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Contributor: Melissa Kowalski. Lesson ID: 11622
In these days of self-publishing and do-it-yourself everything, William Blake may not have stood out. But in his time, he was considered "mad." Read for yourself, and illustrate a Blake poem yourself!
If you were writing poetry that would be illustrated, would you rather hire a professional illustrator or create your own images to accompany your poems? Who would print your poetry? Would you want to be considered "mad" for your views?
Image from The William Blake Archive, via Wikimedia Commons, is in the public domain.
Image by Thomas Phillips from The Morgan Library, via Wikimedia Commons, is in the public domain.
The best way to be introduced to William Blake's unusual life is to read the William Blake biography provded by poets.org.
As you read, answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper. After you have finished reading and answering the questions, discuss your responses with your parent or teacher:
Was there anything about Blake's life that surprised you? Discuss your response with your parent or teacher.
William Blake was considered a radical, even by his friends, for his religious beliefs and for his unusual style of engraving. Because of his unconventionality, he struggled to find work for most of his adult life, but he was emotionally supported by his wife of nearly 45 years, Catherine.
Move on to the Got It? section to learn more about Blake's engraving process, and to read several of his famous poems that he illustrated using the relief etching method.
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