In twenty five pages this paper examines how Blake's humanistic perspectives are evident in both of these classic poetry collections. Ten sources are cited in the bibliography.
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to speak of him as a person, the word would be: rebel. William Blake, though he began simply and humbly enough, soon, it seems, grew quite tired of following in
the footsteps of those before him. Many have argued that it was the historical shift which was occurring during the day and time in which Blake lived, however, it must
be stated that a person is much more than a product of their era. Blakes humanist tendencies, one has to state, have more to do with his style and his
influence than mere dates on a calendar. In fact, in Blakes Songs of Innocence and of Experience, the early beginnings of humanist views can be seen. WHAT IS HUMANISM AND
CAN I CATCH IT? The Humanist philosophy was originally a revolt on many levels against the stringent restraints placed on the people by the Church. Once again knowledge became
public property and increasing numbers of people began to think about human relationships, the purpose of life and the meaning of death. Many humanist ideas are still prevalent today, in
fact the Declaration of Independence is said to contain many humanist referrals. Today, humanism refers to the personal worth of an individual and that individuals right to his own
particular values, and freedom from persecution by authorities for those views. One could say that the roots, as far as it can be determined, came from the early period
of history called the Renaissance. This was a period of history where communities were beginning to rediscover old schools of thought and reexamining the manuscripts and ideas of those who
were quite possibly ridiculed in earlier times. Quite plausibly, this was of great influence on Blake. One of the great reasons for this was that for the last decade or