William Blake (1757-1827)
"If a thing loves, it is infinite."
William Blake
The Angels Hovering Over the Body of Christ in the Sculpture
This piece of art is inspired by the book of Exodus, in the Old Testament, in the bible. It shows when the Israelites make a "mercy seat" flanked by golden angels.
The Ancient of Days
The man in this piece is named Urizen, in Blake’s mythology the embodiment of reason and law and a repressive, satanic force trying to bring uniformity to mankind.
Adam Naming the Beasts
The man is a resemblance of William, named Adam. The serpent is entwined around Adam’s left arm. He stares out, as if deep in thought. The animals, behind him, graze in a pastoral landscape, as if still unscathed by man’s transgression in the garden of Eden. Above Adam’s head, an acorn indicates winter, but in Blake’s mythology the oak is also the druidical tree on which Christ was crucified. The fall of man, the serpent, Adam and Eve are central to Blake’s vision.
A Poison Tree- William Blake (1794)
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.
And I watered it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.
And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine.
And he knew that it was mine,
And into my garden stole
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.
T- Based on the title, the poem could be about a poisonous tree
P- When I told my friend I was angry at him, the anger went away. But I was angry with
my enemy and my anger grew because I did not tell him. I was caring for my anger
with tears, fears, and smiles. I thought of a way to get my enemy back, and he fell for
it. Later on, I found my enemy dead under a tree.
C- angry, smiles, tears, fears, bright, shine, stole
A- careful, accurate, intentional
S- line 1 (angry) line 2 (happy)
line 2 (happy) and line 3 (angry)
paragraph 1-2 (doesn't think about revenge) and paragraph 3 (has a plan for revenge)
T- The poisonous (enemy) tree (because (s)he was found dead under a tree)
T- Don't keep your feelings in. If you keep them in, it will make you more angry than you
already are.