The school boy in the poem is not a happy child. What make
him unhappy? Why does he compare himself to a bird that live
in a cage, or a plant that withers when it should blossom
E
I love to rise in a summer morn,
When the birds sing on every tree; b
The distant huntsman winds his horn, a
And the skylark sings with me.b
O! what sweet company.b
C
But to go to school in a summer morn,
Olit drives all joy away;
Onder a cruel eye outworn,
The little ones spend the day,
In sighing and dismay.
Ah! then at times I drooping sit,
And spend many an anxious hour.
Nor in my book can I take delight,
Nor sit in learning's bower,
Worn thro' with the dreary shower.
How can the bird that is born for joy,
Sit in a cage and sing.
How can a child when fears annoy,
But droop his tender wing,
And forget his youthful spring.
Meaning of this full poem
Answers
ANSWER
The School Boy is a poem written by William Blake in the pastoral edition that flowers on the downsides of formal learning. In the poem 'The School Boy' the poet himself is a young boy who is very joyful to get up early in the fresh and delightful summer morning. The poet is very disappointed to attain the school in the sweet summer morning because he is very tired and even puzzled under the strict supervision of his teacher. Actually, he wishes to enjoy the mirth of summer and he expresses that instead of enjoying the pleasures of summer, the child has to attend the school where every child pass their days in boredom and dismay. The boy compares a child with a bird. According to his view, a bird which is born cheerful and jovial can never sing song when caged. Similarly, a child if remained under the umbrella of annoying fear and tension can never enjoy the natural instincts of joy and playfulness. Instead, a world full of of rigid course of disciple will ruthlessly take away the beautiful springs of a person's life.
The metaphor How can the bird that is born for joy. Sit in a cage and sing? is used to indicate the helpless situation of the boy. The boy complains the highest authority to his father and mother that a budding child is pinched and swept off in the early stage of life. He has no one to care for. If misery withers the tender beautiful plants, the beautiful buds and the newborn buds summer can never be joyful. The child is asking his parents how will they give back what grief has destroyed. If plants are withered due to grief there will be no fruit in the season of autumn. This implies that if childhood pleasures are censored adult life will be utterly dry and unproductive. The rhyme scheme used in the poem is ababb