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A visionary of eighteen-century English art, William Blake was largely unknown during his own lifetime and often rejected as a madman for claims of hearing voices and later having visions. Since his death, Blake has achieved enduring fame for his innovative and extraordinary work and is widely viewed as one of the most important of all English artists. Created between 1790 and 1793, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is considered by many to be one of his most original and inspired books. Written largely in criticism of Emanuel Swedenborg's 1758 work Heaven and Hell, which argued in favor of a strict moral structure and a clear distinction between good and evil, Blake instead viewed the world as unified where both the heaven of the physical world and the hell of desire and passion were all part of the same divine plan. Written in the form of imaginary Biblical prophecies, Blake created a world where contradictory impulses and emotions are all necessary parts of existence and where each person must embrace these paradoxical characteristics of human nature in order to progress in life. The result of Blake's vision is a dynamic and thought-provoking masterpiece from one of history's most eccentric and brilliant artists. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper and reproduces one of the first set of plates in full color along with a complete transcription of the poem.

Since its first publication in 1965, this collection has been widely hailed as the best available text of William Blake's poetry and prose. It is now expanded to include a new foreword by Harold Bloom, his definitive statement on Blake's greatness.

William Blake wrote some of the most moving and memorable verse in the English language. Deeply committed to visionary and imaginative experience, yet also fiercely engaged with the turbulent politics of his era, he is now recognised as a major contributor to the Romantic Movement.

This edition presents Blake's poems in their literary categories and genres to which they belong: his much-loved lyrics, ballads, comic and satirical verse, descriptive and discursive poems, verse epistles, and, finally, his remarkable 'prophetic' poems, including the whole of his two diffuse epics, Milton and Jerusalem.

Blake's poetry is intellectually challenging as well as formally inventive, and this edition has a substantial critical introduction which places his ideas in the contemporary context of the Enlightenment and the artistic reaction against its key assumptions.

An exquisite edition of William Blake's Songs of Innocence, accompanied by an introduction to his life and work.

One of the most important books of illustrated poetry in English literature, William Blake's Songs of Innocence was meticulously relief-etched, printed, and colored in 1789. A unique work of composite art, Song of Innocence contains some of Blake's most enduring and popular poems, delicately illustrated with his exquisite and idiosyncratic designs.

This beautiful book reproduces, in color, the twenty-seven pages of the Bodleian Library's copy of Songs of Innocence together with page-facing transcriptions and an introduction on Blake, his life and work, his illuminated printing process, and the genre and continuing influence of Songs of Innocence. Including the much-loved Nurse's Song, Little Boy Lost, and Spring, Blake's captivating lyrics celebrate childhood as a period of harmony and spontaneity, where the defining traits of the world are compassion, empathy, and love.

Born in London in 1757, William Blake soon showed evidence of his artistic talent. His father, a hosier, encouraged the boy's gifts, and Blake was apprenticed at 14 to the engraver James Basire, after which he began illustrating and printing his own works of poetry. First published in 1789, 'Songs of Innocence' was followed four years later by 'Songs of Experience', with a combined edition reaching the bookstalls in 1794. The two collections explore the na ve joys of childhood and the darker, more jaundiced view that life imposes as the infant grows to maturity. But Blake does not use this dichotomy to bemoan a sentimental loss of innocence; rather, he uses the poems to reveal the limitations of both views. Dark and evil forces do exist in the world and it is foolish to ignore them; but equally, joy and love pervade the Universe, and to deny their presence is equally undiscerning. In Blake's view, we need both to progress, a thesis that is explored in detail in his second work, 'The Marriage of Heaven and Hell'. More than 50 colour illustrations, taken from the originals of both works, are scattered throughout the text, in accordance with Blake's own belief that his poems and paintings form an integral whole. These are works of great depth and discrimination, that reveal further levels of understanding - and greater insight into the mysteries of human existence - with each successive reading.

A visionary of eighteen-century English society, William Blake produced a vast collection of poetry, mythology, satires, political pieces, and prophetic works, in addition to his famous etchings and engravings. Although largely unknown during his own lifetime and often rejected as a madman for claims of hearing voices and later having visions, Blake has achieved enduring fame for his innovative and extraordinarily imaginative work and is widely viewed as one of the most important of all English artists. Born in London in 1757, Blake received little formal schooling and began his apprenticeship as an engraver in 1772 and later studied painting at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. The poetry he wrote throughout his life varies greatly in style and substance, reflecting his literary development and the radical shifts in his religious belief. This complete collection of Blake's poetry includes his famous Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience, which exemplify the author's fondness for thematic dichotomies in poems like The Lamb and The Tyger. Also included are The Four Zoas, Milton, and Jerusalem, all of which display an extensive use of symbolism from Christianity and Blake's theories on reality and knowledge. This collection is an important addition to the library of any scholar, student, or poetry enthusiast. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

Unabridged, full color value reproduction of Songs of Innocence and of Experience by William Blake. This classic poetry, written in 1789, was originally hand colored on each page and is reproduced here in full color for a visually rich experience.

Songs includes his most famous poem, Tiger Tiger burning bright, In the forests of the night, and many others. Interesting to read, and unique to Blake's poetry in this collection, are that the poems of Innocence are often counter poised with the poems of Experience.

This book of poetry is provided to the reader in a slim volume with the full color plates and text at an affordable price.

Blake: Poems contains a wide selection of Blake's work, including Songs of Innocence, Songs of Experience, poems from Blake's Ms. book, poems from The Prophetic Books, and an index of first lines.

Everyman's Library pursues the highest production standards, printing on acid-free cream-colored paper, with full-cloth cases with two-color foil stamping, decorative endpapers, silk ribbon markers, European-style half-round spines, and a jewel-toned jacket.

This classic poetry, written in 1789, was originally hand colored on each page and is reproduced here in full color for a visually rich experience.

Songs includes his most famous poem, Tiger Tiger burning bright, In the forests of the night, and many others. Interesting to read, and unique to Blake's poetry in this collection, are that the poems of Innocence are often counter poised with the poems of Experience.

This book of poetry is provided to the reader in a slim volume with the full color plates and text at an affordable price.

Written in the form of biblical prophecy, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell presents philosophical ideas about God, humanity and the complex nature of ethics. It's a bold yet humorous examination of binary belief systems and their conflicting principles.

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is a remarkable narrative that explores common religious themes such as good versus evil. The author uses vibrant storytelling to expand on the importance of these contradictory terms. He details how competing ideals are integral to the human experience. Without them, a person may remain stagnant and never reach their full potential. Progress cannot occur without the tension stemming from love and hate, reason and energy, or attraction and repulsion.

William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell uses stunning visuals and metaphors to discuss the nuances of man. His unique perspective highlights fundamental differences that embody the human condition. Within the text, Blake investigates the greatness the is often found in struggle.

With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is both modern and readable.

A hybrid of Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience that brings poetry, philosophy and spirituality into an all-inclusive text that's both accessible and enlightening. These selections have an easy-to-follow format that allows readers to smoothly transition from one book to the next.

Blake's writing consists of two parts: one focusing on innocence and the other on experience. They each feature a group of poems that fit their respective themes. Songs of Innocence highlights the peaceful naiveté of youth, while Songs of Experience emphasizes the loss of purity due to outside influence.

Considered one of the greatest British artists to ever live, William Blake's work is revered by critics and scholars. His illustrative style captivates the reader's imagination keeping them interested and engaged. Songs of Innocence and of Experience is an essential sampling of his literary contributions and a worthy addition to any poetry collection.

With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Songs of Innocence and of Experience is both modern and readable.