Topic Summaries

• Poet: William Blake (1757–1827) 
• Year: 1794 
• Form: Four quatrains, ABAB rhyme scheme
• Key techniques: Imagery, metaphor, repetition

About the poet

William Blake was an English poet and key figure in the Romantic movement. Born in London, he showed an early talent for drawing and was apprenticed to an engraver, which shaped his distinctive artistic style. Although he was not widely recognised during his lifetime, Blake’s work blended poetry, visual art, and mysticism in ways that later generations came to appreciate. Blake’s writing was deeply influenced by his radical political views and opposition to oppression. Blake was also known for his belief in spiritual visions, which he claimed to have seen since childhood. His art and poetry often depicted biblical themes and fantastical imagery, blending the mystical with the real.

Historical context

Published during the Industrial Revolution, a time of rapid urbanisation, economic inequality, and harsh working conditions that gave way to economic booms but also disillusionment with the new status quo. Blake also sympathsed with the French Revolution of 1789 and the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity.

Literary context

The poem is part of Blake’s Songs of Experience, a collection that contrasts with Songs of Innocence to explore the darker aspects of society. Blake was a Romantic poet, emphasising emotion, individual suffering, and a critique of political and religious institutions.

Key ideas

• Institutional power
• Perpetuating powerlessness and inequality
• Suffering as a consequence of conflict
• Destruction and exploitation
• The powerful vs. powerless