Innocence and Experience not Completely Opposites

As I read Blake's companion poems in the Songs of Innocence and Experience, I realized that though the "innocence" poems seemed as flowery and repetitive as the "experience" ones were dark and sardonic, the two do not completely contradict each other. In fact, I found a bittersweet element hidden in all of the innocence poems. The "blossom" for example, does not participate in its poem but rather seeks to comfort the robin and protect the sparrow. It gives and receives nothing, as it cannot but allow other animals to ascribe it some meaning. For this reason "The Sick Rose" is especially tragic, for here the rose is vigorously attacked but only visibly different than in "The Blossom."

In "the Lamb," also, the fact that the boy makes parallels between himself, the lamb, and Jesus seems beautiful at first yet evokes images of a lifetime of persecution and ridicule, and, ultimately, sacrifice. Eventually, this presumably poor young shepherd will face a difficult livelihood, and the lambs will be used for their wool, meat and milk. Thus, they bask in this present moment of peace, awaiting the storm. "The Tyger," however, seems far more independent from and thus overpowers the narrator. This fiery animal, rather than willingly going to the slaughter, would fight back, alluding to a sense of growth from the lamb's idle victimization. Note: the world hasn't changed. The animal has.

The most explicitly dark is "The Chimney Sweeper," in which a boy frankly speaks of his oppression. However, even the seemingly sickly sweet optimism in the poem is bitter; it reinforces the unfairness of the boys' situation. Tom's only respite is the fact that maybe the soot will kill him and he'll go to heaven. Thus, Tom doesn't "fear harm," but it lurks in every chimney. In the later version of "The Chimney Sweeper" the boy is acutely aware of the injustices that plagued England, yet his "misery" has only changed slightly.

The difference between innocence and experience, on Blake's terms, is simply awareness, for the overall situation of mankind has not changed. We, however, do.