'Romanticism was revolutionary.' In what ways is this statement true or untrue?

'Romanticism was revolutionary.' In what ways is this statement true or untrue? Before any analysis into the notion of Romanticism being revolutionary can be made, it seems necessary to examine the word revolutionary itself. The dictionary states that the adjective revolutionary means 'involving great changes' but the meanings of words can change over time, so surely we cannot be sure that the word revolutionary held the same implications in the 1800's as it does today. A revolution can be seen as a rebellion, or reaction to something. If we take revolutionary to mean a rebellion against existing beliefs and art forms then Romanticism could be viewed as being a reaction to the Age of Reason, enlightenment and neo-classicism. But it is also possible that revolutionary is a distinctly political term and in this case Romanticism could be seen politically revolutionary in that it forced questions to be answered about the monarchy, the government and organised religion amongst other issues. Blake and Wordsworth are two hugely important writers of the Romantic era. Their poems hold great significance, and although sometimes ambiguous, their views seem to encapsulate the anxieties and concerns that the people of this time must have been feeling. Blake and Wordsworth both lived in a time of turmoil and revolution. The effect of the War of American Independence, which ended in 1783,

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The following poem comparisons are from the book "Songs of Innocence and Experience by William Blake".

English Coursework Comparisons: The following poem comparisons are from the book "Songs of Innocence and Experience by William Blake" and I will compare them in the following order: The Divine Image p18 - A Divine Image Introduction p4 - Introduction p30 The Chimney Sweeper p13 - The Chimney Sweeper p37 Infant Joy p25 - The Sick Rose p39 This poem repeatedly talks about God and it fits well in the Innocence part of the book. It uses a few words frequently such as Money, Pity, Peace and Love. They are mentioned in every verse of the poem. In the third verse Blake tells us about these words by saying 'Mercy has a human heart. Pity a human face. And love, the human form divine. And peace, the human dress.' This repetetive series of words show the theme that Mercy, Pity, Peace and Love are attributes both human and divine. The illustration is of a strange flame like growth with the occasional flower coming out from it. At the bottom a man with a halo stands over a man and a woman and looks down on them as if he were God. At the top a woman in a green dress glides along the plant towards some children. It is thought that this plate is the contrary plate to "A Divine Image" which was produced much later in his life during the war with France. "A Divine Image", exhibits the very opposite of the attributes that were described in the Innocence version. Blake shows all his

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How does Blake convey his thoughts and feelings towards the treatment of children in the England of his day? In your answer, either make detailed references to one or two poems or range widely across the Songs:

How does Blake convey his thoughts and feelings towards the treatment of children in the England of his day? In your answer, either make detailed references to one or two poems or range widely across the Songs: Because his life spanned an era of such profound change it is impossible to separate the works of Blake from the political and social climate within which they were produced. In conjunction with his views towards the political and social state of Britain at the time, Blake's poetry also draws on his personal views towards the state and influence of organised religion within British society in the 18th century. Many aspects of this political and social climate within which he lived were related, directly or otherwise, to the treatment of Children by those in positions of authority, towards which Blake held strong views that are supported by many of his poems from 'Songs'. The evidence that Blake was incredibly affected by the political and industrial changes happening around him is patent when a comparison of his 'Songs of Innocence' and 'Songs of Experience' is made. For instance, through the comparing and contrasting of 'Nurse's Song' in Innocence and Experience, Blake's changing views towards the treatment of children within society can be clearly detected. Symbolising childhood as a particular state of mind; one open to enjoyment and new experiences, through

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“Songs of innocence” and “Songs of experience”

William Blake was born in 1757 in London and died in 1827. Some of his most famous are in two volumes of poetry-"songs of innocence" and "songs of experience". "Songs of innocence" written in (1789); were written for children, easy to understand, very simple vocabulary, simple verses, ideal, happy and optimistic. "Songs of experience" written in (1794); had more difficult ideas and vocabulary, pessimistic, realistic and sad. Blake's world was transformed by the "Industrial Revolution". Children worked in mines/factories/up chimney's etc. In the 18th century people were encouraged to accept their role in life by promising a reward of a better life after death providing they are good whilst living on earth. Blake did not share this view at all! Blake did six poems three where "songs of innocence" and the other three were "songs of experience" and all six were made as three pairs each pair consisting of one "songs of Innocence" poem and one "songs of experience" poem. The pairs were as follows:- "Songs of innocence" "Songs of experience" ) Infant Joy Infant Sorrow (Babyhood) 2) Nurses Song Nurses Song (Childhood pre-work) 3) The Chimney Sweeper The Chimney sweeper (Work) In Blake poetry we have studied 6 poems "Infant Joy", "Nurses Song" and "The Chimney Sweep". All these have two separate poems but with the same title the difference between the

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Write about two pairs of poems from "Songs of Experience" and "Songs of Innocence" highlighting their differences and showing how these are made clear through Blake's poetic techniques

Write about two pairs of poems from "Songs of Experience" and "Songs of Innocence" highlighting their differences and showing how these are made clear through Blake's poetic techniques In order to complete this coursework I have chosen two contrasting pairs of poems to explain. Two poems will be taken from Blake's "Songs of Experience" while the other two from Blake's "Songs of Innocence." The poems that I have chosen have contrasts amongst themselves. The first poem I have decided to write about is the, "Tiger" and the "Lamb". "The Tiger" is a poem that has no obvious speaker. One can only guess whom the reader maybe, this is because the writer has written it in the third person. When reading the poem one can clearly tell that poem is written in rhyming couplets were the first two lines and the last two lines of each verse tend to rhyme. Tiger! Tiger burning bright In the forests of the night, This is the first line of the poem. The first line is a comparison to the skin and the eye of the tiger, which are known to be incredibly bright and be able to glow throughout the night. What immortal hand or eye Could frame thy fearful symmetry? The writer by saying, 'What immortal hand or eye' is trying to say that what great being, i.e. God, is able to create an animal of such fear and destruction. The writer has also used the word 'Symmetry' to symbolise the symmetrical

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The Little Black Boy.

The Little Black Boy The superficial meaning of Blake's poem, "The Little Black Boy", is that the discriminated black boy, in the dominant white society that instituted slavery, can not play with the white children together, but through mother's teaching gets the vision of equality and love in the future world and so overcomes the inequality in the real world. However, "'The little black boy' no doubt grew out of the literature of protest against the slave trade to which many poets contributed until British trade in slaves was abolished in 1810 and slavery itself in 1833." (Nurmi 59) Therefore, the materials of this poem already have a tendency to critique the slavery society. William Blake's poem "The Little Black Boy" exposes the logical errors that are fundamental to slavery society. These errors can be seen through the boy's separation of body and soul, the mother's contradictory teachings about the black body, and the boy's confusion about the conditions of love. Blake's treatment of the little black boy's perspective on Christianity and salvation may well be ironic, forming the basis for a more savage attack on religious and social hypocrisy At first, through the boy's saying before mother's teaching, we can know he comes up close to the 'experience' world. The boy's concern with the English child suggests that he has been exposed to white culture and that probably,

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Discuss the way Graham Greene's use of childhood informs your reading of the short stories.

Hayley Tomkins 20th April 03 AS unit 2709- Literature Complementary Study Coursework. Discuss the way Graham Greene's use of childhood informs your reading of the short stories: The general theme for many of Graham Greene's stories is childhood, the stories I have chosen to study are very much based on characters and the results of their experiences in life. The main focus of this essay will be on the opposing themes of innocence and experience created by the examination of adulthood and childhood- these are two very different worlds that are described in Graham Greene's writing. In his stories, Green realistically portrays the world around him as the 'shabby' world. The 'shabby' world is the dark world of adulthood and experience, where one has to suffer to live life as a real human being 'I suffer therefore I am'. Greene's work is often based in places that are physically uncomfortable, and these settings reflect the kind of story he tells. In 'The Basement Room' Phillip enters the 'shabby' world, Greene describes this dark world that is new to Phillip: 'Of smuts from the trains which passed along the backs in a spray of fire.'i Another characteristic of Greene's choice of setting is the dark and gloomy, which is an integral part of Greene's 'shabby world'. Childhood is

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Chimney Sweeper Commentary - In the strong, opinionated poem entitled The Chimney Sweeper, William Blake

Chimney Sweeper Commentary In the strong, opinionated poem entitled The Chimney Sweeper, William Blake compellingly presents his views on the hypocrisy and corruption of society. Essentially, The Chimney Sweeper conveys the theme of how the corruption of society has led to the destruction of the innocence of children. Blake successfully presents this theme through the effective use of diction which is defined as "the choice and use of words" which can help portray the theme, mood and tone of the poem. In this case, Blake effectively employs diction in order to portray the corruption that exists within society, while also portraying the innocence of the children that are victims of this injustice. The corruption of society is a significant element of the theme of the poem which is effectively depicted through particular words and their connotations. The first, essential choice of words is present in the title "The Chimney Sweeper." In essence, a "chimney sweeper" is associated with an individual that cleans the dirt out of the chimneys of others. Within the context of this poem, the "chimney sweeper" represents the children that are forced by society to sacrifice their innocence for the sake of society. They are, therefore, forced with an unfair responsibility brought upon the faults of others. This corruption of society is further exemplified when Blake writes, "You

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Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience

Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience (1794) juxtapose the innocent, pastoral world of childhood against an adult world of corruption and repression; while such poems as "The Lamb" represent a meek virtue, poems like "The Tyger" exhibit opposing, darker forces. Thus, the collection as a whole explores the value and limitations of two different perspectives on the world. Many of the poems fall into pairs, so that the same situation or problem is seen through the lens of innocence first and then experience. Blake does not identify himself wholly with either view; most of the poems are dramatic--that is, in the voice of a speaker other than the poet himself. Blake stands outside innocence and experience, in a distanced position from which he hopes to be able to recognize and correct the fallacies of both. In particular, he pits himself against despotic authority, restrictive morality, sexual repression, and institutionalized religion; his great insight is into the way these separate modes of control work together to squelch what is most holy in human beings. The Songs of Innocence dramatize the naive hopes and fears that inform the lives of children and trace their transformation as the child grows into adulthood. Some of the poems are written from the perspective of children, while others are about children as seen from an adult perspective. Many of the poems draw attention

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A Study Of God, man and nature through William Blake’s work

A Study Of God, man and nature through William Blake's work William Blake was not respected in his era for his work, but to this day, we respect his work as having been some of the most influential and society-changing ever. He was perhaps the first ever artist to publicly think out of the box at a time when it was risky to do so, and was the first poet of the romantic period. His thoughts were unlike anything previously published- they included advanced psychology that is considered to this day to be relevant. His opinions on religion and our universe were new and socially challenging which was why his works were never accepted during his lifetime. To fully understand and appreciate Blake's work, we must consider the social environment he lived in. It was a period when agriculture and farming was becoming city and stone. Suburbs and cities were being created and the general commercialisation of things around him troubled him greatly. With these changes, attitudes changed and became a lot more financially orientated and complicated. He despaired at what he thought was a becoming a "ruined world" and he turned to art for thought and understanding. People were losing their moral values and Blake's world became sinister and dark. Also, political revolution internationally was occurring as the French and American revolutions happened during his lifetime. He lived in a learning

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