“O Rose! Thou art sick”—How does the rose become sick? How does the poet describe/present the worm?

Answer:  In the poem The Sick Rose, the poet Blake presents a rose which is innocent, pure and beautiful. But once its reddish beauty attracts a worm in a stormy night. That worm somehow manages to creep in the rose and takes it as a bed of crimson joy and begins to hurt the rose secretly. Thus gradually, the rose becomes sick out of its knowledge.

      In order to show the reason of the rose’s illness, the poet introduces us with a worm. According to the poet, the worm represents the evil force of the society. It is invisible too. It has the power to fly in the darkness of night and even in the howling storm. It is the minister of darkness. When half of the world sleeps, it comes out of its hiding place to begin the destruction secretly.