Blake's IB Poems

8/11/2019 Blake's IB Poems

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William Blake1757-1827


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Some information He lived in London for his whole life, except for a

gap of three years

Poet, painter and printmaker

Unrecognised during his lifetime (manyconsidered him mad!)

After his death his work was appreciated. He isconsidered an important figure of in the historyof poetry and the visual arts


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Poet and Artist

Blake is also famous for his artwork

He made many relief etchings and prints.These complimented his poetry

What do you think of when you look at some of

his etchings???


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The Romantic Period (1785-1830) The Romantic Period was an era of turbulence.

o Slave trade abolished in 1807 o The American and French Revolutions o England took on harsh, repressive measures o The "Industrial Revolution"

Economic turmoil in England brought upon the "TwoNations": the rich and the poor.

o Urbanization, neighborhood slums, harsh factory conditionso Industrialists and merchants flourished

Conceptions of proper femininity were altered. o The new revolutionary ideologies paved the way for new

opportunities.


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Blake and Religion Blake was very spiritual and was a strong believer in

God.

He was frustrated by the Church as an institution, andthe rules and hypocrisy it supported.

He believed that the Church exploited the teachings ofGod for their own benefit

Blake believed that those in power played on theperceived FEAR of God, and the ideas that greatersuffering results in greater heavenly reward, in order toexploit the lower classes and to decrease theirresponsibility for their actions.


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The INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION had ahuge impact on society. Blake believed the riseof capitalism caused more suffering

Whilst many were excited about it, and theopportunities it provided, Blake believed itdiminished peoples minds and hearts and

that it caused increased suffering...many smallfactories had to close, poor workingconditions...


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Blake demonstrated the economic hardship many

suffered through the contrast of innocence andexperience

Again, he connected it to making the upper classesricher, through their exploitation of the working classes

The pollution he wrote about was linked to the smogof the factories, as well as being a metaphor forpolluting societys morality.

Blake condemned the social structure, conveying hisdespair and frustration that the rich were getting richerwhilst the poor continued to suffer.


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Poetry Elements

Example: A poem that contains a rhyme scheme, twostanzas, and a refrain. Every two lines rhyme.

Rhyming lines and Refrain in the poem The EchoingGreen .


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The Chimney Sweeper


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Documents

Blake's IB Poems