In praise of chimney sweepers Questions and Answers marks 5
1. Q. Reproduce briefly the cry of anger and despair of the chimneys n
The cry of anger and despair from the young chimney sweeper in Willian Blake’s song The Chimney Sweeper, is extracted from his Songs of Experience. The lad expresses here his bitter indictment at his parents who have put him to hard and hazardous drudgery as a chimney sweep.
The selfish and callous parents of the chimney sweep sent him to work at chimneys for their own gains out of his earning. As they found him gay and sportive in the open field, they grew jealous and made out a scheme to have their own selfish gain out of his trouble and toil. So he had been turned into a chimney sweeper with his body all covered in black soot. He sings now the song of sorrow as he works in the tall sooty chimneys.
The expression ‘clothes of death’ sharply signifies the thick covering of the soot that appears to be a clothing of death, deemed as dark always.
2. Q. How does the poet protests against the conduct of the parents of young chimney-sweepers sent to work too early in their age?
As they find their lad still in a gay and sportive mood, the fellow workers look upon him as one quite satisfied with his lot. But they actually fail to realize his grievance and grudge for what has been done to him. He is terribly anguished and embittered with a sense of wrong and injustice meted out to him. As a helpless and poor prey to the ruthless exploitation of the persons in authority, he gives vent to his anger and indignation against them. He asserts angrily that, under the supposed authorization from God, the bench of the bishops and the rulers have let loose a reign of exploitation to win for themselves a lavish and lordly living.
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In praise of chimney sweepers Questions and Answers marks 5
In praise of chimney sweepers Questions and Answers marks 5