How was William Blake establish a connection among the lamb, God and himself. Discuss light of his poem the lamb.
Answers
The poem “The Lamb” written by William Blake, holds a religious concept. A close analysis of the short poem unveils hidden secrets.
‘The Lamb made the Lamb’ : Jesus Christ the lamb of God, created the little lamb and all the living creatures.
According to the Bible, Jesus is associated with the lamb for several reasons;
- Jesus sacrificed his life on the cross to take away the sin of the world which resembles the Jewish concept of ‘Scape goat’, the use of lambs in ancient animal sacrifices.
- Also, Jesus being gentle, meek and mild - resembling that of a lamb which has such qualities.
Throughout the poem, the speaker asks the little lamb if she knows who created her.
Of course, the lamb is not going to answer. The innocent speaker answers the question for himself, that the lamb of God who came onto the earth like a child created the little lamb and all the living creatures.
The speaker also refers himself to a child — “I a child and thou a lamb”.
The speaker in being a child is linked to both the lamb and God. A child is a young person, just as a lamb is a young sheep. They are also connected by their innocence.
But the word ‘meek’ used in the second stanza recalls the words of Jesus — “Blessed are the meek”. The child is exactly the sort ‘meek’ christian.
Speaker, lamb and Christ are all linked by their innocence.