Blake powerpoint
- 2. ● Examine Blake’s illustrations. Examine Blake’s poetry. Can you connect a theme from Blake’s illustrations to a theme from Blake’s poetry or the writings of another author we have read? Can you come up with a line from a poem or writing from Blake or another author to connect to the illustration you have picked? ● Make a list of imagery that reoccurs in Blake’s work. ● Thinking about that imagery, make a list of themes/topics that you think Blake was addressing by using that imagery in his work. Can you discern what his opinions may have been on social issues like religion, economics, slavery, feminism, art, labor, morality, science, the Enlightenment? Blake is a complicated person with complex work. Do your best to be declarative. (We think Blake was very religious! Or we think Blake is not religious! We think Blake was a socialist! Or we think Blake was a capitalist!) The Gallery of Blake
- 3. -Read through Blake’s poetry. Concentrate on Songs of Innocence and Experience, The Marriage Between Heaven and Hell, and the Jerusalem Hymn. Questions to help you contemplate: -Can you find where in "A Divine Image" (page 62), "The Human Abstract" (page 60), "Infant Sorrow" (page 61), or "A Poison Tree" (page 61) where Blake seems to have a repeating theme that reflects something bigger on humans or society? -Based on the poems would you say Blake believed humans to be naturally evil or corrupted by society? Why? -Did Blake seem to have a negative view on growing up? How so and in which poems? Why? -Read The Lamb (p.50) and The Tyger (p.57), should they be read separately or do they belong in a union? What and how much is lost if not read together? Can we say the same about all the Songs of Innocence/Experience? Why (Does Marriage Between Heaven and Hell help answer that?) -Read Jerusalem, how would you characterize the tone of the poem/hymn? In what ways is it classically “Romantic?” -Now that you’ve seen and read more of Blake’s work, formulate a question you have about his work. Suggested Questions/Exercises
- 4. Biographical Information Born in the Soho area of London, UK Parents were non-conformists From a large family, felt neglected by siblings and parents except for a younger brother named Robert Family maintained a decent inner city house but lived near tenements and poor areas At age 4, claimed the head of God appeared to him in a window At age 10, claimed to see tree full of angels By age 10, enrolled in drawing school By age 14, apprentice to an engraver Married Catherine Sophia Boucher in 1782. Remained together until his death. He taught her to read, write, draw, color Robert died in 1787. Blake was heartbroken. Later claimed that he learned to communicate with Robert’s soul after his death Accused of sedition in 1803, acquitted 1804 Sketched the heads of imaginary and historical figures who appeared to him Poet, Illustrator, Painter, Engraver, Printmaker Sank into poverty and solitude after his work was not well received Died while working on watercolor illustrations for Dante’s Inferno Worked until a few hours up to the moment of his death Promised his wife that he’d be with her always, even after death At death, Catherine claimed Blake was with her Died 1827 Unappreciated in life
- 5. William Blake believed in religion, he was a radical Christian; however, he only accepted the New Testament. Blake was influenced by the Bible throughout his life in his works. He illustrated several versions of Paradise Lost- the Thomas Set, the Butts Set and Linnell Set. The Linnell Set only had paintings of Satan watching Adam and Eve. Blake was friends with Mary Wollstonecraft Shelly. Blake was obsessed with the supernatural and he use to try to summon spirits with a friend which later inspired one of his works. Many thought Blake was crazy, his work was not appreciated during his time. More Information On Blake
- 6. Our List of Blake Imagery Nature being poisoned Plagues Babies clinging to mothers Chains Abuses of power, corruption Institutional Punishment Limbs (especially feet) Scenes of union Scenes of division Souls fleeing bodies Opposition Religion/spirituality Things move in a constant cycle Oppression Nonlinear time Crowns, sceptres Naked Nature, flowers, forests, mountains, etc. Muses Blood Crying, weeping, wailing Darkness, clouds Swords, spears, fires
- 7. Influences Blake was influenced by the Bible throughout his life in his works. Blake was also heavily influenced by his strong spirituality. Visions he had led to much of his work. He was influenced by John Milton and Mary Wollstonecraft and did illustrations of works based on this. He felt that Robert’s spirit was with him.
- 8. Themes of Blake Pt. 1 Blake shows common themes in many of his poems such as sympathy for the poor. For example his poem “The Human Abstract” he states, “Pity would be no more if we didn’t make somebody poor.” Pity is a negative term. Blake also seemed to think negatively of humans as a whole, as shown in “A Divine Image” when stating “Cruelty has a human heart.” He tended to make non-human things into entities. This is shown in “Voice of the Devil” when he makes Death and Sin into characters. This is also a rebellious use of punctuation and spelling.
- 9. Themes/Analysis of Blake Pt 2. Blake hated child labor Blake saw the Enlightenment as poisoning society and art Blake hated slavery in all it’s forms Blake is religious/spiritual/mystic but does not believe in organized religion Blake hated authority figures Blakes saw greed and jealousy as corrupting the natural desires/purpose of humans Politically, Blake’s work seems to suggest a stance where the Left meets the Right. Maybe a Libertarian or a Leftist Anarchist? Didn’t associate with a party/movement. Blake saw society's treatment of women as a form of slavery Great sense of empathy/sympathy for poor, slaves, women, natives, disabled, animals, children
- 10. -Concern for human condition; passionate calls for social change and social justice -Contemplation on existence of his own artwork; hyper self awareness of itself -Institutions and authority seek ways to divide humanity from its natural emotions and senses -Humanity must not be divided from its senses/imagination if it is to discover/regain its purpose on Earth -Links imagination and senses to a higher state of being. Becoming more aware/paying attention to one’s senses helps to achieve this higher state -Creates a mythological universe with its own interpretation of the fall of mankind and its own cast of characters to express these spiritual and social views -These “Prophetic Books” include The Marriage Between Heaven and Hell; The Book of Urizen; The Book of Los; The Book of Ahania; America a Prophecy; Visions of the Daughters of Albion; Vala, or the Four Zoas; Milton A Poem; Jerusalem The Emanation of the Giant Albion; etc. Themes, Interpretations, Mythology of Blake Pt. 3