Dear folks, i am going to discuss about critical note of nurses songs with the reference of Song of Innocence. Hope you will enjoy my discussion.
Nurse’s song is the name of two related poems by William Blake published in songs of innocence in 1789 and song of Experience in 1794. In the songs of Innocence Nurse is quite a simple poem in which the poet renders a conversational narration of the talk between the nurse and the playing children. The nurse in this poem is jobial and warmhearted nature as she allows the children to continue with their games no thought for the wider consequence.
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Nurse’s song question and answer
It is doubtful and hence an important question whether we can equate the nurse of “Nurse’s Song” with shepherd of Shepherd or old John of “The Echoing Green”. The nurse views the juvenile sports and it brinks tranquility to her heart. In the second stanza the nurse asks the children to stop playing and turn back home.
Read More: The lamb by William Blake analysis theme summary
But as she ventures to curb the freedom of playing children, the children protest against the exhortation on the ground that the creatures of nature have not get returned to their dwelling place. The sheep and the birds are still there and as the sun has not fully set they can play till it is almost dark. And dramatically the curb is drawn back and the nurse becomes benevolent enough to let the children.
She permits them to play until it is night and then they are to go to sleep. Having been allowed the liberty and freedom to play the shout with redoubled energy.
A cradle song in songs of experience
In “A Cradle Song” the mother is weeping over her child. In some poems of Innocence there are disturbing hints of experience to come, say A.M Wilkinson. This poem is one of the few that foreshadow the impending change into experience. But we must understand that she is not an exclusive strict disciplinarian.
Though the nurse is not as generous as the ‘O’d folk or the shepherd who simply follows his flock who can not refuse the request of the children to play more. Truly it is her duty to take the children are to be allowed to play until they are tired satisfied and till the sun sets.
Textual reference is evident here to clear the idea:
“No, no, let us play, for it is yet day
And we can not go to sleep
Besides in the sky the little birds fly
And the hills are all covered with sheep”
The playing children and the purely natural sights of the hillside furnish the atmosphere of innocence in the poem. Children is a period of innocence since the sophisticated social set-up has not affected the children.
Above all, we can say that being free in their pursuit of joy they are pretty aloof from the mannerisms and divided aims of the world. They want to play and frisk amidst the greenery until they are tired and satisfied.
The Nurse’s Song’ from ‘Innocence’ and ‘Experience’
You may watch the following video about Nurse’s song from Innocence and Experience for your better understanding.
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