William Blake Research Paper

Crystal Nicole Lujan

Professor Patterson

English IV DC 4th

28 April 2015

Unconventional Views William Blake once said “He who desires, but acts not, breeds pestilence” (Blake Marriage 151). This quote was not just a saying for Blake, but rather a way of life for him. Blake had several beliefs that were uncommon for the time period in which he lived and went against the mindset of the majority of people; however, he always spoke his mind. William Blake was an outspoken individual who believed it was necessary to speak out against what was wrong in society. Otherwise, all desires for improvement in society would go unnoticed. William Blake’s philosophical aphorisms “All Religions are One” and “There is No Natural Religion” served as a personal

Blake attended school long enough to learn how to read and write, which was about the age of ten, and was furthermore homeschooled by his mother Catherine. The bible and religion had a profound impact on Blake’s early life, and became a vital part of him throughout the rest of his life. In 1782, at the age of 25, Blake married Catherine Boucher, 20, but failed to produce any children with her. Catherine was illiterate when she married Blake but he later taught her to read, write, and she began assisting him with the coloring and drawing of his ideas and designs (Greenblatt 112). William Blake later became an English painter, poet, and printmaker of the nineteenth century. Although his work was not appreciated and went rather unrecognized during his lifetime, he is now considered a groundbreaking figure in poetic history and influenced several writers in years to follow. His outspoken nature led him to write several literary pieces that sparked controversy in later years, as they criticized the Church of England and explored the meaning of life and

“All Religions Are One.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 9th eds, Vol. D. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: Norton, 2012. 116. Print.

---. “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 9th eds, Vol. D. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: Norton, 2012. 151. Print

---. “There Is No Natural Religion.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 9th eds, Vol. D. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: Norton, 2012. 116-117. Print.

Dugger, Marlana K., “Infinite Perception: William Blake’s Marriage of Heaven and Hell.” Etbu. n.d. Google. Web. 23 Feb. 2015.

Greenblatt, Stephen, Ed. William Blake. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 9th eds, Vol. D. New York: Norton, 2012. 112-116.