Off the Wall: A Literary Analysis on 'The Fly'

Abstract

The poster analyzes the literary depth and purpose of the poem, “The Fly” written during the Romantic period by the Gothic painter, engraver and poet, William Blake. It briefly explores the biography of the author and his contribution to the period through his voluminous works of poetry which illustrate ideas on religion, politics and the social environment of that era which was influenced by the French and Industrial Revolutions. This poem could lay claim to the Romantic Era as it is based on themes including personal contemplations on ideas of valuing all life great and small, the inevitable march of time and how one must make the most of every moment of life. The literary devices used include using the fly as a symbol of the trivial lives men lead, the imagery of summer representing new life in bloom, in addition, rhetorical questions that challenge conventional thought are also seen. There are also underlying notions of the appreciation of nature, how the most seemingly insignificant of events can cause man to contemplate the brevity of life, an unspoken warning against playing God is also given. The poster emphasizes Blake’s ability to compel readers/listeners to put themselves in the position of a fly, under the power of something greater and more powerful than themselves. It illustrates the futility of leading directionless lives of revelry until the fateful hand of death takes hold. The clear, powerful, yet simple message it sends is - carpe diem, seize the day, the minute, the hour and the opportunities before they inevitably pass us by.