William Blake: The Poems

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

William Blake was ignored in his own time. Now, however, his Songs of Innocence and Experience and 'prophetic books' are widely admired and studied.

The second edition of this successful introductory text:
- Leads the reader into the Songs and 'prophetic books' via detailed analysis of individual poems and extracts, and now features additional insightful analyses
- Provides useful sections on 'Methods of Analysis' and 'Suggested Work' to aid independent study
- Offers expanded historical and cultural context, and an extended sample of critical views that includes discussion of the work of recent critics
- Provides up-to-date suggestions for further reading

William Blake: The Poems is ideal for students who are encountering the work of this major English poet for the first time. Nicholas Marsh encourages you to enjoy and explore the power and beauty of Blake's poems for yourself.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• General Editor's Preface (p. x)
• A Note on Editions (p. xi)
• A Note on Technical Terms (p. xii)
• Part 1 Analysing William Blake's Poetry
• Introduction (p. 3)
• The Scope of This Volume (p. 3)
• Analysing Metre (p. 3)
• Blake's Engraved Plates (p. 6)
• 1 Innocence and Experience (p. 8)
• 'IntroductionÆ (Songs of Innocence) (p. 8)
• 'The Shepherd' (p. 13)
• 'Introduction (Songs of Experience) (p. 16)
• 'Earth's Answer' (p. 21)
• The Designs (p. 28)
• Conclusions (p. 39)
• Methods of Analysis (p. 43)
• Suggested Work (p. 45)
• 2 Nature in the Songs, and towards the Prophetic Books (p. 47)
• 'Night' (p. 48)
• 'The Fly' (p. 55)
• 'The Angel' (p. 58)
• 'The Little Boy Lost' and 'The Little Boy Found' (p. 61)
• 'The Little Girl Lost' and 'The Little Girl Found' (p. 64)
• 'The Lamb' (p. 76)
• 'The Tyger' (p. 78)
• Summary Discussion (p. 87)
• Nature in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (p. 89)
• 'Bowlahoola' from Milton, A Poem (p. 96)
• Conclusions (p. 102)
• Methods of Analysis (p. 104)
• Suggested Work (p. 105)
• 3 Society and its Ills (p. 107)
• 'The Chimney Sweeper' (Songs of Innocence) (p. 107)
• 'The Chimney Sweeper' (Songs of Experience) (p. 112)
• 'Holy Thursday' (Songs of Innocence) (p. 116)
• 'Holy Thursday' (Songs of Experience) (p. 117)
• 'The Garden of Love' (p. 121)
• 'London' (p. 125)
• 'The Little Vagabond' (p. 129)
• Toward the Prophetic Books (p. 132)
• The Prophetic Books (p. 136)
• Europe: A Prophecy (p. 136)
• The First Book of Urizen (p. 150)
• Concluding Discussion (p. 155)
• Methods of Analysis (p. 158)
• Suggested Work (p. 161)
• 4 Sexuality, the Selfhood and Self-Annihilation (p. 163)
• 'The Blossom' and 'The Sick Rose' (p. 163)
• 'Infant Joy' and 'Infant Sorrow' (p. 167)
• 'A Poison Tree' (p. 171)
• 'My Pretty Rose Tree' (p. 175)
• 'The Clod & the Pebble' (p. 178)
• Selfhood and Self-Annilhilation in the Prophetic Books (p. 182)
• The Book of Thel (p. 182)
• The First Book of Urizen (p. 186)
• Milton, A Poem (p. 191)
• Suggested Work (p. 196)
• Part 2 The Context and the Critics
• 5 Blake's Life and Works (p. 201)
• Blake's Life (p. 201)
• The Historical Context (p. 202)
• The American War of Independence (p. 202)
• The Gordon Riots (p. 202)
• The Industrial Revolution (p. 203)
• The French Revolution (p. 204)
• Blake's Family (p. 205)
• Visions (p. 206)
• Coteries, Friends and Patrons (p. 207)
• Blake's Trial (p. 212)
• Blake's Works (p. 213)
• Blake in English Literature (p. 216)
• Blake as a 'RomanticÆ Poet (p. 217)
• 6 A Sample of Critical Views (p. 227)
• General Remarks (p. 227)
• Northrop Frye and David V. Erdman (p. 228)
• John Middleton Murry (p. 232)
• Nelson Hilton (p. 235)
• Camille Paglia (p. 239)
• Jennifer Davis Michael (p. 246)
• James Chandler (p. 250)
• Further Reading (p. 258)
• Index (p. 267)