Innocence and Experience : Deconstructing Blake's “Two Contrary States of the Human Soul”

Abstract: This essay analyzes poems and deconstructs binary oppositions in William Blake's Songs of Innocence and of Experience. By analyzing a number of poems, the essay exemplifies how Blake not only creates binary oppositions, but how he also deconstructs them. The essay focuses on the central binary opposition of innocence and experience, but also shows different binary oppositions to further show how Blake is setting up and deconstructing binary oppositions. The essay will argue that Blake can be considered an early deconstructionist due to his use of binary oppositions, as well as Blake intentionally creates binary oppositions.