On Another Sorrows

Angelica Flores/ Emili Urquidi

Ms. Ahonen

English 2302 6th period.

27 January 2017

“On Another's Sorrow”

The poem, ‘On Another’s Sorrow’ illustrates the diverse sufferings of man. The poem symbolizes the fact, that God or Jesus Christ can and will never disregard human sufferings without thought or feeling toward the situation. The poem focuses on human brotherhood or a relationship between man and god and pity on others.

       This kinship with god is felt or realized when someone rushes to diminish the sufferings of the other. Blake repeatedly refers to seeing the woes and sorrows of other and being senseless towards them, “Can I see another's woe, And not be in sorrow too”(lines 1&2). The humanity in us makes us feel sorry for their pain and sorrows and we stand by those on their hardest days. For example, the case of a father and son whose bond creates pain in the father's heart when seeing his child in agony, also that no mother cannot be moved by the sound of “An infant groan an infant fear”(line 10).

          Blake, in On Another’s Sorrow presents a very connected human world. Along with people, God himself seems to be responsive to the cries and pleas of his people. Here, Blake portrays Christ's life and uses his sacrifice to illustrate his poem. By bringing Christ's crucifixion up and learning his last words the theme of the poem becomes clear to the reader. Christ gives his life selflessly to free us of sin, pain and sorrow. The poem is a lesson of humanity and selflessness, it upholds the human principle, pity, towards others.

                                      Citation Machine

Abrams, M. H. The Norton anthology of English literature. New York: Norton, 1974.                 Print.