Listen to the audiobook rendition of William Blake's masterpiece, "Songs of Innocence and of Experience: Shewing the Two Contrary States of the Human Soul," narrated by the talented Sam Stinson. With a rating of 3.1 out of 5, this audiobook is sure to captivate your imagination for its 56-minute duration.
Blake, the renowned English poet and painter, presents two books of poetry within this work. While "Songs of Innocence" was initially published independently in 1789, it is believed that "Songs of Experience" has always been published alongside its companion since its completion in 1794.
"Songs of Innocence" transports us into a world of innocence and bliss, celebrating the wonders of nature and advocating for free love and a deeper connection with God. Among its notable poems is the enchanting piece, "The Lamb." These poems exude a light, cheerful, and pastoral essence, often narrated from the perspective of children or centered around their lives.
Contrasting the innocence of the first book, "Songs of Experience" delves into the loss of innocence that occurs upon exposure to the material world and the weight of adult life's mortal sins. Notable works within this book include the powerful "The Tyger." The poems take on a darker tone, exploring political and profound themes. Throughout both books, many poems form pairs, presenting similar situations or themes in both the innocence and experience states. This juxtaposition allows readers to perceive alternative perspectives of the world.
Blake's faith in the goodness of humanity waned due to the tragic conclusion of the French Revolution, thus imbuing the volume with a sense of despair. He believed that children lost their innocence through exploitation and the religious community's prioritization of dogma over mercy. Nevertheless, Blake did not advocate for shielding children from gaining experience entirely. On the contrary, he asserted that children should uncover experience through their own discoveries, as depicted in various poems within these works. According to Blake, "the two contrary states of the human soul" are innocence and experience, and he asserted that true innocence is unattainable without experience.
"The Book of Thel," a poem by Blake, dates back to 1789 and was likely worked on between 1788 and 1790. Accompanied by Blake's own illustrations, this poem is remarkably comprehensible compared to his later prophetic books. The verses follow a fourteen-syllable line and were preceded by the manuscript, "Tiriel," some lines of which were incorporated into "The Book of Thel." The book itself comprises eight plates created through illuminated printing. Only 15 copies of the original 1789-1793 print are known, with two copies showcasing a watermark from 1815, distinguished by their intricate coloring.