The Reflection of England's Social Condition in 18th Century in William Blake's Introduction to "Song of Experience" and Introduction to "Song of Innocence"

Asy’ari, Muhamad Kholil. (09.05.1.1.1.00038). The Reflection of England’s Social Condition in 18th Century in William Blake’s Introduction to “Song of Experience” and Introduction to “Song of Innocence”. Thesis. English Study Programe of the Faculty of Social and Cultural Sciences, University of Trunojoyo Madura. Advisors: (1) Dr. Suryo Tri Saksono, (II) Suci Suryani, S.S, M.Pd.

Introduction to “Song of Experience” and Introduction to “Song of Innocence” by William Blake are the poems that contain the social and religious meaning. The poems describe the social condition of England in 18th Century. Thus this study discusses the reflection of England’s social condition in 18th century in those poems. The aims of this study are to answer: (1) How do the poems Introduction to “Song of Experience” and Introduction to “Song of Innocence” reflect the social condition of England in 18th Century?; (2) What do the similarities of the two poems Introduction to “Song of Experience” and Introduction to “Song of Innocence” reflect the social condition of England in 18th Century?
Sociology of literature theory that focuses on sociology of work is used to analyze social condition of England in 18th Century reflected in both poems. The lines of those poems that reflect to the social condition are as the data in this study. In line with the features of qualitative research, the data collection is done simultaneously with the data analysis. There are three related processes in the data analysis that is done together; reducing data, displaying data and making conclusion.
In this study both poems reflect England’s social condition in 18th Century from Urban Labor Class point of view who is as lower class. The poem Introduction to “Song of Experience” reflects lower class with symbols that is from an adult life. For the poem Introduction to “Song of Innocence” reflects lower class with symbols that is from children life. Thus, the similarities of both poems describes that lower class get suffering from segregation. The suffering brings lower class to emphasize to religious belief. All of those aspects are impact of the industrial revolution in England at the time.