The Human Abstract: Poet & Context

William Blake: Poet & Context for ‘The Human Abstract’

Life and Times of William Blake

Born in 1757, Blake lived through a period of political and social turmoil, witnessing the American and French Revolutions.
Though born in London, his poetry often critiques the Industrial Revolution and urbanization.
His radical thinking extended to his religious beliefs, rejecting traditional Christian teachings of his time.
Blake was not only a poet but also a visionary and engraver. His work often combines visual and written elements.

‘The Human Abstract’ is part of the larger work, ‘Songs of Innocence and Experience’.
It offers a contrast to the poem ‘The Divine Image’ from the ‘Songs of Innocence’.
‘The Human Abstract’ presents an intricate reflection on the nature of human morality.
The Abstract is often associated with the cultural and social constructs that humanity has created.

Blake’s poetry often revolves around his critique of institutions and systems. He believed they led to the binding of the human spirit.
His spiritual vision is known as a ‘Fourfold Vision’, which is an important aspect to understand his work.
Blake used his poetry to explore and present his alternative, often antithetical, views.
His poetry is known for its rich imagery and complex metaphors. He uses these devices extensively in ‘The Human Abstract’ to convey his ideas.

The poem explores themes such as corruption, deceit and the illusion of human morality.
Blake often discussed socio-political concerns in his poems. ‘The Human Abstract’ indirectly talks about the human-made constructs of faith, pity, poverty, and war.
His vision of ‘Experience’ in ‘The Human Abstract’ is not necessarily negative; it is primarily a critique of society’s norms and restrictions.