英美文学：部分作家介绍和评论—William Blake

　　William Blake (1757-1827)

　　British poet, painter, visionary mystic, and engraver, who illustrated and printed his own books.

　　To see a World in a Grain of Sand

　　And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,

　　Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand

　　And Eternity in an hour.

　　Often called a romantic poet or a forerunner of Romanticism in England, because his poetry shows some features of romantic spirit; he is opposed to neo-classicism, and his poetry is marked by imagination, feeling and originality.

　　Religiously a dissenter; politically a radical, sympathetic to the American and French revolutions and to the spirit of freedom. Considered eccentric and incomprehensible in his time; but in 20th c recognized as one of the greatest of English poets. Today, he is known both for his poetry and his drawings of Biblical subjects, his illustrations of Dante and other artistic works. Both an artist and a poet.

　　Poetic works:

　　Two main categories: the lyrics and the prophecies.

　　Of the lyrics the most important are the Songs of Innocence(1789) and Songs of Experience(1794). The two volumes form a contrast and reflect two widely different views of life. Innocence and experience represent two contrary states in the development of human soul; the two different stages of life: childhood and adulthood. The first volume presents a happy and innocent world, though not without its evils and sufferings. The keynote is happy and delightful; the poems show the happy and carefree state of innocent children before they know anything about the hardships and misery of life and evils of society. In the eyes of children the world is beautiful and peaceful, full of kindness and sympathy.

　　The second volume paints a different world, a world of misery, poverty, disease, war and repression with a melancholy tone. The speakers in the second book have grown up, gained experience from reality, know enough about life and society; the orphans and the little chimney-sweepers are living in misery and coldness; London is no longer a paradise, but becomes the city of poverty and despair. The two books hold the similar subject-matter, but the tone, emphasis and conclusion differ.

　　The second category is the prophecies: including French Revolution, America, Europe, the Book of Los, Vala, Jerusalem, Milton, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell etc. These became more and more philosophical, symbolic and mystical; Blake tried to give his account of the creation of the world and the nature of God; even a complete account of human history, from the beginning to the present day. For these poems he is called a prophet, because he often had visions of the future and gave warnings about the development of human society. Despite their importance and high value, they are seldom read by ordinary readers.

　　The characteristics of Blake’s poetry:

　　1. plain and direct language

　　2. lyric beauty with immense compression of meaning

　　3. visual images used to embody abstract ideas

　　4. symbolism in wide range