Poetry Of William Blake example essay topic

396 words
In order to understand the poetry of William Blake one needs to know a bit about the poet and his time. Blakes work falls at the beginning of the Romantic Era in poetry. These poems were characterized by very beautiful imagery, especially uplifting natural images, fantastic or spiritual content, especially the use symbolism, fantastic imagery and imagery from nature with symbolic contents to explore highly idealistic themes. In many ways Blake influenced contemporary romantic writers and this continued beyond his death. Blakes life was quite interesting. He was trained as an engraver, and was quite enamored of art.

He was quite a spiritual person, said to have had visions, and he had many friends among the clergy and attended church regularly himself. Many of the rhythms in his poetry can be traced to the hymnals of his time. He was well educated, well thought of and well read. He was especially involved in visual arts. "Blake insists that "man's desires are limited by his perceptions, none can desire what he has not perceived" " (Wright 35) He, himself, perceived a great deal. The fact that he was an engraver made it possible for him to publish poetry like he did the Songs of Innocence and The Songs of Experience, on beautiful illuminated copies.

They were not meant for mass distribution, The "Songs of Innocence" formed the first complete book executed by Blake by his new method of illuminated printing. The text and designs were etched in relief on copper, the prints from these plates being then illuminated by hand. The "Songs of Innocence" were completed in 1789 and sold for a small sum; only twenty-one copies are now known to be in existence. The "Songs of Experience" were added in 1794. Twenty-three copies of the complete series of poems have been recorded, these having been issued by Blake at various dates between 1794 and 1827. The colouring is different in each copy and the arrangement of the plates also varies.

(Keynes 50) "Though derided as a madman in his own time -- and even in ours -- William Blake developed a singular vision of the world, truth, and eternity that fascinates viewers the world over". (Greer 254) Perhaps his poetry needs to be examined in this light.