2. Early Life
• He was born November 28, 1757 in
London. His parents were James and
Catherine Blake. Blake was a strange kid he
would speak about having visions of God
and angels. His parents thought they were
lies and tried to stop it. He had six siblings,
but two of them died while they were
infants.
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3. Education
• Blake was home schooled, that is where he
learned to read and write. His parents did not
want to force him to go to normal school.
When he turned ten he told his parents he
wanted to be a painter, so they sent him to
drawing school.Two years after that he began
poetry. He did not have enough money to go
to art school, so he became the apprentice of
an engraver. For a short time he studied at the
Royal Academy.
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4. Later Life
• By 1782 he got married to Catherine
Boucher. She was illiterate, but Blake taught
her how to read and write.Two years after
that he opened up a print shop with one of
his friends. During this time he was
teaching his little brother the things he
learned, but by 1787 he passed away. His
first work published was Poetical Sketches
in 1783. Blake died in 1827. He spent his
last years in poverty.
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5. Infant Joy
'I have no name;
I am but two days old.'
What shall I call thee?
'I happy am,
Joy is my name.'
Sweet joy befall thee!
Pretty joy!
Sweet joy, but two days old.
Sweet Joy I call thee:
Thou dost smile,
I sing the while;
Sweet joy befall thee!
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6. Infant Joy Analysis
• Infant Joy is a six line poem of two stanzas.
It has an ABCDDC type rhyme scheme.The
word that is repeated in this poem is thee.
The poem is about a new born talking to
her mother about what she should name
her.The baby wants to be named Joy. Blake’s
desire
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7. A Divine Image
Cruelty has a human heart,
And Jealousy a human face;
Terror the human form divine,
And Secresy the human dress.
The human dress is forged iron,
The human form a fiery forge,
The human face a furnace sealed,
The human heart its hungry gorge.
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8. A Divine Image
• A Divine Image has multiple stanzas in it.
For the most part it is a five stanza poem. It
has a ABCB rhyme scheme.The poem
depicts the virtues of love, mercy, and
peace.These are all human things, but only
the most divine human beings can perfect
all these attributes.
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10. Work Cited
All Poems of the Poet: William Blake - Poems. "All Poems of the Poet: William
Blake - Poems." Poemhunter.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.
"William Blake." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
"Songs of Innocence and of Experience Summary and Analysis." Songs of
Innocence and of Experience Study Guide : Summary and Analysis of "Infant Joy"
N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.
"Songs of Innocence and of Experience Summary and Analysis." Songs of
Innocence and of Experience Study Guide : Summary and Analysis of "The Divine
Image" N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.
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