William Blake

Question 1

Biological context

Answer 1

-did illustrations - published his own methods with this - used an etching method
-was religous but criticised organised religion - idiosyncratic
-Song of Innocence 1789, Songs of Experience 1794
-believed in the need for social responsibility in order to close social divides and injustices
-he believed we needed to get to a more natural state and get closer to the divine

Question 2

Rousseau

Answer 2

-both believed that contemporary society was increasingly separating mankind from nature - this was causing unhappiness and problems
-Rousseau believed societal expectations buried people’s individuality and the way to fix this was by removing restriction and letting children learn through experience

Question 3

Holy Thursday

Answer 3

-on the first Thursday in May, 6000 children from London’s charity schools walked to St Pauls
-he critiques the social conditions which made the existence of charity schools a necessity
-he also sees charity as a degrading dispensation from the upper classes - rather than extending their freedom, it becomes another means by which they are ensnared by the system

Question 4

Religion

Answer 4

-idiosyncratic
-influenced by the Theologian Swedenborg who believed God was the origin of two basic life principles - love and wisdom
-he felt that original divine order had been perverted by humans