The Little Girl Lost Analysis

Songs of Experience1789In futurity

I prophesy see.

That the earth from sleep.

(Grave the sentence deep)Shall arise and seek

For her maker meek:

And the desart wild

Become a garden mild.In the southern clime,

Where the summers prime

Never fades away;

Lovely Lyca lay.Seven summers old

Lovely Lyca told,

She had wandered long.

Hearing wild birds song.Sweet sleep come to me

Underneath this tree;

Do father, mother weep.--

"Where can Lyca sleep".Lost in desert wild

Is your little child.

How can Lyca sleep.

If her mother weep.If her heart does ake.

Then let Lyca wake;

If my mother sleep,

Lyca shall not weep.Frowning, frowning night,

O'er this desert bright.

Let thy moon arise.

While I close my eyes.Sleeping Lyca lay:

While the beasts of prey,

Come from caverns deep,

View'd the maid asleepThe kingly lion stood

And the virgin view'd:

Then he gambolled round

O'er the hallowed ground:Leopards, tygers play,

Round her as she lay;

While the lion old,

Bow'd his mane of gold,And her bosom lick,

And upon her neck,

From his eyes of flame,

Ruby tears there came;While the lioness

Loos'd her slender dress,

And naked they convey'd

To caves the sleeping maid.

.: :.

As an IB DP student my initial interpretation of the poem was that of the religious aspect. (Emphasis on my interpretation - may not necessarily be correct/ for that matter incorrect either) Lyca seems to be under 'bad' influence/ experiencing all the nasty realities of life (the "wild birds' song"). The serpent is calling for her; telling her to 'take the apple' as Eve did in the Bible ("sweet sleep, come to me, underneath this tree"). Both her parents are concerned and her mother weeps, this may be because Lyca may be going through the Natural Process of life. Then the kingly lion representing a Christlike figure or a guardian angel, protects her from the "beasts of prey". The lion not only protects her from evil but cleanses her of all sinful acts & He shows her the light (to the Bible; to God) where she then becomes a woman of Innocence ("maid" - 'unmarried girl'/ 'a virgin').
However, (not to go into detail) there is another interpretation of Lyca experiencing adolescences and the lion representing a rapist steals her innocence giving her unwanted experience. Therefore robbing her of her virginity - bestowing sadness upon her and her family. And so on and so forth...
I am only able to really argue the religious fact behind William Blake's poem; the message in which he sends to his readers is to "put aside their fear and hesitation and accept God in themselves as Lyca accepts her lover" (Blake).
Oh, on the other hand, Lyca in Greek "Laika" means harlot or prostitutes which contradicts my interpretation as one that leads to Christ.

| Posted on 2008-12-21 | by a guest

.: :.

I know no explainations are allowed but my A Level class were reading this peom and we were wondering if Lyca has any significant meaning. I cannot find the origin of the name so I am not so sure if I is a name of if Blake made it up.
My overall opinion of this poem is that Blake seems to me talking paedophillia and that the lion and lioness are taking the girls sexual innocence from her giving her experience of how evil the world can be.

| Posted on 2007-04-23 | by a guest

.: :.

(Please take into account that I am only an A-level student)
When I first read between the lines, firstly I saw an innocent child. Then, developing into an adult throwing herself into the big wide world, upsetting and worrying her parents. Reading even closer, I decided that anoother interpretation was that Lyca was infact Mother Nature battling against the industrial revolution. Furthermore, there are certain words that can be related to the loss of virginity, or how lyca's body is changing with age - references to mensturation.

Now to tackle my essay - I do like Willy : )

| Posted on 2005-01-18 | by Approved Guest