THE SICK ROSE .
"The sick rose" is one of the many "Songs of Experience" written by William Blake. Like all his poems in this genre, The Sick Rose portrays the pure, sacred life of a child as having become contaminated or unholy as it reaches and experiences the trials of adulthood, as well as being burdened with the fault of materialism. .
Blake uses the Rose to portray a child since both are very pure and innocent but both have underlying dark sides or faults as one might say. Deep down, the sweet, innocent, lovable child bears the roots of adulthood, and it is inevitable that this sweetness will be washed away by the strongly influential norms of society and craving for all worldly things. The "Rose" in a similar manner, has thorns on its stalk, which spoil the beauty and innocence that it portrays to all. .
The "invisible worm" illustrates adulthood and all that accompanies it. This is so because like a worm that weaves its way, almost to our oblivion, into anything, adulthood, experience, society as an institution weaves its way into the life of a child as it grows up.
Also, Blake is trying to say that a child, in order to maintain its inherent purity and innocence should refrain from entering the realm of adulthood and should remain a child forever. The chaotic world that prevailed in Blake's time is illustrated by the words the " howling storm ", because like a storm it sweeps one away rendering one helpless and with no other but to follow society and all that goes along with it. Man's "dark secret love", i.e. his love for materialism destroys the purpose and meaning of life. .
Thus like most of his songs of experience, "The Sick Rose" illustrates the loss of innocence at the hands of adulthood and society.
