Interstices of Class and Creativity: A Critic...

Interstices of Class and Creativity: A Critical Reflection on the Plight of a Chimney Sweeper

Author Name : Urvi Sharma

ABSTRACT

This paper is a study of William Blaske’s “The Chimney Sweeper” to explore the elusive inner feelings of a young chimney sweeper with the series of ironical statements as he talks about his suffering covered in soot at such a tender age. Blake’s poem is a statement on the plight of England’s children who were forced to do such dangerous jobs at such a tender age. It unleashes the hypocrisy of the elite society who seeks virtuosity in offering prayers in the church rather than taking care of the deprived children. At the same time, it reflects on how the chimney sweeper relies on his creative imagination to sustain himself through his brutal reality.

Index Terms–class, creativity, William Blake, Chimney Sweeper