The Little Black Boy By William Blake Analysis

Between the sixteenth century and the eighteenth century slavery was an important issue written about in British literature, especially in a lot of pieces of poetry. In William Blake’s, “The Little Black Boy”, and “The Sorrows of Yamba” by Hannah More readers will find that both are anti-slavery poems. Both authors wrote about slavery but the way that the issue is addressed through their poetry is completely different. Differences in racial stereotyping, religion, gender of main characters, and what the future has in store for the characters all make for a good contrast in comparison to the anti-slavery similarity. In “The Little Black Boy”, Blake makes the poem appear to be full of innocence. The reason that this happens is because the author depicts the black characters as naïve and child like. Blake talks about the burden the boy and his mother struggle with from having black skin when he writes, “ And these black bodies and this sun-burnt face / Is but a cloud, and like a shady grove.” (The Little Black Boy 15-16). This line shows the desire that both the son and the mother have to be separate from anything that has to do …show more content…
In “The Little Black Boy”, the boy is taught to believe that he will be entitled to a better life once he goes to heaven. Having that being said the boy follows the Christian message being that everyone in heaven is equal regardless of the color of their skin and he awaits patient for that day. Blake illustrates to the reader that the little black boy accepts racism and injustice for what is it without having even the slightest thought of rebelling. Instead the boy patiently waits so that he can be free at last. In “The Sorrows of Yamba” although More goes into detail about Christianity by bringing up the bible, the missionary and heaven she still differs from Blake in the way that she ties religion in with her