NURSE’S SONG NURSE’S SONG BY WILLIAM BLAKE BY WILLIAM BLAKE
RAJA VAITHISHWARIE MIRASHINI LEENASHINI VAISNAVI LOOSHINIE WRITTEN BY
INTRODUCTION POEM MEANING BEHIND STANZA TITLE AND THEMES TECHNICAL & FIGURATIVE ASPECTS DISCUSSION CONCLUSION EXTRA NOTES TABLE OF CONTENTS 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08
INTRODUCTION Synopsis: British visionary poet William Blake included two versions of "Nurse's Song" in his self-published collection Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. In the version, "Songs of Innocence" presents a joyous scene where the voices of children are heard on the green. Laughter and playfulness fill the hill, and the nurse's heart is at rest within her breast. The children are encouraged to leave off play as the sun sets and night approaches. The poem celebrates the innocence and carefree nature of childhood, emphasizing the nurturing and understanding role of the nurse. In the "Songs of Experience" version, the poem takes on a contrasting tone. When the voices of children are heard on the green, it triggers a haunting effect on the nurse. Her memories of youth rise in her mind, and her face turns green and pale, suggesting regret and the loss of innocence. She implores the children to come home as the sun goes down and the night dews arise. This version highlights the harsh realities of adulthood and the fleeting nature of youth. Together, these two versions of "Nurse’s Song" serve as a profound exploration of the human journey, capturing the essence of life's contrasting phases and the impact of experience on one's perception ofinnocence. THE GUIDEBOOK PROVIDES AN EXHAUSTIVE REVIEW OF WILLIAM BLAKE'S POEM "NURSE'S SONG, " INCLUDING INDEPTH ANALYSIS AND CONTEXTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF BOTH THE "SONGS OF INNOCENCE" (1789) AND "SONGS OF EXPERIENCE" (1794) VERSIONS. IT EXAMINES THE CONTRASTING THEMES AND PERSPECTIVES DEPICTING THE TRANSITION FROM INNOCENCE TO EXPERIENCE. POET: WILLIAM BLAKE (1757-1827) WAS AN ENGLISH POET, PAINTER, AND PRINTMAKER KNOWN FOR HIS VISIONARY AND SYMBOLIC WORKS. HE IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FIGURES IN BOTH ENGLISH LITERATURE AND THE VISUAL ARTS. 01
Nurse’s Song (Songs of Innocence, 1789) When the voices of children are heard on the green, And laughing is heard on the hill, My heartis atrest within my breast, And everything else is still. ‘‘Then come home, my children,the sun is gone down, And the dews of night arise; Come, come, leave off play, and let us away Tillthe morning appears in the skies.’’ ‘‘No, no, let us play,foritis yet day, And we cannot go to sleep; Besides, in the sky the little birds fly, And the hills are all covered with sheep.’’ ‘‘Well, well, go and play tillthe lightfades away, And then go home to bed.’’ The little ones leaped, and shouted, and laughed, And allthe hills echoed. Nurse’s Song (Songs of Experience 1794) When voices of children are heard on the green, And whisperings are in the dale, The days of my youth rise fresh in my mind, My face turns green and pale. Then come home, my children,the sun is gone down, And the dews of night arise; Your spring and your day are wasted in play, And your winter and nightin disguise. POEM 02
S TANZA 1 S TANZA 2 In the 1st stanza , the speaker describes a situation in which children are playing outside. The sound of their voices and laughing makes the speaker feel at ease and satisfied. It's a peaceful time when everything else appears to be calm and still. This verse expresses the concept that children's innocence and delight may have a relaxing and soothing influence on the speaker's heart. The 2nd stanza represent the speaker addresses the youngsters, asking them to return home because the sun has set and the night has begun. The phrase "dews of night" implies that it is growing cooler and damper as dusk approaches. The speaker is worried for the children's safety and wishes them to stop playing and go to bed, assuring that they may resume their activity in the morning. The caretaker's protecting and loving function is emphasized in this verse. Nurse’s Song (Songs of Innocence, 1789) 03
S TANZA 3 S TANZA 4 In this stanza, the children answer to the nurse's calls by insisting on continuing to play. They protest that it is still daylight and that they do not want to sleep. They also mention the appearance of little birds in the sky and sheep grazing on the hills. This stanza emphasizes the children's liveliness, connection to nature, and willingness to live in the now. The fourth stanza refers that the nurse agrees to the children's request and lets them play till it becomes dark. The kids erupt in delight, leaping, yelling, and laughing. The reverberation indicates that their delight radiates across the hills. It also emphasizes the children's innocence, spontaneity, and the basic pleasures of juvenile play.
S TANZA 5 S TANZA 6 The speaker describes a situation in the opening line in which they hear the sounds of children playing on the grass and whispering in the dale (a valley). The sight and sounds of youngsters playing evoke memories of the speaker's own childhood, bringing back vivid recollections of days gone by. This rush of recollections, however, elicits an emotional response, as illustrated by the statement, "My face turns green and pale." This implies that the speaker's nostalgia and memories are bittersweet, even In the last stanza, the speaker though they are unpleasant. addresses the youngsters, imploring them to return home because the sun has set and midnight is approaching, as signified by "the dews of night arise." The speaker begs the youngsters to realize that their youth, symbolized by "spring and day," is being spent in play. The message is that they are squandering their valuable time in frivolity, and that the seasons of their life are passing swiftly. The expression "winter and night in disguise" implies that the youngsters may not completely comprehend the gravity of time passing and the obligations that await them. Nurse’s Song (Songs of Experience 1794)
Nurse’s Song (Songs of Innocence): This version depicts the innocence and joy of childhood, with children playing on the green. The nurse encourages their playfulness and happiness. The title "Nurse’s Song" emphasizes the nurturing role, highlighting an idyllic childhood. Nurse’s Song (Songs of Experience): In contrast, this version portrays a somber perspective, where the nurse reflects on her lost youth and the passing of time. She urges the children to come home, emphasizing the fleeting nature of youth. The title takes on a darker connotation, reflecting the harsh realities of adulthood. The connection between the titles and themes is evident in how they represent the contrasting stages of life. "Songs of Innocence" celebrates the purity and joy of childhood, while "Songs of Experience" highlights the challenges and regrets of adulthood. The two versions together offer a profound exploration of the human journey from innocence to experience, making use of the nurse's perspective to convey these themes. 1. 2. 04
STANZA 1 05
TECHNICAL ASPECTS SYLLABLES THE LINESRANGE INSYLLABLE COUNT,RANGINGFROM 6TO12EACH LINE RHYTHM RELAXINGANDFLOWINGRHYTHM, WHICHADDSTOITSPEACEFUL TONE RHYMESCHEME THERHYMESCHEME INTHISSTANZA ISAABB, WHICH MEANSTHATTHE FIRSTANDSECONDLINESRHYME, ANDTHETHIRDANDFOURTHLINES RHYME. ASSONANCE FOUNDINTHE WORDS"HEARD"AND "GREEN," WHERETHE "EE"SOUNDIS REPEATED. REPETITION:THE WORD"AND" IS REPEATEDATTHEBEGINNINGOF EACHSENTENCE. ALLITERATION CANBEDETECTEDINTHEREPEATED "H"SOUNDIN"HEARDONTHEHILL."
Imagery CLEAR IMAGE OF CHILDREN PLAYING ON THE GREEN, THEIR VOICES AND LAUGHTER, AND THE QUIET THAT ENVELOPS EVERYTHING ELSE. THE ARTWORK PROVIDES A PEACEFUL AND PLEASANT ENVIRONMENT. tone & mood personification context TONE - SERENITY AND PEACEFULNESS MOOD - CALM AND BEAUTIFUL. THE SPEAKER PERSONIFIES THE HEART WHEN HE SAYS, "MY HEART IS AT REST WITHIN MY BREAST," IMPLYING THAT THE HEART MAY FEEL QUIET AND REST. THE STANZA DESCRIBES A PEACEFUL SCENERY WITH CHILDREN PLAYING OUTSIDE, AND THEIR LAUGHING OFFERS THE SPEAKER COMFORT.
STANZA 2
TECHNICAL ASPECTS SYLLABLE SIMILARTOTHE FIRSTSTANZA,THE SYLLABLECOUNTVARIES, WITH LINESHAVING8TO12SYLLABLES. RHYTHM THERHYTHM REMAINS GENTLEANDFLOWING. REFRAIN THEREFRAINSERVESASACALLTO THECHILDRENTOCOMEHOME, TRANSITIONINGFROM PLAYTIMETO BEDTIME. REPETITION THEREFRAIN"COME,COME, LEAVE OFFPLAY,ANDLETUSAWAY" IS REPEATED, EMPHASIZINGTHE NURSE'SPLEATOTHECHILDREN. RHYMESCHEME THISSTANZAALSOFOLLOWSAN AABBRHYMESCHEME."
tone & mood irony context THE SECOND STANZA REPRESENTS THE NURSE'S ADVICE TO THE CHILDREN TO RETURN HOME AS THE SUN SETS AND NIGHTFALL APPROACHES THERE IS SOME IRONY IN THE STANZA BECAUSE THE NURSE ADVISES THE CHILDREN TO GO TO BED EARLY, WHICH IS NORMALLY CONSIDERED RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT. THE CHILDREN'S UNWILLINGNESS TO SLEEP BECAUSE THEY WISH TO KEEP PLAYING, ON THE OTHER HAND, SUBVERTS THIS EXPECTATION IN THIS STANZA, THE TONE BECOMES MORE SERIOUS AND CONCERNED, AND THE MOOD TRANSFORMS TO ONE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND WORRY FOR THE CHILDREN'S WELLBEING
STANZA 3
TECHNICAL ASPECTS SYLLABLES SYLLABLECOUNTSINTHISSTANZA RANGE FROM 7TO11SYLLABLESPER LINE. RHYTHM THERHYTHM CONTINUESTO BEGENTLEANDFLOWING. RHYMESCHEME THEAABBRHYMESCHEMEPERSISTS. ONOMATOPOEIA THERE ISANEXAMPLEOF ONOMATOPOEIA WITH"LITTLEBIRDS FLY," WHERETHESOUNDSOFBIRDS FLYINGAREDEPICTED. REPETITION THEPHRASE "ANDTHEHILLSAREALL COVERED WITHSHEEP" ISREPEATEDIN THISSTANZA, EMPHASIZINGTHE PASTORALSCENE.
simile personification context THE CHILDREN REPLY TO THE NURSE, INSISTING ON PLAYING BECAUSE IT IS STILL DAYLIGHT. THERE ARE NO SIMILES IN THIS STANZA. IN THE LINE, "BESIDES, IN THE SKY THE LITTLE BIRDS FLY," THE SKY IS PERSONIFIED AS IF IT HAS THE ABILITY TO HOLD BIRDS IN FLIGHT.
STANZA 4
TECHNICAL ASPECTS Syllable Syllablecountsrangefrom 6to 12syllablesper lineinthis stanza Rhythm Therhythm remainsconsistent withtherestof thepoem. Refrain Thestanzaends with"Andall the hillsechoed,"emphasizingthe children'sjoyechoingthroughthe landscape. Onomatopoeia The words"leaped," "shouted,"and "laughed"couldbeseenas onomatopoeic,astheyimitatethe soundsofchildrenplaying.. Repetition Thephrase"goandplaytill thelight fadesaway" isrepeatedinthis stanza,allowingthechildrento continueplayinguntilevening.
imagery tone and mood context The nurse agrees and allows the children to play until the light goes out. This stanza uses images to depict the excitement of the children as they leap, yell, and laugh. The hills echoing their voices add to their excitement. In this stanza, the tone becomes more fun and carefree, and the atmosphere is one of pure, uncontrolled joy and freedom.
STANZA 5
TECHNICAL ASPECTS Syllables Thepoem hasaregularsyllable count with6to11syllablesper line. Rhythm Thepoem maintainsasteady and measuredrhythm, reflectingthe moresomber toneofexperiencecompared toinnocence. RhymeScheme Therhymeschemefor thisstanza isAABB, meaningthefirstand secondlinesrhyme witheach other,andthethirdandfourthlines rhyme witheachother. Assonance Assonancecanbeseeninthe repeated"i"soundin"whisperings" and"in." Repetition:The word"And" is repeatedat thebeginningof the linesforemphasis. . Alliteration There'salliterationinthefirst line withtherepeated"v"sound in"voices"and"green."
IMAGERY TONE AND MOOD context In this stanza, the tone becomes more fun and carefree, and the atmosphere is one of pure, uncontrolled joy and freedom. The line draws up images of children playing outside on the grass, as well as whispering in the valley. The speaker's face turning "green and pale" conveys a strong emotional reaction and contrasts the children's young vigor with the speaker's personal recollections. As the speaker recalls their own adolescence, the tone in this verse is contemplative and even melancholy. The atmosphere is filled with romanticism and a desire for the past.
STANZA 6
TECHNICAL ASPECTS Syllables Similar tothefirststanza, this stanzahas8to11syllablesper line. Rhythm Therhythm remains steadyand measured. RhymeScheme ThisstanzafollowsanAABBrhyme schemeas well. Repetition Therefrain"Andthedewsof nightarise" isrepeated,serving asacall tothechildrentocome home.
context MeTAPHOR personification In this stanza, the speaker encourages the children to return home as the sun sets and darkness falls. The speaker emphasizes that the time for children to play is past. The sentence "Your spring and day are wasted in play, and your winter and night in disguise" contains a metaphor. The seasons of life (spring and day) are likened to youthful activities here, implying that time spent in playful innocence is ephemeral. IRONY The stanza contains a hint of irony. In the "Songs of Innocence" version, the speaker lets the children continue playing, but in this version, she pushes them to return home, underscoring that their time for play has past. The disparity between the two perceptions of the same nurse is the source of the irony. "And the dews of night arise," personifies the dews of night by imbuing them with the human trait of arising.
DISCUSSION Brief Explanation: "Nurse's Song" describesthe happy activities ofchildren on a green hill. Asthe evening approaches, the nurse callsthem in, signalling the end of their play. Style&Technique: The poem iswritten in a pastoralstyle thatcapturesthe innocence and simplicity ofchildhood. Blake's poetry wasfrequently lyrical and rhythmic. The language issimple, and the structure is straightforward,with quatrains and an AABB rhyme scheme. William Blake's poem "Nurse's Song"capturesthe innocence and playfulness ofchildren. 06
Imagery: Blake excels in creating vivid imagery. In "Nurse's Song, " he paints a picture of children playing and the natural setting around them. Blake's imagery is rich and evocative. The phrase "And all the hills echoed" creates a sense of a harmonious, lively environment where the laughter of the children reverberates through the landscape. Symbolism: The poem uses symbols like the "green plain" to represent innocence and the carefree nature of childhood. The use of the "green plain" as a symbol is profound. Green often represents nature, growth, and vitality Simplicity: The poem is characterized by its simplicity, both in language and theme. While this simplicity is a strength for those who appreciate clear and accessible poetry, it might be considered a weakness for readers who prefer more intricate, layered works Limited Scope: "Nurse's Song" primarily focuses on the themes of innocence and joy associated with childhood. The simplicity of its thematic scope might be viewed as a limitation, especially for readers seeking poems that delve into the complexities of life, human emotions, or a broader range of experiences STRENGTHS: Weaknesses:
CONCLUSION In Summary, "Nurse's Song" by William Blake is a remarkable exploration of innocence and experience, highlighting the beauty of youth and the depth of human existence. Blake's ability to convey these complexities through his poetry solidifies his status as a timeless and thought-provoking literary figure. In "Songs of Innocence, " Blake presents a joyful and idyllic scene. The nurse's song celebrates the innocence of children, portraying them as carefree and full of vitality. Nature and innocence harmoniously coexist, and the nurse watches over them with a loving and protective gaze. This version emphasizesthe purity and simplicity ofchildhood. Conversely, in "Songs of Experience, " the same nurse'ssong takes on a darker tone. Here, Blake explores the inevitable loss of innocence as children growinto adulthood. The imagery offallen leaves and diminishing sunlight symbolizes the challenges and disillusionment that come with age. This version delves into the harsher realities of life, contrasting sharplywith the innocence depicted in the earlierrendition. These two versions of "Nurse's Song" invite readers to contemplate the complex interplay between innocence and experience in human life. Blake challenges the notion that innocence remains unchanging, recognizing that experience is an integral part of our journey. In doing so, he offers profound insights into the human condition, encouraging us to reflect on the duality of existence and the enduring relevance of his poetic vision. 07
EXTRA NOTES EXTRA NOTES Innocence: In this poem, there is a profound sense of connection and harmony. It celebrates the unburdened joy of children, who see themselves as part of nature. Their innocence is a source of wonder, and they focus on the positivity of the moment, embracing the last rays of daylight. Adult Nurse's Role: The adult nurse in the "Song of Innocence" version shares in the innocence of the children. She takes pleasure in their play, offering gentle support that does not overshadow their joy. Her serenity complements the natural evening silence, providing a protective atmosphere. pn Darkness and Deception: The reference to "winter and night in disguise" hints at the approaching darkness of adulthood and implies deception. The nurse sees the children as on the brink of adulthood, potentially concealing negative tendencies. Themes: These poems explore themes of innocence, experience, the passage from childhood to adulthood, and the contrasting perspectives of adults on the purity of childhood. 08 Litcharts - Nurse's Song Summary & Analysis PoemAnalysis - Nurse's Song by William Blake SparkNotes - William Blake - Songs of Innocence, Nurse's Song SOURCES 1. 2. 3.
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