The Revolutionary Visions of William Blake

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Between the late 18th century and early 19th century catholic religion was based off of the old testament in the Bible. During this time there was also a revolt against the aristocratic social and political norms of the Age of Enlightenment. While in this period, people began to rise against and question the way their lives were being ran by others, who supposedly had power which was derived from God himself. Yet at this time peoplesuch as William Blake found ways to spread the message of the unjust treatment the people would receive from hypocritical clergyman.As a youngman Blake only attened school long enough to learn to read and write, and left aroung the aage of ten. Blake grew up in the Moravian Church (protestant), and found religion to be an early/everlasting part of his life.Blake became a poet and artist, using his mediums lorg express his views on certain .Because of Blakes view that the Church of England was a major oppressor of the natural joys in which society can and should have, many viewed his work as too radical for the time period.Blake utilizes recurrent themes within his poetry; such as “The Garden of Love”,”Chimney Sweeper (Innocence)”,”Chimney Sweeper (Experience)”, and “London”, as a method of spreading his views of current religious establishments and their effects on the society which breeds them (at the time, and somewhat today). (Tolson 373,375) In the Garden of Love,a narrator goes on an adventure to a place where he once knew happiness. This place is now overran with religious figures, whom place restrictions on this place of joy.Till the point that the joy is taken away from this place, and the narrator. Blake uses this poem to show that the pursuit of happyness was being hindered by those wit... ... middle of paper ... ...ossession. Going even further joy is an emotion, and to have it means to internalize the feeling of joy. By that logic Blake internalizes Jesus. Works Cited Altizer, T. J. J. (2009), THE REVOLUTIONARY VISION OF WILLIAM BLAKE. Journal of Religious Ethics, 37: 33–38. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9795.2008.00374.x Cervo, Nathan A. "Blake's THE GARDEN OF LOVE." Explicator 59.3 (2001): 121. Academic Search Premier. Web. 2 May 2014. Lambert Jr., Stephen. "Blake's London." Explicator 53.3 (1995): 141. Academic Search Premier. Web. 2 May 2014. Roberts, J. and Rowland, C. (2010) William Blake, in The Blackwell Companion to the Bible in English Literature (eds R. Lemon, E. Mason, J. Roberts and C. Rowland), Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK. doi: 10.1002/9781444324174.ch26 Tolson, Jay. "Blake: A Biography." The Wilson Quarterly 20.3 (1996): 96. Biography in Context. Web. 2 May 2014.

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