William Blake
William Blake was born on November 28th, 1757. William passed away August 12th, 1827 at 69 years old. William Blake was born in Golden Square, London, England. Blake attended Royal Academy of Arts.
William Blake was known as an English poet, printmaker, and painter who was one of the leading figures of Romanticism. He was known for his nonconformist ways and was an associate of leading radical thinkers of his day such as Mary Wollstonecraft and Thomas Paine.
Right from his childhood, he used to have visions of angels and God. While his parents discouraged his visions they could see that he was different from other children and hence they never forced him to go to formal school. Instead, he got training in painting but opted to apprentice with an engraver since art school was too expensive.
In 1782, he got married to Catherine Boucher, an illiterate woman who he taught to write and read. She would become critical in his work as she helped print his illuminated poetry which became some of his most-known works. For most of his life, he lived a meager existence as an illustrator of magazines and books.
In 1800, he moved to Felpham, the coastal town where he was supported by William Hayley. There he taught himself Italian, Greek, Hebrew, and Latin so that he could read classical books in the original language. It was also in Felpham that he had some incredible spiritual insights that shaped his later epic works.
Since Blake believed that his work could be understood by ordinary folk, he used to exhibit his watercolors at his brother's house in addition to the
Royal Academy. While his poetry was not popular among the general public, he received some much-needed critical acclaim from the likes of William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
William Blake spent the latter part of his life in great poverty, even as he spent his final years working on illustrations for Dante’s
Divine Comedy until his death in 1827.
Blake printed his first work
Poetical Sketches in 1783. This was a collection of verse that drew inspiration from classical models. Most of the poems are on themes of tyranny, war, and the harsh treatment of the American colonies particularly by King George III.
Songs of Innocence is William Blake’s most popular collection. The work is sometimes deemed a children's fiction work from a surface level. However, it offers hints of critique or parody in its seemingly simple and naive lyrics.
In 1794, Blake published
The Book of Urizen, which describes a primeval priest who became separated from other immortals. He would then craft his own enslaving and alienated realm controlled by religious dogma.
Related Authors
The most common authors followed by users who also follow William Blake are:
- J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter Series.
- J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings Series.
- John Steinbeck, author of the novel: Of Mice and Men.
- Neil Gaiman, author of the American Gods Series.
- Joseph Conrad, author of the novel: Heart of Darkness.
William Blake: F.A.Q
When was William Blake Born?
William Blake was born on November 28th, 1757.
When did William Blake die?
William Blake died on August 12th, 1827 at 69 years old.
Where was William Blake Born?
William Blake was born in Golden Square, London, England.
What was the first book William Blake wrote?
The first book written by William Blake was Poetical Sketches, published in 1783.
What was the most recent book William Blake wrote?
His most recently released work was The Tyger (a short story) on July 14th, 2023.
How many books has William Blake written?
William Blake has written 26 books excluding contributions to anthologies. 14 books in the William Blake Illuminated Books, 7 books in the William Blake Non-Illuminated Books, 1 book in the Everyman's Library Pocket Poets Series, 2 books in the Collections, 1 book in the 21st-Century Oxford Authors Series, 1 book in the Poetry for Young People Series.