William Blake (1757-1827) was a poet and painter. While largely ignored in life, Blake has become one of the best-known poets of his era.
Life[]
Born in the London district of Soho in November of 1757, William was the son of a hosier (a seller of legwear) and was the third of five children (whom lived beyond infancy). His family were English Dissenters (Protestants in England who refused to follow the Church of England). William attended school long enough to gain a very basic education and was homeschooled by his mother.
From an early age, William was influenced by the Bible - he was baptized shortly after birth and his childhood was rife with religious visions. In his childhood, William began his artistry by making copies of engravings found within books bought his father. At age ten, he was enrolled in an art school on the Strand.
In 1772, Blake got an apprenticeship - working with an engraver named James Basire for several years. The work with Basire helped Blake to establish his art style and at age 21, he left the apprenticeship and became an engraver on his own.
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Writing style[]
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Written Works[]
- Songs of Innocence and of Experience
- The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
- Vala, or the Four Zoas
- Jerusalem: The Emanation of the Giant Albion
- Milton: A Poem in Two Books
Quotes[]
- Great things are done when men and mountains meet; this is not done by jostling in the street. (from Gnomic Verses)
Notable Books on Blake[]
- William Blake vs the World by John Higgs
- Blake by Peter Ackroyd
- Blake: Prophet Against Empire by David Erdman
- William Blake: Visionary Anarchist by Peter Marshall
- Witness Against the Beast by E.P. Thompson
Notable Appearances in Fiction[]
- Neil Penswick's Doctor Who novel The Pit features William Blake as a major character - accompanying the Doctor after being rescued from a hellish alternate universe.
- Orson Scott Card's The Tales of Alvin Miller series features a version of William Blake under the name Taleswapper.
See Also[]
- William Godwin
- John Milton
- Kahlil Gibran
Sources[]
- Wikipedia