William Blake Research Paper

William Blake was born on November 28th, 1757, in London England. Blake had begun writing at a very young age. At the age of nine, he claimed to have seen a vision of a tree full of angels. Blake's parent observed that he was quite different from others around his age, so they did not force him to attend conventional school. Instead, Blake learned to read and write at home. When Blake was ten, he then expressed wishes to be a painter, so his parents decided send him to drawing school(biography). Two years later, Blake had begun writing. When he was fourteen, he apprenticed with an engraver, because art school was proving too costly. Blake then served seven years as an apprentice, becoming an engraver himself in 1779. He then expressed new wishes

Mary, in Battersea (localhistories). Blake took on the responsibility of educating Catherine, therefore teaching her to read and write. In the future, Catherine helped Blake to print many of his illuminated works, and helped keep his spirits up during misfortune times (William-Blake). Blake published his first work, Poetical Sketches, in 1783. This book contained poems that protest against war and tyranny. He then published his most popular collection, Songs of Innocence, in 1789, following it with Songs of Experience in 1794. In 1800, Blake decided to move to the village of Felpham. Then, on August 1803, Blake was caught in a fight with soldier John Schofield. He was then tried for sedition in Chichester, however, was acquitted. Blake believed that all common people could understand poetry, but he was not willing to sacrifice his vision of poetry for popularity. Blake's final years of his life were spent in poverty, and he finally died on August 12th, 1827

The tree suggests itself as the tree from the Garden of Eden, representing knowledge, and good and evil. The lesson that the boy has learned is only a parable that human beings deceive themselves with, in order to keep people in control. The lesson is then accepted by the naive and innocent. Another image linking itself to biblical images is the lamb. The lamb implies the concept of innocence and the figure of Christ, who is also called the Lamb of God. The lamb is the sacrificial victim that is used to cleanse treacherous humans of sins. The little black boy is unaware of this other meaning, thus his actions make him the sacrificial figure. The theme of this poem is to display the vulnerability of the innocent. Those who lack awareness make themselves vulnerable to the injustice of reality, becoming prey to the clutches within the