Robert Blake

John Ruskin coined the term ‘Pathetic Fallacy’ in 1856 to “signify any representation of inanimate natural objects that ascribes to them human capabilities, sensations, and emotions” (Abrams 203). This idea of emotion being projected onto the surrounding environment till nature becomes a kind of mirror is epitomised in Lord Alfred Tennyson’s poem ‘Mariana’. The poem, published in 1830, was inspired from a scene in William Shakespeare’s play Measure for Measure, where Mariana waits for her lover…

of death and innocence in William Blake’s “The Chimney Sweeper” poems “The Chimney Sweeper” is a title of two poems by William Blake, the first one was published in the collection of poems Songs of Innocence in 1789, the second one in Songs of Experience in 1794. Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience contain several titles which are contrasting with each other and Blake presents innocence and experience of the poems of chimney sweepers as a perfect example of it. As both these poems depict…

In John Milton’s, “Paradise Lost” there is a display of symbolism that comes across his writing. A great example of symbolism is that of the garden of Eden. In Alexander Popes, “The Rape of the Lock” there is a symbolism of materialistic importance and vanity. While in William Blake’s, “The marriage of Heaven and Hell” the symbolism is that of visions of angels and hell. These authors incorporate their symbolism in a way to send across a message whether it is the background story of Satan, the…

Akshat Seth Prof. Alok Bhalla Romanticism Of Diatribes, Revolution and Pacifism Reflections on the reconcilability of Shelley’s ideas of radical change and pacifism through a look at his first long poem Queen Mab with respect to the socio-political context of the French Revolution and its aftermath. It is somewhat ironic to state that Shelley, ‘the true child of the revolution’1 was also a pacifist. Ironic, since the very French Revolution which is cited by most as one…

The Bourgeois Sweeper Within "The Chimney Sweeper" by William Blake readers are exposed to the unfortunate story of a young boy who is marketed by his family and forced to sweep chimneys. Like many social conditions, social issues are met through sometimes desperate means such as marketing your own child to make a barely tenantable income. The poem appears to be one depicting the sad life of a lower-class family, but it is much more complex and barely touches the surface of inequality when…

The Romantic movement provided readers with works consisting of passionate emotion, an appreciation for the natural world, and individualism. Elements of Romanticism have been recognized in works from a multitude of different cultures. Significantly, William Wordsworth is widely known as one of the great English Romantic poets. In addition, Walt Whitman, an American poet, has also been acknowledged for the Romantic elements in his works. Although both poets are from two different cultures, their…

The first two books of The Divine Comedy, Inferno and Purgatory, by Dante follow Dante as he journeys from hell to purgatory. In Inferno, Dante meets the poet Virgil who guides him through the rings of hell. Once the two reach the bottom of hell, Virgil continues to guide Dante through the next realm in Purgatory. Throughout this epic adventure, Dante not only provides an entertaining story, but also presents numerous ideas concerning the afterlife. These ideas range from simple descriptions of…

The white tiger is an extremely rare animal. In terms of totem’s meaning the white tiger is a significant animal. It is a mystical and spiritual creature with its rare appearance caused by its white fur. “The Chinese divided the celestial sphere into four quarters” (Green 39). The Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise ruled the South and North, the White Tiger ruled the West that “corresponds to autumn and snowy mountains” (Chia 144) and the Azure Dragon ruled the East. All totems symbolize…

could twist the tissues of the Tyger’s heart. The next question Blake asks is “when thy heart began to beat, / What dread hand? & what dread feat?” (11-12). Here, Blake wants to know that when the Tyger’s heart began to beat, did its creator regret making it and if its creation was a mistake. “Dread feet” (12) is a double meaning to the word feat. Feat means an achievement that requires great courage, skill or strength, meaning that Blake is questioning if the creator suddenly dreaded the…

compares children as objects of commerce and dehumanizes them by referring to them as meat (Swift, 1199-1201). In a different time frame but with analogous condition, William Blake witness the outrage against children during the Industrial Revolution. Blake was born on 1757 in London. He is a prophet, poet, painter, and engraver. Blake have radical political views and revolutionary standards (Raine, 7-13). He published Songs of Innocence in 1789 and Songs of Experience in 1794 both of these…