The School Boy

By William Blake

William Blake (1757-1827) was an English poet, painter, and visionary, whose work combines profound spiritual themes with intense, often mystical imagery. Blake’s unique style blends poetry and visual art, making him a pioneer figure in Romantic literature and art. His work, though underappreciated in his lifetime, is now celebrated for its originality and depth. The poem first appeared in William Blake’s collection of poems “Songs of Experience” published in 1794. It presents the perspective of a young boy who expresses his dissatisfaction with formal education and its restrictive environment, yearning instead for the freedom and joy found in nature. He hates being cooped up in his classroom and would much rather play outside in the summer sun. The poem treats his frustration as not only serious but tragic suggesting that the restrictive environment of the school confines the students like a bird in a cage and prevents them from achieving their full potential.

Text of the poem.

I love to rise in a summer morn
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn,
And the skylark sings with me.
O! what sweet company!

But to go to school on a summer morn,
O! it drives all joy away;
Under 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?

O! father and mother, if buds are nipped
And blossoms blown away,
And if the tender plants are stripped
Of their joy in the springing day,
By sorrow and care’s dismay,

How shall the summer arise in joy,
Or the summer’s fruits appear?
Or how shall we gather what griefs destroy,
Or bless the mellowing year,
When the blasts of winter appear?

First Stanza

In the first stanza, the boy expresses his joy in walking up on a summer morning. He finds pleasure in the natural world, where birds sing on every tree, a distant huntsman blows his horn, and the skylark sings alongside him. The phrase “O! What sweet company” emphasizes his delight in the companionship of nature, setting a tone of innocence and happiness.

Second Stanza

The tone shifts in the second stanza, where the boy contrasts the joy of a summer morning with the misery of going to school. He describes how the obligation to attend school “drives all joy away.” The “cruel eye outworn” likely refers to the strict and harsh supervision of the teacher, which oppresses the children. The phrase “sighing and dismay” highlights the children’s sadness and reluctance, conveying the stifling effect of formal education on their spirits.

Third Stanza

In this stanza, the boy describes his experience at school. He often feels drooping, indicating a loss of energy and enthusiasm. The “anxious hour” suggests that school causes him stress and worry. He cannot take pleasure in his books or the supposed “bower” of learning, which should be a place of growth and enlightenment. Instead, he feels worn out by the “dreary shower,” a metaphor for the relentless and joyless routine of school.

Fourth Stanza

Here, the boy compares himself to a bird born for joy but confined to a cage, unable to sing freely. This metaphor underscores the unnaturalness of his situation. Just as a bird in a cage cannot fulfill its natural purpose, a child subjected to fear and anxiety cannot thrive. The “tender wing” represents the child’s fragile spirit, and “forget his youthful spring” signifies losing the vitality and exuberance of youth.

Fifth Stanza

In this stanza, the boy addresses his parents, using the metaphor of plants to describe children. If buds (children) are nipped (harmed) and blossoms (potential) blown away, and if tender plants are stripped of their joy by sorrow and care, it will lead to their ruin. The use of botanical imagery highlights the importance of nurturing and allowing children to grow naturally.

Sixth Stanza

The final stanza raises rhetorical questions about the consequences of not nurturing children’s happiness and growth. If children are not allowed to experience joy in their youth (spring), the summer (adulthood) will not be joyful, and the fruits (achievements and fulfillment) will not appear. The “griefs” (sorrows and hardships) destroy potential, making it impossible to enjoy the “mellowing year” (later stages of life). The “blasts of winter” symbolize the harsh challenges of life, implying that without a joyful and nurturing childhood, one cannot face these difficulties effectively.

Conclusion

The poem is a poignant critique of the formal education system of Blake’s time, advocating for the importance of preserving the natural joy and innocence of childhood. The poem uses vivid imagery and metaphors to contrast the freedom and happiness found in nature with the oppressive environment of school.