General themes in Blakes poetry Flashcards
Cycle
Each object has a valid opposite, they also have direct inspect on one another when out of balance. For example nature works in cyclical terms with the seasons. The repression in Europe and the revolutions in America and France promoted Blake to believe that it was taken for people to fight back. This was for political and philosophical cleansing to progress man kind and evolution of societies. But also for natural rotation of the world and the changing of the seasons and the maturity of humans
Oppression and repression
Lived during a time of British colonialism, slavery, social casting, revolutionary changes in American and France and the beginning of the industrial revolution. He himself was of lower class and an uneducated artist. He suffered from oppression himself. He was considered a inferior poet suffering from madness. He used his literature and paintings to fight against country men, political leaders and religious institutions.
Themes of oppression
Much of his work features a wearisome protagonist attempting to revolt against a greater power; politically, religiously or even the shackles of love and marriage. This is represented in the form of mythology, literary allusion and the personification of natural objects.
Sexuality
Many hidden sexual references in Blakes poetry. Some suggest Blake includes sexual innuendos in all of his poetry however can be argued. Despite this I t is prevalent that there are sexual references in a lot of his poems. Due to Blake feeling that the human imagination and desires were repressed in society, it fits to draw using the dishonour and immoral acts of compilations as just on more facet of persecution against natures intent.
Innocence and experience
Contrasting mans fall from grace with the loss of innocence in later life. Repeated themes is a paragon for a combination of all themes included in his poetry. Separation, transition and the difference between innocent and experience heights themes discussed. In a world of reason and sensibly we risk forgetting primitive desired and natural institutions. Blakes attempt to invoke the imaginative spirit we all share is subjugated buy the experiences we all go through, leading us to ignore our natural desires and see them as wrong.
Religion
Don’t know if he has a relationship with God. Could be atheist or agnostic. Makes many references to God and a supernatural, omniscient, omnipresent being. Assume Blake had a distinct disdain to religion as an institution. Frequent theme is counterbalanced with nature as its opposition. Presents his belief as a supernatural power rather than mythological creator. Religion as one of the paragons of tyranny. Fascinated by religion as literary allusion and infuriated with it as a means to suppress mans natural desires
Opposition
Some interpret Blake as an extreme radical who was out to abolish any for of order that existed during his life time. However we learn this is not true. He was an intelligent, courageous individual to recognise that the Age of Reasons over governing institutions and challenged the notion that sensibility and order were exclusive partners. Blake does not want complete anarchy of the world. Governing should not result in a loss of liberty. This was portrayed through institutions such as church, state law and monarchy of his time.
