William Blake: Songs of Innocence and Experience

William Blake: Songs of Innocence and Experience

William Blake was born in the year 1757 in the city of London.

Although he had no recognized education he was taught to read and read

a great range of literature. Influences from certain writers and poets

can be seen in his later works. Blake studied drawing at a local

school. He also studied temporarily at the Royal Academy School, in

the early 1770's. This introduction to art formed the career of Blake

as an engraver. Blake set up a print shop, which was not very

successful. He found himself out of business. For the rest of his life

Blake earned a living as an engraver and illustrator.

Blake was a strict Christian and held very strong opinions on society.

Blake was also a radical, compassionate to the American and French

revolution. During his life time more and more factories were opened

and more and more children were enslaved to work. Blake hated child

labour and anything that incarcerated the human spirit. Therefore he

was against the king, the setup of the church and the priest. Blake

saw the church as repressing the human spirit and forcing people to

work. He hated the laws of the church, such as people were put in

classes according to their wealth. There was no possible way for the

poor to move to a higher class as they couldn't marry into a wealthier

class.

Blake wrote poetry as a means of getting his ideas across to the rich.

Although in Blake's lifetime very few of his poems were read and

appreciated. Blake wrote two collections of poems, Songs of Innocence

and Songs of Experience. As evident form the titles of the collections

these states seem to contradict one another. Innocence is remindful of

children who are carefree and innocent. Innocence can mean

blamelessness and purity or it can also mean inexperienced or

simplicity. We can see form this that the states of innocence can

either be for or against a person. Innocence as purity can be good as