yBlake Poem Purpose

“The Chimney Sweeper” (Inn.)

To present an innocent’s view of an unjust situation (child labor); the speaker’s only hope is the hope of being rewarded in heaven

“The Chimney Sweeper” (Exp.)

To present an experienced view of an unjust situation (child labor); the child speaker is disillusioned, and believes God and his parents have abandoned him to his misery

yBlake Poem Purpose

“The Chimney Sweeper” (Exp.)

To present an experienced view of an unjust situation (child labor); the child speaker is disillusioned, and believes God and his parents have abandoned him to his misery

“A Poison Tree”

To present an experienced view of friendship/anger; the speaker has learned that forgiveness is a gift that can be granted, whereas unchecked anger can lead to destruction

yBlake Poem Purpose

“A Poison Tree”

To present an experienced view of friendship/anger; the speaker has learned that forgiveness is a gift that can be granted, whereas unchecked anger can lead to destruction

“The Ecchoing Green”

To present an innocent view of childhood & springtime; the child speaker happily realizes that everyone has had such an innocent, carefree time in his/her life

yBlake Poem Purpose

“The Ecchoing Green”

To present an innocent view of childhood & springtime; the child speaker happily realizes that everyone has had such an innocent, carefree time in his/her life

“The Fly” To present an experienced view of the world that questions what people take for granted, and realizes the similarities between himself and an insect

y

Blake Poem Purpose

“The Tyger” To present an experienced view of the world that questions whether a creator who makes something as fearsome as the tiger could be considered a “good” creator

“The Lamb” To present an innocent view of the world that looks at life as one and holy; the lamb & the child speaker are created by the same good creator

“The Chimney Sweeper” (Inn.)

To present an innocent’s view of an unjust situation (child labor); the speaker’s only hope is the hope of being rewarded in heaven

“The Chimney Sweeper” (Exp.)

To present an experienced view of an unjust situation (child labor); the child speaker is disillusioned, and believes God and his parents have abandoned him to his misery

“A Poison Tree”

To present an experienced view of friendship/anger; the speaker has learned that forgiveness is a gift that can be granted, whereas unchecked anger can lead to destruction

“The Ecchoing Green”

To present an innocent view of childhood & springtime; the child speaker happily realizes that everyone has had such an innocent, carefree time in his/her life

“The Fly” To present an experienced view of the world that questions what people take for granted, and realizes the similarities between himself and an insect

William Wordsworth• Specific purpose: To present emotional &

personal experiences that will enlighten, strengthen, and purify the reader.• Purpose of the “speaker”: What is a poet?

A man speaking to men. The speaker is used to convey a viewpoint. (Similarity to Blake!)• Poems of lasting value: are only produced

by someone who has thought long and deeply about a topic.

Wworth Poem Purpose

“Tintern Abbey”

to present his appreciation for nature. To show he has found a deeper understanding of both nature and humanity.

“The World is Too Much with Us”

“Daffodils” / “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”

Wworth Poem Purpose

“Tintern Abbey”

to present his appreciation for nature. To show he has found a deeper understanding of both nature and humanity.

“The World is Too Much with Us”

to demonstrate that society pays too much attention to material things. To show that nature is meaningful and dramatic.

“Daffodils” / “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”

Wworth Poem Purpose

“Tintern Abbey”

to present his appreciation for nature. To show he has found a deeper understanding of both nature and humanity.

“The World is Too Much with Us”

to demonstrate that society pays too much attention to material things. To show that nature is meaningful and dramatic.

“Daffodils” / “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”

To present his loneliness. To demonstrate the joy and unity he has with nature.

Wworth Poem Purpose

“Tintern Abbey”

to present his appreciation for nature. To show he has found a deeper understanding of both nature and humanity.

“The World is Too Much with Us”

to demonstrate that society pays too much attention to material things. To show that nature is meaningful and dramatic.

“Daffodils” / “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”

To present his loneliness. To demonstrate the joy and unity he has with nature.