The Influence of the Bible on William Blake Essay

In the sixth chapter of Thomas C. Foster’s How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Foster examines the Bible and its importance throughout stories, poetry and film. The Bible is one of the most commonly known pieces of literature and is even “nonsectarian” in Foster’s eyes (44). Because stories from the Bible are so well known, the Bible is a tremendously easy for authors to reference when constructing a new composition. Especially “prior to sometime in the middle of the twentieth century” writers were “solidly instructed in religion” and could count on the public being very well acquainted with Biblical stories (47). This widespread knowledge of the Bible lead to greater understandings throughout literature, and the recognized allusions helped

Picturing the Bible, by Spier J. Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, 2007. 288 pages. Reviewed by June Cuffner.

Before watching your presentation, I only knew the basics regarding William Blake. There are various interesting things that you mentioned that I did not know about. For example, you mentioned how he was more commonly known for his art rather than his poems. His art as a whole is really interesting. You mentioned how he took his encounters with the people around him, his brother’s death, and visions and reflected them into his work. One thing from that list that stood out to me the most were his visions. He was able to take his visions and portray them in his paintings even when many people found it difficult to understand the meanings behind it.

As the world of literature has continued to grow over the last few centuries, many writers have begun to incorporate several allusions within their works to enhance meaning and provide a deeper context in relation to their novel. These allusions can pertain to historical events, mythological tales, and even stories within the Holy Bible. Specifically, within John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, the profound useage of biblical allusions work throughout the entire book to create a deeper meaning and establish a context for which readers can explore.

In today’s world it is difficult to read any piece of literature that has not been at least minorly impacted by a piece of literature that has come before it. In fact, many stories published today incorporate elements of past works or reference them directly in a literary device known as allusion. One of the most commonly alluded to literary works is the Christian Bible, one of the oldest books to be published in the common era. Because the Bible is often alluded to in other literary works, it has been analyzed by countless scholars in many different ways. The most important way, that is, the way in which Norman W. Jones analyzes the Bible is in a literary manner. Because of this, this review will focus on Jones’s literary connections and the

Furthermore, the tree of knowledge of good and evil makes reference to the decay of humanity, in the Book of Genesis, because of Adam and Eve. The fifth stanza makes clearly the link between “the fruit of Deceit” in the poem and the forbidden fruit eaten by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The first two lines of the paragraph contain a contradiction between terms which are commonly not compatible: “And it bears the fruit of Deceit / Ruddy and sweet to eat”. Indeed, “the fruit of Deceit” reveals the decadence of humanity, the sins of human beings and also the end of innocence. Besides, only because of his appellation, this fruit is supposed to be bad and bearer of misfortune. Nonetheless, “the fruit of Deceit” is described as “ruddy and sweet to eat” which gives the urge to eat it. Thus, despite the contradictions, men are corrupted by their selfish desires because “Of the Mystery over his head”. Moreover, the tree of knowledge gives birth to the nest of raven which symbolizes death: “And the raven his nest has made / In its thickest shade”. Effectively, the paradox is that the tree carries the fruit of Deceit and the nest of the raven which both signify mortality and darkness. However, near these two symbols of death stands a gorgeous and

Thesis Statement: The Lamb written by William Blake is a beautiful spiritually enriched poem that expresses God’s sovereignity, His love for creation and His gentleness in care and provisions for those that are His .

Blake's poems of innocence and experience are a reflection of Heaven and Hell. The innocence in Blake's earlier poems represents the people who will get into Heaven. They do not feel the emotions of anger and

The Songs of Innocence poems first appeared in Blake’s 1784 novel, An Island in the Moon. In 1788, Blake began to compile in earnest, the collection of Songs of Innocence. And by 1789, this original volume of plates was complete. These poems are the products of the human mind in a state of innocence, imagination, and joy; natural euphoric feelings uninhibited or tainted by the outside world. Following the completion of the Songs of Innocence plates, Blake wrote The Marriage of Heaven and Hell and it is through this dilemma of good and evil and the suffering that he witnesses on the streets of London, that he begins composing Songs of Experience. This second volume serves as a response to Songs of

The most leading literary device used in Blake’s poems is symbolism. In this particular poem, “The Lamb” is a reference to God himself. This is because of the trinity that is involved with being a Christ follower. The trinity is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The child in the poem, is a symbol as innocence and purity just like Jesus Christ. Christians are to “receive the kingdom of God like a child” (Luke 18:17, ESV). This means that we are to have child-like faith, and trust in God, just like children do in their parents.

William Blake lived during a time of intense social change; the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the Industrial Revolution. These massive changes in society provided Blake with one of the most dramatic outlooks in the transformation of the Western world, the change from a feudal and agricultural society to one in which philosophers and political thinkers, such as Locke, championed the rights of individuals. In accordance with political changes, there were religious changes as well. Religion was another aspect of society that Blake opposed because of its organized practice. The practices of organized religion conflicted with Blake's view and adherence. Organized religion and the shadows it casts upon the natural world

William Blake’s “The Lamb” is a part of the Songs of Innocence (1789) and was later accompanied by a larger work, the Songs of Experience (1794). Blake expressed what he believed, and he wanted to prove his true understanding of Christianity. His audience for his poem understood Christianity and were familiar with the Bible. The poem establishes the theme of the vulnerability of innocence and a vision of the speaker. The child's view is limited on account of unawareness of the total reality of human knowledge. The voice of the poem is formed from a speaker that seems to be an innocent child, communicating with a lamb who is unable to answer or respond to the child. The rhyme scheme is similar to that of Dr. Seuss, it is like a nursery rhyme, and also a riddle. This is one of William’s simpler poems, but with a closer analysis it reveals hidden symbols, meaning, tones, and wordplay.

William Blake was one of those 19th century figures who could have and should have been beatniks, along with Rimbaud, Verlaine, Manet, Cezanne and Whitman. He began his career as an engraver and artist, and was an apprentice to the highly original Romantic painter Henry Fuseli. In his own time he was valued as an artist, and created a set of watercolor illustrations for the Book of Job that were so wildly but subtly colored they would have looked perfectly at home in next month's issue of Wired.

“The Chimney Sweeper” (128): This version of the Chimney Sweeper is very upfront and saddening. The version that is presented in the songs of innocence is much more of a calm town and is not as straightforward, while this version is very short and to the point. In this version its very deep as the narrator basically just calls out the parents/church for doing these horrible things to the children. I really love all three stanzas of this poem because they all have a really deep meaning and Blake transitions through them very well. Reading this poem over and over I don’t know what to make of it other than it is an absolute horrible situation. I think it can be tied in to

William Blake is one of England’s most famous literary figures. He is remembered and admired for his skill as a painter, engraver, and poet. He was born on Nov. 28, 1757 to a poor Hosier’s family living in or around London. Being of a poor family, Blake received little in the way of comfort or education while growing up. Amazingly, he did not attend school for very long and dropped out shortly after learning to read and write so that he could work in his father’s shop. The life of a hosier however was not the right path for Blake as he exhibited early on a skill for reading and drawing. Blake’s skill for reading can be seen in his understanding for and use of works such as the Bible and Greek classic literature.