Songs of Innocence and of Experience by William Blake

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Songs of Innocence and of Experience (Oxford Paperbacks)

by William Blake

Series: The Illuminated Books of William Blake, Volume 2: Songs of Innocence and Experience (2)

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Info:	Oxford University Press (1977), Edition: New Ed, Paperback
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Blake's collection of ballad-like poems. Deceptively simple and direct, but often more complex and difficult than they seem. (

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Fledgist | Jan 2, 2010 |

The contrast between the songs of innocence and the songs of experience is amazing. Blake is at the same time vague and descriptive. The subtleties in his meter are fantastic! I love reading these and analyzing the intention and the meaning behind them. There are so many points of view one could take. (

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MMWiseheart | Dec 9, 2009 |

BTRIPP's review of William Blake's "Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience" (458 words)

BTRIPP | Oct 7, 2008 |

Interesting Poems to Compare and Contrast: Interesting poems to compare and contrast - definitely a must for any literature student. Moreover, if you're interested in the different movements, as Blake was a key figure in bringing Romanticism into poetry. (

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Esquilinho | Sep 30, 2008 |

http://chef-doeuvre.blogspot.com/2007... (

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Henk | Dec 30, 2007 |

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Series (with order)

The Illuminated Books of William Blake, Volume 2: Songs of Innocence and Experience (2)

Canonical Title

Songs of Innocence and of Experience

Original publication date

1789

1794

2008 (Essick edit)

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Awards and honors

The Telegraph's 110 Best Books: The Perfect Library (2008)

Epigraph

Dedication

First words

Introduction - "Never before surely was a man so literally the author of his own book." - Alexander Gilchrist

Quotations

He who mocks the Infants Faith / Shall be mock'd in the Age & Death
/ He who shall teach the Child of Doubt / The rotting Grave shall neer
get out (E492)

Blake claims that all religious beliefs, however various, have a common origin in the "Poetic Genius" (E1), the godlike spirit within all people.

A note that Blake wrote in his manuscript of "The Four Zoas" also cautions us against dismissing innocence as naivete: "Innocence dwells with Wisdom but never with Ignorance" (E697).

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▾LibraryThing members' description

Book description

This version of Blake's "Songs", edited by Robert N. Essick, presents Blake's 54 colour plates from "Innocence" and "Experience" along with an Introduction, transcription and extensive commentaries by Essick as he worked from the Huntington's copy E of the "Songs" commissioned by Thomas Butts in 1806. See below: Description (ISBN 0873282361)

▾Book descriptions

Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0486270513, Paperback)

Two classics of English poetry, alternately describing childhood states of innocence and their inevitable corruption by a harsh and unjust world. Contains the full texts of all the poems in the original 1794 edition of both collections. Alphabetical lists of titles and first lines. Publisher's Note.

(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:57:51 -0400)

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