Mary by William Blake - Poem Analysis (2024)

The poem tells the story of a beautiful woman whose name is Mary. Initially, everyone admired her as she entered the ballroom. However, later on, people became jealous and mean to her, casting her aside like an outsider. The poem speaks to the fact that envy can cause so many unkind deeds and how there is difficulty in being alone with yourself when everyone judges you. Even though Mary tries hard to fit in with the people, she ends up alone and leading an unhappy life. At last, she starts wondering why people are terrible whether all that is fair, and what humanity is all about.

MaryWilliam Blake
Sweet Mary, the first time she ever was there, Came into the Ball room among the Fair; The young Men & Maidens around her throng, And these are the words upon every tongue: 

"An Angel is here from the heavenly Climes, Or again does return the Golden times; Her eyes outshine every brilliant ray, She opens her lips 'tis the Month of May." 

Mary moves in soft beauty & conscious delight To augment with sweet smiles all the joys of the Night, Nor once blushes to own to the rest of the Fair That sweet Love & Beauty are worthy our care, 

In the Morning the Villagers rose with delight And repeated with pleasure the joys of the night, And Mary arose among Friends to be free, But no Friend from henceforward thou, Mary, shalt see. 

Some said she was proud some calld her a whor* And some when she passed by shut to the door A damp cold came oer her her blushes all fled Her lillies & roses are blighted & shed 

"O why was I born with a different Face? Why was I not born like this Envious Race? Why did Heaven adorn me with bountiful hand, And then set me down in an envious Land? 

To be weak as a Lamb & smooth as a Dove, And not to raise Envy is calld Christian Love; But if you raise Envy your Merits to blame For planting such spite in the weak & the tame. 

I will humble my Beauty, I will not dress fine, I will keep from the Ball & my Eyes shall not shine; And if any Girls Lover forsakes her for me, I'll refuse him my hand & from Envy be free." 

She went out in Morning attird plain & neat; "Proud Mary's gone Mad," said the Child in the Street; She went out in Morning in plain neat attire, And came home in Evening bespatterd with mire. 

She trembled & wept sitting on the Bed side, She forgot it was Night, & she trembled & cried; She forgot it was Night, she forgot it was Morn, Her soft Memory imprinted with Faces of Scorn, 

With Faces of Scorn & with Eyes of disdain Like foul Fiends inhabiting Mary's mild Brain; She remembers no Face like the Human Divine All Faces have Envy, sweet Mary, but thine; 

And thine is a Face of sweet Love in Despair, And thine is a Face of mild sorrow & care, And thine is a Face of wild terror & fear That shall never be quiet till laid on its bier. 

Summary

The poem ‘Mary’ by William Blake tells a story about a girl named Mary. She goes to a fancy ball and everyone admires her for her beauty. Mary is happy and makes others happy too. However, the people in her village start gossiping about her. They think she is either proud or immoral. This makes Mary to be confused and wonder why she is different and why people are jealous of her.

Feeling misunderstood, rejected, and alone, Mary tries to humble herself by not wearing pretty clothes and not attending social functions in the village. However, despite her efforts to conform, she is still met with disdain and mockery from society. As a result of the treatment she receives from the villagers, Mary is left feeling isolated and devastated, with her self-esteem shattered and her once bright future darkened by loss of hope.

This poem is mainly addressing societal judgment, envy, and the pressure to conform to societal norms. It is clearly seen how Mary is being pressured to act like other people. This tells us how jealousy can be so hurtful, making you feel so bad about yourself. Though Mary had tried to fit in, the villagers were still trying to be mean. She felt trapped, and sad to the point she could not be happy.

Structure and Form

The poem follows a strict pattern of twelve quatrains, each consisting of four lines. The consistent AABB rhyme scheme creates a sense of rhythm and musicality throughout the poem. This structured form enhances the poem’s cohesion and readability, guiding the reader through the narrative with clarity.

Blake’s use of quatrains allows him to effectively develop and convey Mary’s story in a systematic manner. Each quatrain serves as a discrete unit, presenting a distinct aspect of Mary’s experience or emotions. This way, the lines of this poem flow into one another as Blake is able to express different vital ideas in each stanza.

The consistent rhyme scheme of AABB adds to the poem’s lyrical quality, enhancing its aesthetic appeal and contributing to its overall musicality. The pairing of rhyming lines creates a sense of balance and harmony within each quatrain, reinforcing the poem’s structure and form.

Analysis, Stanza by Stanza

Stanza One

Sweet Mary, the first time she ever was there,

Came into the Ball room among the Fair;

The young Men & Maidens around her throng,

And these are the words upon every tongue:

In the opening stanza of this poem, Mary, who is the central character of the poem is introduced as she enters a ballroom. The speaker calls her “Sweet Mary,” which makes us think she is an innocent and kind girl. The ballroom setting, described as “among the Fair,” conveys an atmosphere of elegance and social gathering. The image of young men and maidens thronging around Mary pictures her instant attraction and beauty and describes her place within the social context of a ballroom.

Stanza Two

“An Angel is here from the heavenly Climes,

Or again does return the Golden times;

Her eyes outshine every brilliant ray,

She opens her lips tis the Month of May.”

This stanza is more focused on Mary’s beauty and how everyone is in awe of her beauty. According to the speaker, Mary looks like an angel, so beautiful it makes them think of heaven and golden times. This is such a great ordeal of how everyone looks at and admires her.

The image of the eyes outshining “every brilliant ray” makes the intensity of her beauty almost palpable, setting forth a quite electrifying idea that her appearance lit up the entire room. This metaphor shows not only Mary’s physical attractiveness but also some deeper spiritual quality in her presence, and this evokes such notions as enlightenment and beyond ordinary limitations.

Stanza Three

Mary moves in soft beauty & conscious delight

To augment with sweet smiles all the joys of the Night,

Nor once blushes to own to the rest of the Fair

That sweet Love & Beauty are worthy our care,

In the third stanza, the speaker describes how Mary moves in the ballroom. The use of the phrase “moves in soft beauty & conscious delight” suggests Mary’s graceful and deliberate movements, indicating a sense of poise and self-assurance. This shows not only how beautiful she is, but also how much she enjoys being there.

The stanza further emphasizes Mary’s significant role in enhancing the night’s atmosphere with her presence. In the second line of the stanza, she is described as augmenting “all the joys of the Night” with her “sweet smiles,” and this suggests that Mary makes the party even more fun with her smiles. Everyone feels happier because she’s there. This shows how Mary can brighten other people’s day.

Stanza Four

In the Morning the Villagers rose with delight

And repeated with pleasure the joys of the night,

And Mary arose among Friends to be free,

But no Friend from henceforward thou, Mary, shalt see.

This stanza marks a significant turning point in the poem because it highlights the dramatic changes that occur in Mary’s life regarding societal perception of her. It illustrates the ‘consequences’ that occur in society once Mary is judged by her peers. This juxtaposes at the very beginning of the stanza the feeling of the villagers waking up in the morning against Mary’s feelings of isolation after being shunned by those who judged her. Whereas the villagers “Rise from their cottage-heavy beds, and look / At heaven in vain to see thy lovely face,” Mary wakes up, “Among thy friends creep illegitimate and unborn.”. The contrast between the villagers’ happiness and Mary’s lonely situation draws out the bald reality of her condition, underlining how incredibly alienated she is from her community.

The line “But no Friend from henceforward thou, Mary, shalt see” is a touching declaration of Mary’s exclusion from the social circle. It suggests that Mary will not be seeing any of her friends anymore. This shows how much being judged by others hurts her relationship with people. They do not want to be her friend anymore, and it feels like it will never change. It makes Mary feel completely alone.

Stanza Five

Some said she was proud some calld her a whor*

And some when she passed by shut to the door

A damp cold came oer her her blushes all fled

Her lillies & roses are blighted & shed

In the fifth stanza, the speaker expresses a harsh judgment faced by Mary in society. The lines “Some said she was proud some called her a whor*” express to what extent the extent of gossip and condemnation towards Mary was. This shows how judgmental society is, where people are in a rush to label people and condemn others even if they do not know them well. The use of the word “whor*” is quite severe in its weight, emphasizing how heavy the accusations are against Mary and how cruel judgment is passed on to her.

Stanza Six

“O why was I born with a different Face?

Why was I not born like this Envious Race?

Why did Heaven adorn me with bountiful hand,

And then set me down in an envious Land?

In this stanza, self-values, identity, and social judgment are brought out in a considerate and somewhat introspective vision. The speaker is lamenting having been born with a “different Face,” underlining feelings of discontentment and alienation from society. This line reflects a feeling of inadequacy and isolation, as the speaker suffers from the burden of outstanding out in a society that glorifies conformity.

Stanza Seven

To be weak as a Lamb & smooth as a Dove,

And not to raise Envy is calld Christian Love;

But if you raise Envy your Merits to blame

For planting such spite in the weak & the tame.

In the seventh stanza, the speaker examines the idea of Christian love, taking his cue from envy. The image created by being “weak as a Lamb & smooth as a Dove” brings to mind ideas of innocence and purity, the very virtues that Christians are supposed to uphold. The speaker is saying that if one were to be like this, theoretically, no one would have anything over which to be envious. However, the speaker contradicts this by saying that on raising envy, if at all it is raised, it is the fault of the person envied. The point here shows a critique against societal values and norms where people are blamed for arousing envy rather than addressing the roots of envy.

Stanza Eight

I will humble my Beauty, I will not dress fine,

I will keep from the Ball & my Eyes shall not shine;

And if any Girls Lover forsakes her for me,

I’ll refuse him my hand & from Envy be free.”

Here, the speaker expresses a resolve to humble herself in response to societal judgment and envy. The speaker acknowledges the oppressive nature of envy and societal expectations, which have likely caused her considerable distress. The vow not to be finely dressed or go to feasts to “humble [her] Beauty” shows disrespect toward standards of beauty and behavior. This shows they want to be themselves, even if it means going against what everyone else expects.

Furthermore, the speaker’s decision to withdraw from social gatherings, such as the ball, and suppress her natural beauty by ensuring that her “Eyes shall not shine,” underscores the impact of societal judgment on her sense of self-worth. This withdrawal symbolizes a retreat into herself, a protective measure against further rejection and criticism.

Stanza Nine

She went out in Morning attird plain & neat;

“Proud Mary’s gone Mad,” said the Child in the Street;

She went out in Morning in plain neat attire,

And came home in Evening bespatterd with mire.

Stanza nine serves as the epitome of societal judgment and ostracism in the poem. The stanza begins with Mary departing in the morning, dressed simply and modestly, suggesting a desire to conform and avoid attracting attention. However, the response from a child in the street reveals the pervasive nature of societal gossip and prejudice, as Mary is labeled as “Proud Mary” who has “gone Mad.” This remark by the child towards Mary not only highlights the cruelty of societal judgment but also hints at the underlying envy and resentment directed toward Mary’s perceived difference.

Stanza Ten

She trembled & wept sitting on the Bed side,

She forgot it was Night, & she trembled & cried;

She forgot it was Night, she forgot it was Morn,

Her soft Memory imprinted with Faces of Scorn,

This tenth stanza introduces emotional turmoil on the protagonist’s part, who suffers considerably in her inner struggles with the impact of societal judgment. With the use of lines such as “She trembled & wept” and “She forgot it was Night,” Mary having been engaged in great distress forms the emphasis that marks the overwhelming nature of her emotions. Mary, sitting on the bedside, shaking, crying, is vulnerable and helpless, an indication of how scorn by society has massively affected her morale.

The adjective used in describing her “soft Memory imprinted with Faces of Scorn” symbolizes lasting psychological scars inflicted by societal judgment, suggesting that Mary’s experiences have deeply affected her sense of self-worth and identity.

Stanza Eleven

With Faces of Scorn & with Eyes of disdain

Like foul Fiends inhabiting Marys mild Brain;

She remembers no Face like the Human Divine

All Faces have Envy, sweet Mary, but thine;

Stanza eleven of this poem mainly focuses on Mary’s inner turmoil and the far-reaching effects of societal judgment. The first line of this stanza, “Faces of Scorn & with Eyes of disdain” of the scathing criticism and looks of disdain heaped on Mary to bring out the mordant quality of social condemnation. Comparing the faces to “foul Fiends inhabiting Marys mild Brain” shows that the judgment of society has gone deep inside Mary’s mind, and it is hurting and bothering her.

Stanza Twelve

And thine is a Face of sweet Love in Despair,

And thine is a Face of mild sorrow & care,

And thine is a Face of wild terror & fear

That shall never be quiet till laid on its bier.

The last stanza of ‘Mary‘ by William Blake sums up the main idea of the poem and reflects on Mary’s emotional journey as well as her fate. By repeating “And thine is a Face,” the speaker makes it clear that Mary’s face is key and this seems to suggest that her looks mirror her inner struggles. The poem uses contrasting emotions like “sweet Love in Despair” with “mild sorrow & care” and “wild terror & fear” to show Mary’s complex feelings. She goes from love and gentleness to despair and fear.

The last line “That shall never be quiet till laid on its bier,” creates a feeling of finality and a sense that things cannot be changed. Here, the word “bier” is used to represent death, the end of life on earth, and seems to suggest that Mary’s turmoil will persist until her demise. It serves as a reminder that suffering and death are unavoidable parts of life. The message conveyed in this stanza tells how fragile life is and how time keeps moving forward, no matter what.

Themes

Below are the main themes in the poem ‘Mary’ by William Blake (with others included in the Poetry+ Review Corner):

• Societal judgment: Mary faces gossip and ostracism from the villagers because they perceive her as different. For instance, villagers call her “proud” and “a whor*,” reflecting the society’s tendency to marginalize individuals based on perceptions.
• Identity: The poem describes how Mary felt confused about her identity. She questions why she was born different and struggles to understand why people in society people pressured her to act a certain way. This is mainly highlighted when Mary says; Why did Heaven adorn me…then set me down in an envious Land?”
• Despair: The theme of despair is evident from the experiences of rejection and isolation that Mary receives from society. Even after trying to act normal in order to conform, she is still met with disdain and mockery. For instance, one can recognize this despair in the lines, “She trembled & wept sitting on the Bedside,”
• Envy: The poem also tells how envious people can become. Mary was envied because the villagers considered her more beautiful and privileged. With their gossiping and treating her meanly, they made Mary feel even worse. This explains how jealousy ruins friendships and leads to everyone’s misfortune.
• Societal expectations: The theme of societal expectations features quite dominantly as Mary struggles with the pressure to conform and fit in society. Despite all her efforts to humble herself and not provoke envy, she stood ridiculed and rejected. It shows how much societal expectations can be oppressive and difficult for those who try to defy them.

Literary Devices

William Blake employs several literary devices to convey the poem’s message. Below are the main literary devices used in the poem:

• Imagery: Blake utilizes imagery in this poem to give a clear picture of Mary. For example, “outshining every brilliant ray” is used to describe just how beautiful Mary is. This imagery emphasizes Mary’s beauty and it enhances the emotional impact of the poem.
• Metaphor: Metaphor is another technique utilized to convey the message in the poem. For example, Mary’s beauty is compared to “lillies & roses,” which are pretty but delicate flowers. This metaphor shows how beautiful Mary is but also how she can easily be hurt by societal judgment.
• Blake has also used symbolism in the poem. The ballroom is used to symbolize the norms and societal expectations, where Mary’s beauty was highly praised by some and envied by others. When she returns home, the mud that covers her fine attire portrays the degradation and humiliating experience she feels after the judgment passed by society.
• Personification is used throughout the poem to give more depth to the description of Mary’s emotions. For instance, her “soft Memory” is described as “imprinted with Faces of Scorn,” thereby giving her memories a tangible and haunting quality. This personification contributes to an appreciation for what she is going through emotionally and psychologically.
• Blake used repetition to drive home some themes throughout the poem. The repetition of “Mary arose among Friends to be free” and “She went out in the Morning” bring forward her vain effort to get out of the clutches of societal judgmental eyes and find acceptance.