The Sick Rose

• In "The Sick Rose," Blake explores themes such as death, decay, and corruption through the use of symbolism and metaphorical language.
• Blake's poem uses vivid imagery to convey his message about the destructive power of love.
• What is the summary of TSR?


  The rose is sick as an unseen worm has flown under the cover of a dark/stormy night. It found the roses deep red joy and the worms hidden love destroys the roses life
• What are the themes in TSR?


  Death

  Destruction

  Innocence

  Sex/Desire
• What is the form and structure of TSR?


  2 quatrains

  Allegory

  Anapestic diameter

  ABCB DEFE rhyme scheme

  Balad stanzas
• Who is the speaker in TSR?

  Th speaker seems to be apart of the poem, who can see things that the personified rose cannot.
• What is the setting in TSR?


  It takes place in a garden on a dark, destructive stormy night.
• What is the context of TSR?


  Experience poems depict nature in a state of corruption- at the hands of humans.

  Blake- critic of Ind Rev

  Blake believed in equality for women.
• ‘O Rose, thou art sick! The invisible worm, That flies in the night In the howling storm,‘


  Direct address/ apostrophe- personifies the rose.

  Rose- symbolic of women/ femininity.

  End stopped in ‘Thou art sick!’ suggests corruption- connotes STDS/sex.

  Assonance intensifies the destruction.
• ‘Has found out thy bed of crimson joy: And his dark secret love Does thy life destroy.’ 


  Assonance- furthers the sex symbolism.

  Sex was shrouded by darkness during Blakes time

  Suggests a violation and opposing forces.