Songs of Innocence and of Experience

by William Blake

Other authorsRobert N. Essick (Editor), Robert N. Essick (Commentary)
Hardcover, 2008

Original publication date

1789 (Songs of Innocence)
1794 (Songs of Innocence and of Experience)

Status

Available

Call number

PR4144.S6 2008

Publication

San Marino, CA: Huntington Library, 2008

ISBN

9780873282369

Language

Description

Fiction. Poetry. HTML: Songs of Innocence and of Experience compiles two contrasting but directly related books of poetry by William Blake. Songs of Innocence honors and praises the natural world, the natural innocence of children and their close relationship to God. Songs of Experience contains much darker, disillusioned poems, which deal with serious, often political themes. It is believed that the disastrous end to the French Revolution produced this disillusionment in Blake. He does, however, maintain that true innocence is achieved only through experience..

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