Essay Questions

Who is the speaker of the poem?

At first, all we know about the speaker is that he is enthusiastic and joyous about God's creation. However, the speaker later says that he is a child: "I a child." As such, we understand that the narrator is innocent and perhaps naive. This being said, even though the speaker is a child, he is asking wise and poignant questions about the nature of creation.

This being said, the fact the speaker says he is a child can also be interpreted as him being a child of God. Therefore, perhaps he is not literally a child but is instead a follower of God.

How does Blake depict religion in this poem?

Blake is usually critical about religion in his poetry, but The Lamb is surprisingly positive. Overall, the poem seems to be a celebration of God's beautiful creations in the world, including the lamb.

Jesus is also associated with positive imagery in the text, including the meekness and gentleness of a lamb and the innocence of a child. As such, Blake is suggesting that the gentle teachings of Christianity from Jesus is a positive aspect of organized religion.

Still, the association between Jesus and the lamb and children can also be seen negatively. Children and lambs are both vulnerable and weak, which may be a criticism of the biblical figure.