Blake and the Bible

Blake and the Bible

Blake and the Bible

William Blake, an English poet, and painter was born in London, England on the 28th of November 1757. As a child, William Blake claimed to have visions. He had most of his visions in the monastery when he heard chanting by the monks and priests. Although Blake’s parents thought he was lying about these visions, they did see that he was different from the other children.

At the age of fourteen Blake became an apprentice to an engraver named James Basire for seven years; here he learned how to engrave. After his years of being an apprentice, he enrolled at the Royal Academy because his first interest was to become a painter, after a few years in the academy he rebelled about the style of art that they taught. Blake preferred the “Classical” type of art like Michaelangelo and Raphael.

In 1782, Blake married Catherine Boucher who was illiterate. Blake taught her how to read and write and also taught her how to engrave, she was a loyal aid to Blake, helping him to print his works and encouraging him in his misfortunes. After his father’s death Blake and his brother Robert opened up a print shop and worked with publisher Joseph Johnson. Blake and Mary Wollstonecraft had similar views on sexual equality and marriage, which he often illustrated in his writings.
Throughout his life he painted many paintings and wrote many successful poems. Williams Blake’s earliest and most profound influence in his writing and paintings was the Bible. The Bible would remain an inspiration throughout his life as seen in many of his poems such as “The Shepherd”, “A Poison Tree”, “Clod and The Pebble”, “The Lamb”, “A Dream”, and “The Divine Image.”

William Blake’s biblical influence can be seen in his 1789 poem “The Shepherd”. In this poem he uses a shepherd to metaphorically talk about god. In the second stanza of the poem William Blake uses the lambs to symbolize gods followers:
“For he hears the lambs innocent call,
And he hears ewe’s tender reply;...