“The Clod and the Pebble” Summary

“The Clod and the Pebble” Themes

• 

  The Nature of Love

  • See where this theme is active in the poem.

Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “The Clod and the Pebble”

• Lines 1-2

  "Love seeketh not itself to please,
  Nor for itself hath any care,

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺

• Lines 3-4

  But for another gives its ease,
  And builds a Heaven in Hell's despair."

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺

• Lines 5-6

  So sung a little Clod of Clay
  Trodden with the cattle's feet,

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺

• Lines 7-8

  But a Pebble of the brook
  Warbled out these metres meet:

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺

• Lines 9-10

  "Love seeketh only self to please,
  To bind another to its delight,

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺

• Lines 11-12

  Joys in another's loss of ease,
  And builds a Hell in Heaven's despite."

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺

“The Clod and the Pebble” Symbols

• 

  The Clod

  • See where this symbol appears in the poem.
• 

  The Pebble

  • See where this symbol appears in the poem.

“The Clod and the Pebble” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language

• Alliteration

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺
  • See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

• Antithesis

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺
  • See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

• Assonance

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺
  • See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

• Consonance

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺
  • See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

• Personification

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺
  • See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

• Repetition

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺
  • See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

“The Clod and the Pebble” Vocabulary

Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

• Seeketh
• Hath
• Ease
• Clod
• Trodden
• Brook
• Warbled
• Metres
• Meet
• Self
• Bind
• Joys
• Despite

• • See where this vocabulary word appears in the poem.

Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “The Clod and the Pebble”

• Form

• Meter

• Rhyme Scheme

“The Clod and the Pebble” Speaker

“The Clod and the Pebble” Setting

Literary and Historical Context of “The Clod and the Pebble”

More “The Clod and the Pebble” Resources

• External Resources

  • The Illustrated Poem — "The Clod and the Pebble" in Blake's own hand, accompanied by his drawings. 

  • Songs of Innocence and Experience — Various formats for the full collection in which this poem appears. 

  • Blake's Visions — An excerpt from a documentary in which writer Iain Sinclair discusses Blake's religious visions. 

  • The Poem Out Loud — A reading by the Youtube channel Tom O'Bedlam. 

  • Blake's Radicalism — An interesting article that provides insight into Blake's political views.

• LitCharts on Other Poems by William Blake

  • A Dream

  • Ah! Sun-flower

  • A Poison Tree

  • Earth's Answer

  • Holy Thursday (Songs of Experience)

  • Holy Thursday (Songs of Innocence)

  • Infant Joy

  • Infant Sorrow

  • Introduction (Songs of Innocence)

  • London

  • Nurse's Song (Songs of Experience)

  • Nurse's Song (Songs of Innocence)

  • The Chimney Sweeper (Songs of Experience)

  • The Chimney Sweeper (Songs of Innocence)

  • The Divine Image

  • The Ecchoing Green

  • The Fly

  • The Garden of Love

  • The Human Abstract

  • The Lamb

  • The Little Black Boy

  • The Little Vagabond

  • The School Boy

  • The Sick Rose

  • The Tyger

  • To Autumn

  • To the Evening Star