Free Annotated Bibliography of William Blake Essay Sample

William Blake (1757-1827) was a mystic writer not famous in his lifetime but so after his death. He was considered by many as mad until 1863 when a Gilchrist wrote his biography which gave people an insight into his personality and work. This biography opened a debate among the literary giants of that day, for and against which led to popularization of his work.

 
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This source evaluates Blake's life in order to enable the reader to understand his work. It describes his entire life, who he was, his family and acquaintances and his general bibliography. The aim is to answer the question of who Blake was and to introduce the reader to his work.

The source has quoted from numerous previous works and can therefore be termed as credible. Blake's work is described as having been "too adventurous and unconventional for the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century."

"Blake, William - Introduction." Poetry Criticism. Ed. Jane Kelly Kosek. Vol. 12. Gale Cengage, 1995. 2006. 8 Oct, 2010

'The writer tries to relate Blake's character and his influences with his work. Blake from childhood is said to 'have exhibited visionary tendencies claiming to see God and talking to angels and his dead brother'. The author demonstrates the influence this had on Blake's work. His work had a highly imaginative, sometimes described as prophetic and therefore misunderstood by many.

David L. Larsen, The company of the creative: a Christian reader's guide to great  literature and its themes, Kregel Academic, 1999

The author here points us to another rather unexpected fact. Contrary to expectation Blake lived from time to time in abject poverty. His work did not circulate outside his circle of friends owing to low production. Hence Blake did not earn much from his literally work while alive. He also suffered from acute depression described then as melancholy.

Malcolm Doney ,Thursday 12 August 2010 16 BST

The writer brings out the thoughts of many who lived in Blake's time. Blake is described as one who defied categorization and explanation; one who was in his own school of thought. If the man was misunderstood then his work was twice misunderstood. This brings out Blake as having been independent minded. Blake seems to have deliberately gone against the grain to bring something different to his readers.

Lincoln A. Spiritual history: a reading of William Blake's Vala, or The four Zoas, Oxford  University Press, 1995.

Blake was prophetic. His work is popular with the Christian scholars. Blake wrote about the oncoming American empire, it's future influence on Europe and the establishment of Jerusalem on England's lush plains. Almost on all of His work, he quoted the Bible for example on the Lamb.

Buckley, Peter J.
William Blake (1757-1827)
Am J Psychiatry 2005 162: 866

This source examines Blake's school of thoght. Though considered complex, Blake's narratives are described as 'naïve and childlike'. He also borrows from nature as in the Tiger, the Lamb , The Poisoned Tree among others. His writing portrays his views on many issues of his day with more boldness. His poem London describes the London of his day and his thought about the wide wealth gap between those in authority and the masses.  

Bentley GE Jr: The Stranger From Paradise: A Biography of William Blake. New Haven, Conn, Yale University Press, 2001

The writer examines Blake's unusual life and it's profound effect on his work. Blake himself talked of paradise often and in 1810 his wife remarked that 'she is having little time with him because he is always in heaven. This is evident in his work which has heavily borrowed from Bible symbols..

WILLIAM BLAKE ,By KATHLEEN RAINE ,. LONGMANS, GREEN & CO., LONDON

This source expounds on Blake's work from a purely academic angle. Blake is portrayed as a poetic giant and a point of reference for Romantic poetry. The author examines other writer's views on Blake.

Blake is arguably described as a man born ahead of his time. Many of the writers agree that his work was of a quality above expectation of his day and his poems are very relevant in this modern age. His work has a fare share of critics as it has admirers. His usage of simple natural things to bring out a point is unrivalled.

 

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