Chimney Sweeper

by William Blake

Number 17 of 200 copies handset in SB Windsor and Rockwell Medium and printed in black on red and grey Oxford coloured papers. Stapled into black paper covers, cut flush, with a paper label printed in black on the front. Taurus Poem No.10;

Genres: Poetry, Classics, School, Literature, British Literature, Adult, Read For School

Paperback

First published January 1, 1789

About the author

William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake's work is today considered seminal and significant in the history of both poetry and the visual arts.

Blake's prophetic poetry has been said to form "what is in proportion to its merits the least read body of poetry in the language". His visual artistry has led one modern critic to proclaim him "far and away the greatest artist Britain has ever produced." Although he only once travelled any further than a day's walk outside London over the course of his life, his creative vision engendered a diverse and symbolically rich corpus, which embraced 'imagination' as "the body of God", or "Human existence itself".

Once considered mad for his idiosyncratic views, Blake is highly regarded today for his expressiveness and creativity, and the philosophical and mystical currents that underlie his work. His work has been characterized as part of the Romantic movement, or even "Pre-Romantic", for its largely having appeared in the 18th century. Reverent of the Bible but hostile to the established Church, Blake was influenced by the ideals and ambitions of the French and American revolutions, as well as by such thinkers as Emanuel Swedenborg.

Despite these known influences, the originality and singularity of Blake's work make it difficult to classify. One 19th century scholar characterised Blake as a "glorious luminary", "a man not forestalled by predecessors, nor to be classed with contemporaries, nor to be replaced by known or readily surmisable successors."

Reviews

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

So your chimneys I sweep & in soot I sleep.

A poem that eerily depicts the suffering of young children, innocent souls sold into servitude, experienced under the oppressive boot of their employers. This should serve as grim reminder of the horrors brought on by those who diminish people to their mere utility.

[mimi brown]

academic text

[অনিন্দিতা Be · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a very simple language, Blake has described the horrible misery that was faced by the little children of London, whose impoverished parents sold them for a small amount of money, to be made chimney sweepers. Putting their lives at stake and cringed by the fears of dark, which is very usual in little children, they were made to climb up the sooty chimneys and clean them on severely cold days. They had to clean those smut-stained chimneys whose fire, maybe a little while ago, provided warmth and comfort to the wealthy house-owners.
Written in two parts in "The Songs of Innocence and Experience", 'Chimney Sweeper' is a tragic yet beautiful poem.

[لَيان · Rating 3 out of 5]

When my mother died I was very young,
And my father sold me while yet my tongue
Could scarcely cry " 'weep! 'weep! 'weep! 'weep!"
So your chimneys I sweep & in soot I sleep.

There's little Tom Dacre, who cried when his head
That curled like a lamb's back, was shaved, so I said,
"Hush, Tom! never mind it, for when your head's bare,
You know that the soot cannot spoil your white hair."

And so he was quiet, & that very night,
As Tom was a-sleeping he had such a sight!
That thousands of sweepers, Dick, Joe, Ned, & Jack,
Were all of them locked up in coffins of black;

And by came an Angel who had a bright key,
And he opened the coffins & set them all free;
Then down a green plain, leaping, laughing they run,
And wash in a river and shine in the Sun.

Then naked & white, all their bags left behind,
They rise upon clouds, and sport in the wind.
And the Angel told Tom, if he'd be a good boy,
He'd have God for his father & never want joy.

And so Tom awoke; and we rose in the dark
And got with our bags & our brushes to work.
Though the morning was cold, Tom was happy & warm;
So if all do their duty, they need not fear harm.

The only poem I read for uni and liked it.
It’s about a poor child who lost his mother,
and live a difficult life after his dad sold him

[Zahraa Sulail · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
The background to this poem is one of the many social problems that existed in Blake's time—the use of young children as chimney sweepers. Children were often sold at the age of seven to work as chimney sweepers. They were badly treated, with never enough clothes, food or housing. They were placed in constant danger of suffocating or burning, and the soot caused cancer and other serious illnesses that resulted in painful and early deaths. Talks about child labor, you can sense different kinds of emotions in this poem. It is great so far.

[UniMef · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Chimney Sweeper narrates the sorrow and hardships the little chimney sweepers were suffering during the victorian era. The poet underlines that these boys were very young that they couldn't even pronounce the word sweep by calling it "weep." The repetition of the word weep illustrates the woe and the misery. I let you discover more about this amazing work yourself.

[Andy Hickman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Chimney Sweeper ***** - Wow! 5 stars simply out of respect for that generation of young people who were so badly treated by a society lacking discernment and empathy.

“When my mother died I was very young, / And my father sold me while yet my tongue / Could scarcely cry 'weep! 'weep! 'weep! 'weep! / So your chimneys I sweep, and in soot I sleep..”

[Vasiliki🪩 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though it is a simple poem, it raises moral questions not only about the child labor in the 18th and 19th century England but also about the promise of salvation and heaven to victimize. The dream might make the boy happy , but his real surroundings are very different.Blake wants the reader to be involved and take a stance ; it is up to them to decide if it is an ironic poem or not.

[asiya | アセヤ (free palestine) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading this poem awhile ago; I don't remember much, but I do recall really loving it and feeling touched by its emphasis, on the people who work every day so hard, that we often times take for granted and forget...

I should definitely read it again, though!!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This poem describes the horrible conditions children were subjected to as chimney sweepers. Sadly countless children died as they contracted diseases due to the filthy chimneys.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a nice poem.

[Eli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a sad and disturbing poem about the abuse of children who were forced to become sweeps by their parents in this era.

[Pankhurie Thakur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful

[Sherlietta♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This poem symbolizes death and hope.
Those poor children are content with their life.....but one thing that tore me is the fact that his father "sold" him.

[Piper Ogletree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mid

[Ismael Lazreg M · Rating 3 out of 5]

la revolución industrial es un problema.......

[Arthur Shelley Camus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairly enjoyed. A decent criticism of the harsh life of chimney sweepers and their explotation during that era, especially orphans. Interesting indeed.