1. Archetypes and Social Commentary and Critical Perspectives
William Blake
Mrs. Cumberland

2. Archetypes Symbols that reveal universal truths
Archetypes hold strong emotional power
Blake’s poetry is filled with archetypes
They helped put his mystical visions into words
They consist of plot patterns, character types, and themes that transcend time and culture.

3. Examples of Archetypal symbols
Lamb
Meaning Jesus Christ
Fire
Swaddling bands
Meaning The baby Jesus
Child
Meaning innocent
Anvil
Meaning place where human fates are created
Angel
Meaning messenger
“my father sold me”
Suggests that Blake wanted to point out the desperate lives of the poor
“got with our bags and our brushes to work”
Suggests that Blake wanted to highlight the problem of child labor

4. Blake often expressed archetypes in paired poems such as “The Lamb” and “The Tyger”

5. Social Commentary Commenting on social injustices of his time
He critiqued events and popular beliefs in his social commentary.
Historical and political references support his opinions and add credibility to his writing

6. “The Chimney Sweeper”
Criticism of the ills caused by the Industrial revolution and political tyranny

7. Critical Perspective
A critical perspective is a way of looking at a work of literature.
Two types:
Archetypal perspective: looking at the universal symbols in the work
Images, details, and patterns that seem to have a strong emotional charge and appear across many different cultures
Historical perspective: looking at the political, economic, and cultural background of the work