Blake ‘Introduction’: Poet & Context

Poetic Identity and Contextual Elements

William Blake: Identified as a Romantic poet who often invested in twin concepts. He leaned into the mystical and spiritual, with strong influences apparent from his religious upbringing.
Personal Live: He was a London native, born in 1757, and had an unconventional education that exposed him to rare literature. This unconventional education likely influenced his unusual writing style.
Publication Context: “Songs of Innocence and Experience” was published in 1794 as part of his illuminated manuscripts.
Socio-political Context: The poems were composed against the background of the Industrial Revolution, which significantly disrupted rural life and brought about socioeconomic changes.

Christian Mysticism: Blake held a complex religious view that mixed Christian ideology with mysticism. This duality is portrayed in Songs of Innocence and Experience.
Claims of Visionary Experiences: He professed to have spiritual visions which inspired his work. This informed the strong spiritual dialogue present in his poetry.
Rejection of Organized Religion: Disapproving of the church’s corruption and oppressive methods, he consistently advocates for the innocence and purity of childhood belief.

Skills as an Engraver: Trained as an engraver, Blake etched the words and images of his poem on copper plates. His visuals add layers of meaning to his poems.
Pioneered ‘Illuminated Printing’: He is known to have invented ‘Illuminated printing’ - a form of relief etching, and used it to print his works. This merges visual art with poetry, making them inseparable in his works.
Recognition Posthumously: Although Blake’s work was largely unrecognised during his lifetime, it was later elevated to high status, marking him as a seminal figure of the Romantic Age.