William Blake penned two poems entitled "The Chimney Sweeper." One is included in Songs of Innocence and the other is part of Songs of Experience. The one that uses more sensory language by far is the one in Songs of Innocence. "The Chimney Sweeper" from Songs of Experience has one primary example of sensory language, and that occurs in lines 6 and 7 where light and dark images provide a striking contrast. "Winter snow" is both a visual and a tactile image; we can see and feel the snow. "Clothes of death" is a strong visual image; we can visualize the black clothing of a funeral and of a chimney sweep.
The other poem also makes use of the contrasting visual imagery of white and black. The speaker attempts to encourage Tom Dacre by telling him that because his head was shaved, "the soot cannot spoil...
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your white hair." This stark contrast of dark and light is repeated in the next stanza when Tom dreams of the "thousands of sweepers" who are "lock'd up in coffins of black." An angel with a "bright key" releases them to dance and "shine in the Sun." Tom dreams of the sweeps, "naked & white," rising to Heaven upon (presumably white) clouds. However, when he wakes from his dream, he goes to work "in the dark."
The poem uses strong visual imagery, particularly the contrast between black and white or light and dark, to emphasize that even in a child chimney sweep's dismal life, optimistic thoughts and dreams can bring light and hope.
Sensory language appeals to the senses and is used by William Blake in The Chimney Sweeper from Songs of Innocence to ensure that he engages with the reader through vocabulary that appeals to the senses which are touch, sight, smell, taste and hearing or sound. By mainly using sight and sound, Blake can ensure that the reader makes an emotional connection with the boys.
In the first verse, we experience the sounds of the boy as he cries, "Weep!Weep!" This is emphasized by the visual image (sight) of the boy sleeping "in soot." Perhaps the reader can even feel the effects of sleeping in these conditions. Blake uses this language throughout to great effect. The reader also hears the narrator whisper to Tom Dacre and can imagine the gentle tone- "Hush, Tom!" - feeling tenderness for this boy.
The visual images are further enhanced through sensory language (sight) when the metaphor of the "coffins of black," is used to reveal the desperate plight of these boys. The image is quite dark and the mood is somber. After this, the more hopeful tone of the fourth verse is intensified by the sight of the boys- freed from life as they know it, free to go "leaping, laughing..and wash in a river..." The reader can perhaps feel the relief of teh water as it washes over the boys and allows them to "rise upon clouds." The senses are aroused further when the reader imagines the boys "happy and warm," presumably safe for now, as long as they do their jobs properly.
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