Question by Meghan: What does this stanza mean in Auguries of Innocence by William Blake?
“the gnat that sings his summer’s song poison gets from slander’s tongue. The poison of the snake and newt is the sweat of envy’s foot. the poison of the honey bee is the artist’s jealousy”
Best answer:
Answer by libby l
“The gnat that sings his summer’s song
Poison gets from slander’s tongue.
The poison of the snake and newt
Is the sweat of envy’s foot.
The poison of the honey bee
Is the artist’s jealousy.”
As with the rest of the poem the innocence of nature is juxtaposed with the experience of man. Nature is seen in the Gnat’s song, in the snake and newt and in the honey bee and it is pure and good. The poisons of these creatures is realised in the slander, envy and jealousy of man. It is man who pollutes the purity of nature.
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