William Blake, the Most Romantic of Them All Essay

To truly understand William Blake, there must be at least moderate explanation of the time in which he wrote. Blake was a literary figure at the turn of the 18th century, a very early Romantic, but most defiantly a Romantic. All of the common themes, visionary, fantastic images, emphasis on the individual self, the common man, the notion of the sublime( a thrilling emotional experience that combines awe, magnificence and horror), Pantheism. All these decidedly Romantic ideas are prevalent in Blakes poetry. The use of imagery from nature, (for example, flowers of London), would later become a staple, but at this point still a novelty. All these characteristics delegate William Blake as one of the fathers of Romanticism, one†¦show more content†¦Poetry became a medium from one man to another rather that some divine being creating some incomprehensible work, which could never truly be understood by the common man. Instead poetry became more effortless, to anyones benef it. These are the basic characteristics of Romanticism. For the first time, people became aware that there were parts of the personality beyond the access of ordinary consciousness, the self Today, in the modern world with psychoanalysis and horror movies almost clich#233;, this is nothing, but at that time these ideas were rocking the world. His mysticism caused him much trouble, even in a time of change these ideas were to revolutionary. In 1803 William Blake was accused of sedition, he was acquitted, but tried all the same. The next to decades found him mostly cast out, called insane, and largely ignored. It was not until the early twentieth century when T.S. Eliot, and the naturalist bunch became popular that such ideas were popular. The Tyger, Song of Experience. and the Lamb, Song of Innocence are two related poems. Used as a metaphor, part of the overall metaphor of Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience . On the surface Blake makes a stark contrast, as simple as Blakes statement in Marriage of Heaven and Hell Good is the passive that obeys Reason. Evil is the active springing from Energy. Good is Heaven. Evil is Hell. The Lamb isShow MoreRelatedRomanticism in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell by William Blake1393 Words   |  6 PagesRomanticism in William Blakes Poem William Blake was a poet, painter, and a printmaker all during the period in literature known as the Romantic time period. The Romantic time period, also known in Literature as Romanticism began in Europe, mainly France and Britain around the 1800s (Barker) and it was first defined as a tool to in literature and literary criticisms (Galitz). The Romantic period did not just focus on literature, but also on the subjects of art and knowledge which was fueledRead MoreThe Romantic Era1008 Words   |  5 Pagesbeginning of the Romantic Movement. This was the first time poets and authors were able to strive for originality. 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