Holy Thursday (Experience): Themes & Linking Poems

Themes in “Holy Thursday” from Songs of Experience

- Exploitation of Innocence

The poem critiques how society manipulates and exploits innocent children and sings of their oppression rather than their joy.
Contrasts sharply with the version of “Holy Thursday” in Songs of Innocence, marking a drastic shift from a celebratory tone to a sorrowful tone.

- Hypocrisy of the Church

The poet reflects on the Church’s failure to truly educate and protect children, questioning whether it practices the charity and love it preaches.
The repeated rhetorical question, “Can this be a song of joy?”, underlines the disjunction between the Church’s message and its actions.

- Social Injustice

The poem’s imagery paints a stark picture of poverty and hardship, highlighting the gap between the rich and the poor.
The imploring appeal, “O! Then & may God us inspire to deal each child returning good blow for blow”, calls for social change.

Linking Poems

“The Chimney Sweeper” (Experience) also focuses on the abuse of vulnerable children and the perversion of innocence, echoing the themes of “Holy Thursday”.
“London”, with its severe portrayal of urban life, connects with “Holy Thursday”(Experience) in its depiction of societal corruption and inequality.
“The Garden of Love” directly criticises religious institutions and their restrictions on individual freedom, resonating with the indictment of the Church in “Holy Thursday”(Experience).

Remember to focus on the powerful language and imageries that Blake uses, and the stark contradictions between innocence and experience themes to create an impactful critique of the society and its institutions.