William Blake in Context

Accessible, authoritative essays putting one of Britain's best-loved, but seemingly isolated, poet-artists back in touch with his times.

Sarah Haggarty (Edited by)

9781316508107, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 20 January 2022

393 pages, 20 b/w illus.
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.1 cm, 0.526 kg

'… William Blake in Context provides a massive amount of information about William Blake with multiple points of departure for further research.' Roger Whitson, European Romantic Review

William Blake, poet and artist, is a figure often understood to have 'created his own system'. Combining close readings and detailed analysis of a range of Blake's work, from lyrical songs to later myth, from writing to visual art, this collection of thirty-eight lively and authoritative essays examines what Blake had in common with his contemporaries, the writers who influenced him, and those he influenced in turn. Chapters from an international team of leading scholars also attend to his wider contexts: material, formal, cultural, and historical, to enrich our understanding of, and engagement with, Blake's work. Accessibly written, incisive, and informed by original research, William Blake in Context enables readers to appreciate Blake anew, from both within and outside of his own idiom.

Introduction Sarah Haggarty
Part I. Life, Works, and Reception: 1. Life Leo Damrosch
2. Networks Jon Mee
3. Engraving Mark Crosby
4. Illuminated books David Worrall
5. Manuscripts Sarah Haggarty
6. Book illustration Luisa Calè
7. Painting Martin Myrone
8. Early reception Sibylle Erle and Keri Davies
9. Late reception Jason Whittaker
10. Editing and editions Morris Eaves
Part II. Form, Genre, and Mode: 11. Comedy Fred Parker
12. Prophecy Ian Balfour
13. Rhythm Derek Attridge
14. Songs Steve Newman
15. Sound Michael Hurley
16. Sublimity David Baulch
17. System, myth, and symbol Tilottama Rajan
Part III. Creative Cross-Currents: 18. The Bible Stephen Prickett
19. Chaucer, Spenser, and Shakespeare David Fuller
20. Milton G. A. Rosso
21. Eighteenth century and romanticism David Duff
22. Byron Jerome McGann
23. Pre-Raphaelites and aesthetes Elizabeth Helsinger
24. Yeats, Eliot, and Auden Edward Larrissy
25. Whitman, Crane, and the Beats Linda Freedman
Part IV. History, Society, and Culture: 26. Animals Kurt Fosso
27. Antiquarianism Noah Heringman
28. Education and childhood Louise Joy
29. Empiricism Nicholas M. Williams
30. Life sciences Denise Gigante
31. London Saree Makdisi
32. Money Matthew Rowlinson
33. Moravianism Alexander Regier
34. Mysticism Laura Quinney
35. Nationalism and imperialism Julia M. Wright
36. Sex, sexuality, gender Susan Matthews
37. War and revolution Andrew Lincoln
38. (Without) sympathy Steven Goldsmith.

Subject Areas: Literary reference works [DSR], Literary studies: c 1500 to c 1800 [DSBD], Literature: history & criticism [DS]