The Sick Rose / William Blake/ WBCHSE

The Sick Rose

By William Blake (1775-1827)

O Rose thou art sick,

The invisible worm,

That flies in the night,

In the howling storm,

Has found out thy bed

Of crimson joy;

And his dark secret love

Does thy life destroy.

 

Substance of the poem

The rose is a symbol of love and beauty, but in this poem it is sick. The worm that has found its bed is

a symbol of something dark and destructive, perhaps even evil. The worm's love for the rose is "dark

secret love," which suggests that it is a love that is not meant to be. The worm's love is destroying

the rose, just as evil can destroy love and beauty.

The poem is full of imagery that suggests sickness and decay. The rose is "sick," the worm "flies in the

night," and the storm is "howling." The bed of the rose is described as "crimson joy," but this joy is

tainted by the worm's dark love.

The poem ends with a sense of despair. The rose is dying, and its death is a symbol of the destruction

of love and beauty. The poem suggests that evil is a powerful force that can destroy even the most

beautiful things.

Title of the poem

The title captures the central image of the poem, which is a rose that is sick. The word "sick" suggests

that the rose is not well, and that it is in danger of dying.

The title also suggests the poem's theme, which is the destructive power of evil. The rose is a symbol

of love and beauty, but it is being destroyed by the worm, which is a symbol of evil. This suggests

that evil can destroy even the most beautiful things.

The title is also effective because it is short and memorable. It is easy to remember, and it

immediately evokes the image of a sick rose. This makes the title an effective way to introduce the

poem and its central image.

 

1. What would be the central idea of the poem "Sick rose"?

The central idea of the poem "Sick Rose" by William Blake is the destructive power of evil. The rose is a symbol of love and beauty, but it is being destroyed by the worm, which is a symbol of evil. This

suggests that evil can destroy even the most beautiful things.

The poem also explores the themes of innocence and experience. The rose is innocent and pure, but

the worm represents the corrupting influence of experience. The worm's love for the rose is "dark

secret love," which suggests that it is a love that is not meant to be. The worm's love is destroying

the rose, just as evil can destroy love and beauty.

 

2. What is the Allegorical significance of the poem: Sick Rose”?

The allegorical significance of the poem "Sick Rose" by William Blake is complex and has been

interpreted in many ways.

The rose represents innocence and purity, while the worm represents evil or experience. The poem is

a warning about the dangers of temptation and sin. The poem is a metaphor for the Fall of Man. The

poem is a commentary on the nature of love and loss.

The poem is full of symbolism that can be interpreted in many different ways. For example, the rose's

"bed of crimson joy" can be seen as a symbol of both physical and spiritual love. The "howling storm"

can be seen as a symbol of the chaos and destruction that can be caused by evil.

The poem's title, "Sick Rose," is also significant. The word "sick" can mean both physically ill and

morally corrupt. This suggests that the rose is not only physically dying, but also spiritually corrupted

by the worm's "dark secret love."

 

3. What is the message the poem conveys?

The poem "Sick Rose" by William Blake conveys a number of messages, but some of the most

common include:

The destructive power of evil. The dangers of temptation and sin. The nature of love and loss. The

importance of innocence and purity. The poem is full of symbolism that can be interpreted in many

different ways, but these are some of the most common messages that readers have found in the

poem.

 

4. The poem " Sick rose" States Innocence and experience. -Illustrate it.

The poem "Sick Rose" by William Blake explores the themes of innocence and experience. The rose

represents innocence and purity, while the worm represents experience and evil. The poem suggests

that experience can corrupt innocence, and that the world is a dark and dangerous place.

The poem begins with the speaker addressing the rose, telling it that it is sick. The rose is a symbol of

innocence and purity, and its sickness suggests that it has been corrupted by something.

The speaker then tells the rose that the worm's "dark secret love" is destroying it. The worm's love is

"dark" and "secret," which suggests that it is a love that is not meant to be. This love is destroying

the rose, just as experience can corrupt innocence.

The poem ends with the rose dying, and its death is a symbol of the destruction of innocence. The

poem suggests that the world is a dark and dangerous place, and that experience can corrupt

innocence.

 

5. What role does the rose play in the poem?

The rose plays a central role in the poem "Sick Rose" by William Blake. The rose is a symbol

of innocence and purity, and its sickness suggests that it has been corrupted by something.

The speaker then goes on to describe the worm, which is a symbol of experience and evil.

The worm is "invisible," which suggests that it is a force that cannot be seen or understood.

The worm is also associated with the night and the storm, which are both symbols of

darkness and chaos.

The speaker then tells the rose that the worm's "dark secret love" is destroying it. The

worm's love is "dark" and "secret," which suggests that it is a love that is not meant to be.

This love is destroying the rose, just as experience can corrupt innocence.

The poem ends with the rose dying, and its death is a symbol of the destruction of

innocence. The poem suggests that the world is a dark and dangerous place, and that

experience can corrupt innocence.

 

6. What role does the worm play in the poem?

The worm plays a central role in the poem "Sick Rose" by William Blake. The worm is a

symbol of experience and evil, and its presence in the poem suggests that innocence can be

corrupted by experience.

The worm is described as "invisible," which suggests that it is a force that cannot be seen or

understood. The worm is also associated with the night and the storm, which are both

symbols of darkness and chaos.

The speaker tells the rose that the worm's "dark secret love" is destroying it. The worm's

love is "dark" and "secret," which suggests that it is a love that is not meant to be. This love

is destroying the rose, just as experience can corrupt innocence.

The worm's presence in the poem suggests that the world is a dark and dangerous place,

and that experience can corrupt innocence. The worm is a reminder that we must be careful

not to let the world corrupt our souls.

 

7. "O rose thou art sick" - Who is sick and why? Why does the poem exclaim?

The speaker in the poem "Sick Rose" by William Blake is addressing a rose that is sick. The

rose is a symbol of innocence and purity, and its sickness suggests that it has been corrupted

by something.

The speaker then tells the rose that the worm's "dark secret love" is destroying it. The

worm's love is "dark" and "secret," which suggests that it is a love that is not meant to be.

This love is destroying the rose, just as experience can corrupt innocence.

The speaker exclaims "O rose thou art sick" because they are concerned about the rose's

condition. They see that the rose is sick, and they know that this is a sign that something is

wrong. The speaker's exclamation is a warning to the rose, and it is also a warning to us all.

We must be careful not to let the world corrupt our innocence. We must protect our souls

from the worm of experience.

 

8. “That flies in the night

In the howling storm”

What flies in the night? What role does the “Howling storm” play? Why is the warm called

invisible?

In the poem "Sick Rose" by William Blake, the line "That flies in the night / In the howling

storm" refers to the worm that is corrupting the rose. The worm is invisible, which suggests

that it is a force that cannot be seen or understood. The worm is also associated with the

night and the storm, which are both symbols of darkness and chaos.

The howling storm plays a number of roles in the poem. It creates a sense of foreboding and

danger, and it suggests that the worm is a powerful and destructive force. The storm also

isolates the rose, making it more vulnerable to the worm's attack.

The worm is called invisible because it is a symbol of something that is hidden or secret. The

worm's invisibility also suggests that it is a force that cannot be easily understood or

controlled.

 

9. “Has found out thy bed

of crimson joy.”-Whom does the word “thy” refer to? What did he find and when? What

does the expression “crimson joy” suggest?

In the poem "Sick Rose" by William Blake, the word "thy" refers to the rose. The line "Has

found out thy bed / Of crimson joy" suggests that the worm has found the rose's bed, which

is a symbol of the rose's innocence and purity. The worm's "crimson joy" is a destructive

force that is destroying the rose's innocence.

The word "crimson" suggests blood, which is a symbol of violence and death. The word "joy"

suggests pleasure, but in this context, it is a perverse pleasure that is destroying the rose.

The line suggests the destructive power of evil. The worm is a dark and destructive force

that is hidden from view, but its presence is nonetheless felt. The word "crimson" suggests

the violence and death that the worm will bring to the rose.

The expression "crimson joy" can also be interpreted in a more sexual way. The rose is a

symbol of beauty and love, and the worm's "crimson joy" can be seen as a symbol of sexual

desire. This interpretation suggests that the worm is corrupting the rose's innocence with its

sexual desire.

 

10. “And his dark secret love

Dose thy life destroy.”- what does the expression “dark secret love” mean? What does the

line suggests?

In the poem "Sick Rose" by William Blake, the expression "dark secret love" refers to the

worm's love for the rose. The worm's love is "dark" because it is a destructive force, and it is

"secret" because it is a love that is not meant to be. The line suggests that the worm's love is

destroying the rose, just as evil can destroy love and beauty.

The word "dark" can also suggest secrecy or hiddenness. This suggests that the worm's love

is not something that is openly acknowledged or expressed. It is a love that is kept hidden,

perhaps even from the rose itself.

The word "secret" can also suggest something that is forbidden or taboo. This suggests that

the worm's love is a love that is not socially acceptable. It is a love that is not supposed to

exist.

The line can also be interpreted in a more sexual way. The rose is a symbol of beauty and

love, and the worm's "dark secret love" can be seen as a symbol of sexual desire. This

interpretation suggests that the worm is corrupting the rose's innocence with its sexual

desire.

Ganesh Sir -9088611116