Poem Analysis: The Echoing Green

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Poem Analysis ‘The Echoing Green’
Part I.
2. Explain why you chose the poem. What do you like about it? Be specific.
For this assignment, I chose the poem The Echoing Green, written by William Blake, published in Songs of Innocence in 1789. I chose this poem because it is a pictorial poem and it draws a contrast between childhood and old age. What I like about this poem is the blend of childhood innocence and the weariness of old age. The children are nonchalant and experience no kind of stress because stress is associated with old age and pleasures with childhood.
Part II.
3. Type a list of all the words and allusions in the poem you looked up, along with summaries and definitions/information you discovered.
The words and allusions in the poem that I looked up are ‘sky-lark,’ ‘thrush,’ and ‘echoing.’ I discovered that the ‘sky-lark’ and the ‘thrush’ are passerine birds in the lark family. They are both songbirds. And, that ‘echoing’ indicates that something will eventually play out.
Part III.
4. Paraphrase the poem. Put into your own words what the poem literally
The Echoing Green largely talks about human existence and nature. It is a poem that talks about human life and shows the contrast between the innocence associated with childhood and the experience that comes with old age. Human life and nature are present throughout the poem as human activities like sports and games take place in a natural landscape. Humans and nature are in harmony, which is first suggested by connecting the song of birds to the bell’s cheerful chime (which are manmade).
At a more subtle level, The Echoing Green talks about human existence and the briefness of life which is reflected in nature. A hint of melancholy affects The Echoing Green when the “echoing” green now becomes the “darkening” green. Spring shall come, and along with it all the vitality and joy of the season. But, ultimately, it will end and give way to the gloom and cold of autumn. Similarly, there will always be young individuals to celebrate their youth in this world, but, every young individual ultimately matures into an adult like “Old John,” who must be satisfied with remembered or secondhand joy while others enjoy their youth.
Part IV.
5. List the poem’s key images (along with any adjectives or qualifying words) in the order in which they appear. Remember that images can draw on all five senses - not just the visual.
The poem’s key images are spring, the green, and play.
6. Go through your list. What emotions or attitudes are suggested by each image? Explain for each image.
The image of spring suggests fertility and growth. Spring is also the season for ...