the garden of love: william blake context

- hugely influential in romantic movement- devoutly religious but criticises the church in this poem

the garden of love: first person narrative voice

- bittersweet tone, personal to him- speaker becomes symbol for wider humanity: criticlal of organised religion

the garden of love: poetic tradition of gardens + religions

- in tradition, gardens allude to certain religious imagery (GOE = paradise)- blake subverts this in his garden: rich garden to chapel depicts church as restrictive (esp. flowers + gravestone imagery)

the garden of love: themes: love

- organised religion: imposes control and curbs natural desires- religion vs love: does not allow love to thrive (restrictive), religion binds rules- love under threat from religion: flowers (represent love) are in contrast with chapel (unnatural as man made)

the garden of love: religion

- people are born with love and it is stifled by religion- presence of priests suggests death of childhood

the garden of love: form and RS

- three quatrains: simple form w/ clear argument- ABCB rhyme scheme: but internal rhymes on 'briars and desires' highlights it

the garden of love: meter

not entirely regular: irregular anapestic = conflict

the garden of love: end stopped lines

subtle sense of acceptance, adds to simplicity

the garden of love: repitition

makes speech easier to follow, persuades reader

the garden of love: consonance

consonance of t sounds ties negative words together: religion locking ppl out

the garden of love: allusion

title is allusion to GOE where able to love without shame

the garden of love: similarities to at an inn

- both poems use allusions to past: place where love was harboured- 'it was filled with graves' and 'love lingered numb'

the garden of love: similarities to remember

- sense of loss: sentimental tone and language- religious imagery to express feelings

the garden of love: differences to remember

- direct message about organised religion differs