The
Chimney Sweeper
By
William Blake
A little black thing among the snow,
Crying 'weep! 'weep! ' in notes of woe!
'Where are thy father and mother? say? '
'They are both gone up to the church to pray.
Because I was happy upon the heath,
And smil'd among the winter's snow,
They clothed me in the clothes of death,
And taught me to sing the notes of woe.
And because I am happy and dance and sing,
They think they have done me no injury,
And are gone to praise God and his Priest and King,
Who make up a heaven of our misery.'
The poem was first
published in William Blake’s collection of poems “Songs of Experience” in 1794.
It is a sister poem of the same name which appeared in “Songs of Innocence”. It
is a sort of update on the plight of the chimney sweeper-a young boy forced to do
the horrible work of cleaning chimney. Unlike the first poem, this job of sweeping
can take no solace in organized religion. He is too much covered in soot and is
barely recognizable. He has been a victim of oppression by the society and been
robbed off his youthful happiness.
First Stanza
The poem opens
with a stark contrast between a “a little black thing” (the chimney sweeper) and
the snow, symbolizing purity and innocence. The “black thing” represents the
child covered in soot, highlighting the harsh reality of child labour. The child’s
cry of “weep! ‘weep!” mimics the sound of sweeping but also reflects their
sorrow. When asked about his parents, the child replies that they are at
church, indicating a neglectful attitude masked by piety. This critique
suggests that societal and religious institutions ignore the suffering of the
vulnerable while maintaining a facade of righteousness.
Second Stanza
In this stanza,
the child reflects on a time when he was happy and free, playing outside. The “heath”
represents a natural, carefree environment, and “smiled among the winter’s snow”
indicates joy despite harsh conditions. However, this happiness was taken away
when he was forced into the chimney sweeper’s life, symbolized by being “clothed
in the clothes of death.” This phrase refers to the dark, soot-covered garments
and the life-threatening work conditions. The “notes of woe” refer to the songs
of lamentation he has learned, highlighting his transformation from a carefree
child to a suffering labourer.
Third Stanza
In the final
stanza, the child ironically states that his parents and society believe that
because he can still “dance & sing,” he is not harmed by his circumstances.
This irony underlines the misunderstanding or wilful ignorance of his true suffering.
The parents’ devotion to praising God, the Priest, and the King, who uphold the
social structure causing the child’s misery, is a sharp critique of religious
and political institutions. The phrase “make up a heaven of our misery”
suggests that the comfort and security enjoyed by the privileged are built upon
the exploitation and suffering of the vulnerable, creating a false sense of
righteousness and moral blindness.
Conclusion
Overall, the poem exposes the hypocrisy of a society
that condones child labour and suffering under the guise of religious and moral
duty. Blake uses stark imagery and irony to criticize both the exploitation of
children and the societal structures that perpetuate such injustices. The poem
contrasts innocence and experience, highlighting the loss of innocence and the
harsh reality faced by the chimney sweepers.
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