William Blake: a Representor of Romanticism

You never know what is enough unless you know what is more than enough. This quote by William Blake in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is just a piece of how thoughtful and unique his works are. Blake inspired everyone and was a big part of the romanticism movement. As well he influenced a great amount of writers. Born on November 28, 1757, in London, England. William Blake started writing at the age of 10, little did he know that his works would touch everyone. As a kid, he was homeschooled by his mother and at an early age the Bible influenced him and it became a big part of his life. In 1784 he set up a print shop with a friend, James Parker, but this project failed after several years. For the remainder of his life, Blake made a meager living as an engraver and illustrator for books and magazines but his journey was just beginning. Blake started romanticism in the late 19th century when he was about 60 years old. Once he left the Royal Academy he published his book, Poetical Sketches, in 1783. From that moment on he started publishing his famous works. These were Songs of Innocence(1789) and Songs of Experience (1794). Unappreciated in life, William Blake grew in literary, and his visionary approach to writing has not only touched countless people, but they have inspired a vast amount of writers. Blake's works had many characteristics such as nature, an interest in the past, personal freedom, the supernatural, and occult, as well as imagination and emotion. For these and many more reasons Blake is considered a romantic writer. Blake, however, was different from the other romanticism writers because he was a mysterious man he had even claimed to see an angel when he was young. Another characteristic that Blake used a lot in his writing was his imagination and a great of many references to the supernatural. Blake himself believed that his writings were of national importance and that they could be understood by a majority of people. In 1824 his health began to weaken, and he died singing in London, England, on August 12, 1827. Blake was not forgotten, in his lifetime he was unknown to many except the few faithful friends. But interest in his works grew over the centuries, showing Blake's beautiful, detailed, and difficult works.

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