Auguries of Innocence: Summary and Analysis

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Auguries of Innocence is a deep and thoughtful poem written by William Blake, one of the most important poets and artists of the Romantic period. He probably wrote it around 1803, but it was published after his death in 1863. The poem shows Blake’s spiritual way of thinking and how he used symbols to express big ideas.

The word "auguries" means signs or warnings about the future, and "innocence" means purity or goodness, like the natural state of children or nature. The title suggests that small actions—like being kind or cruel—can show us important truths about human nature, right and wrong, and the universe.

 Text and Summary

Lines 1–4

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.

Summary:
These opening lines express the idea that the universe's vast mysteries can be found in the smallest details. Blake suggests that even a tiny grain of sand contains the wonders of the world, and a simple wildflower can reveal the divine. The lines encourage spiritual and imaginative vision, where eternity and infinity are not distant but accessible in the present moment.

Lines 5–8

A Robin Redbreast in a Cage
Puts all Heaven in a Rage.
A dove house fill’d with doves and pigeons
Shudders Hell thro’ all its regions.

Summary:
Blake speaks against cruelty to animals. Capturing a robin (a symbol of innocence and joy) angers the divine, and overcrowding doves (symbols of peace) causes even Hell to tremble. These lines show how small injustices disrupt the cosmic moral order.

Lines 9–12

A dog starv’d at his Master’s Gate
Predicts the ruin of the State.
A horse misused upon the Road
Calls to Heaven for Human blood.

Summary:
These lines continue Blake’s moral warnings. Neglecting a dog symbolizes societal injustice and hints at the collapse of moral order. Mistreating a horse cries out for divine vengeance. Abuse and neglect of helpless beings reflect broader human corruption.

Lines 13–16

Each outcry of the hunted Hare
A fibre from the Brain does tear.
A Skylark wounded in the wing,
A Cherubim does cease to sing.

Summary:
Cruelty to animals not only causes physical harm but also spiritual damage. The pain of a hunted hare is felt in the human mind, while harming a skylark (a bird associated with beauty and joy) silences angelic harmony.

Lines 17–20

The Game Cock clip’d and arm’d for fight
Does the Rising Sun affright.
Every Wolf’s and Lion’s howl
Raises from Hell a Human Soul.

Summary:
Blake condemns forcing animals to fight for entertainment. It corrupts nature and disrupts natural order. Even wild animal cries evoke human suffering in Hell, connecting human sin to the mistreatment of animals.

Lines 21–24

The wild deer, wand’ring here and there,
Keeps the Human Soul from Care.
The Lamb misus’d breeds Public Strife
And yet forgives the Butcher’s Knife.

Summary:
Nature's peaceful creatures—like deer—bring calm to the soul. Harming innocent animals like lambs leads to unrest, yet their forgiveness emphasizes their purity. Blake blends Christian imagery (lamb as Christ) with social critique.

Lines 25–28

The Bat that flits at close of Eve
Has left the Brain that won’t believe.
The Owl that calls upon the Night
Speaks the Unbeliever’s fright.

Summary:
The bat and owl symbolize darkness and spiritual blindness. The bat’s movement reflects a mind that no longer believes in wonder or divinity, and the owl’s call reminds the non-believer of their hidden fears.

Lines 29–32

He who shall hurt the little Wren
Shall never be belov’d by Men.
He who the Ox to wrath has mov’d
Shall never be by Woman lov’d.

Summary:
Harming gentle creatures like the wren or provoking strong but peaceful animals like the ox makes a person unworthy of love. Blake emphasizes that cruelty breeds isolation and unworthiness.

Lines 33–36

The wanton Boy that kills the Fly
Shall feel the Spider’s enmity.
He who torments the Chafer’s sprite
Weaves a Bower in endless Night.

Summary:
Even casual cruelty—like killing insects—brings consequences. Blake implies that disrespect for life, however small, leads to spiritual darkness.

Lines 37–40

The Caterpillar on the Leaf
Repeats to thee thy Mother’s grief.
Kill not the Moth nor Butterfly,
For the Last Judgment draweth nigh.

Summary:
Even the caterpillar reminds us of human sorrow and connection. Harming fragile creatures like butterflies is a sin, and such actions bring us closer to divine judgment.

Lines 41–44

He who shall train the Horse to War
Shall never pass the Polar Bar.
The Beggar’s Dog and Widow’s Cat,
Feed them and thou shalt grow fat.

Summary:
Training horses for war is condemned; such people won’t reach paradise ("Polar Bar" may symbolize a heavenly realm). But feeding the animals of the poor brings spiritual reward.

Lines 45–48

The Gnat that sings his Summer Song
Poison gets from Slander’s tongue.
The poison of the Snake and Newt
Is the sweat of Envy’s Foot.

Summary:
Even the smallest things (like a gnat’s song) can be tainted by human evils such as slander. Poison in nature mirrors the emotional poisons—envy and malice—found in humans.

Lines 49–52

A truth that’s told with bad intent
Beats all the Lies you can invent.
It is right it should be so;
Man was made for Joy and Woe;

Summary:
Telling the truth with harmful motives is worse than lying. Blake acknowledges that joy and sorrow are both parts of human existence and must be accepted together.

Lines 53–56

And when this we rightly know
Thro’ the World we safely go.
Joy and Woe are woven fine,
A Clothing for the soul divine.

Summary:
Understanding the balance of joy and sorrow brings spiritual safety. These experiences are intertwined and form the fabric of the soul’s journey.

Lines 57–60

Under every grief and pine
Runs a joy with silken twine.
The Babe is more than swaddling Bands;
Throughout all these Human Lands.

Summary:
Even in sadness, hidden joy flows like soft thread. A baby is not defined by its wrappings—there’s more to humanity than appearances. Blake urges deeper insight into people and life.

Lines 61–64

Tools were made and born were Hands,
Every Farmer understands.
Every Tear from Every Eye
Becomes a Babe in Eternity;

Summary:
Hands are born to use tools, just as humans are made to act. Every tear, every sorrow has eternal value—each carries deep meaning in the cosmic order.

Lines 65–68

This is caught by Females bright
And return’d to its own delight.
The Bleat, the Bark, Bellow and Roar
Are Waves that Beat on Heaven’s Shore.

Summary:
Heaven values every innocent cry or tear. Animal sounds—bleats, barks, and roars—are like waves crashing on divine shores, showing the unity between Earth and Heaven.

Lines 69–72

The Babe that weeps the Rod beneath
Writes Revenge in realms of Death.
The Beggar’s Rags, fluttering in Air,
Does to Rags the Heavens tear.

Summary:
A child beaten unjustly carries pain even after death, symbolizing lasting injustice. The torn clothes of the poor are so moving that they metaphorically tear through heaven itself.

Lines 73–76

The Soldier, arm’d with Sword and Gun,
Palsied strikes the Summer’s Sun;
The poor Man’s Farthing is worth more
Than all the Gold on Afric’s Shore.

Summary:
Violence (through soldiers) weakens the joy of life. A poor person’s small coin, given with meaning, is more valuable than all material wealth.

Lines 77–80

One Mite wrung from the Lab’rer’s hands
Shall buy and sell the Miser’s Lands;
Or, if protected from on high,
Does the whole Nation sell and buy.

Summary:
Even a tiny amount of money unfairly taken from a laborer carries moral weight. If protected by divine justice, it becomes powerful enough to influence nations.

Lines 81–84

He who mocks the Infant’s Faith
Shall be mock’d in Age and Death.
He who shall teach the Child to Doubt
The rotting Grave shall ne’er get out.

Summary:
Corrupting a child’s innocence leads to lifelong and eternal consequences. Instilling doubt and cynicism in the young creates spiritual decay.

Lines 85–88

He who respects the Infant’s faith
Triumphs over Hell & Death.
The Child’s Toys and the Old Man’s Reasons
Are the Fruits of the Two Seasons.

Summary:
Respecting innocence leads to spiritual victory. A child’s toys and an old man’s wisdom both have value—they represent different stages of life and should be appreciated equally.

Lines 89–90

The Questioner who sits so sly
Shall never know how to Reply.

Summary:
Those who question just to provoke or confuse lack true understanding. Blake criticizes insincere intellectualism.

Short Analysis

In Auguries of Innocence, William Blake uses simple images and short lines to share deep ideas about life, morality, and nature. He believes that every small action reflects a larger truth. For example, hurting a small animal is not just a small wrong—it shows a deeper problem in society. The poem uses contrasts like innocence vs. cruelty, joy vs. sorrow, and nature vs. human corruption to teach moral lessons. Blake also shows his strong belief that everything in the world is connected, and that kindness and justice are very important. The poem is both spiritual and symbolic, written in a way that makes us think about how we treat others and the world around us.


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