The Lamb
The lamb is the subject of this poem and is also a significant symbol. Firstly, the lamb represents the perfection of God's creation. Blake comments on the lamb's wool and voice as being examples of God's creation.
The lamb also symbolizes Jesus, alluding to the traditional cultural representation of Jesus as a lamb. Blake draws on the Christian values of meekness, gentleness, and tenderness to symbolically represent Jesus as a lamb: "For he calls himself a Lamb: He is meek and he is mild." Interestingly, lambs are vulnerable and are often prey. As such, Blake may be suggesting the vulnerability and weakness of Jesus.
The setting
The setting of this poem seems to be idyllic and pastoral. The speaker describes the lamb as living "by the stream and o'er the mead", and celebrates God's vast and beautiful creations in nature.
The Child
Jesus is also associated with the image of a child in this poem. This represents Jesus' affinity with children in the bible and represents his innocence.
The Lamb's wool
In the first stanza, the speaker asks the lamb who made its wool: "[who] gave thee clothing of delight, softest clothing wooly bright." In the second stanza he answers that it was God who made its wool. As such, the lamb's wool represents the beauty and wonder of God's creation.
