Curse of Society
“The Curse of Society” By Maximilian Jacobs The poem, “The Chimney Sweeper” by William Blake, portrays an event that any lower class orphan could have gone through. ... Both of these characters are children who believe the “hope” presented by the Angel which is actually the lesson taught by society to these children. ... Society and the Angel have told Tom to basically accept the fate that has been handed to him and his companion. ... For example, the Angel, who signifies the hope for an escape, tells Tom the lesson, or the hope the Angel presented that society, has already told him. ... The lesson society has taught Tom is the last two line of the dream: “And the Angel told Tom if he’d be a good boy, /He’d have God for his father & never want joy” (ll. ... On the contrary however, society is keeping these two children in an eternal ignorance of their position. Neither the Angel nor society is lending a helpful thought for the children’s predicament. ... This is the same thing society has unintentionally conveyed to their unfortunate, destitute, and hopeless lower-class youth. ... This hope is supposed to represent a way out yet ironic because it is a lesson taught by the English society to the two children of the poem.