William Blake
(1757–1827)
William Blake was born in London, in 1757. Although he had little formal education, he made his living with his engravings and watercolors.
In 1789, he published his book of engravings and poems entitled Songs of Innocence
and a few years later, in 1794, he followed with Songs of Experience which included “The Tyger.” Blake was part of London’s intellectual circle though he was often labeled as eccentric and delusional. Among the recurring themes of his work were: good and evil, heaven and hell, knowledge and innocence. Blake was ahead of his time and spoke out in favor of sexual and racial equality, rejecting the teachings of conventional religion. Blake's work was not generally recognized by his contemporaries but today he is considered an important and unique talent of the English Romantic Period. He influenced many writers and artists as diverse as Aldous Huxley, Jim Morrison of The Doors, and the film director Jim Jarmusch.Here are some links to more information about William Blake and his work:
http://www.vu.union.edu/~blake/life.html
http://www.accd.edu/sac/english/bailey/blake.htm
http://www.duke.edu/web/secmod/biographies/Blake.pdf
For an introduction to Blake's poem "The Tyger" watch the You Tube video:
