Associated Resources
- Blake - Innocent Sweep.ppt
- Blake - Experience Sweep.ppt
- Blake - Holy Thursday.ppt
Introducing William Blake
Abstract
The course discussed in these notes is designed as a short course of enrichment and development of skills of poetry analysis based in a personal response to pairs of poems from the Songs of Innocence and Experience.
It is not designed to cover too many of the poems, but rather to spark interest and enthusiasm.
It can be used as part of a cross-curricular activity and benefits from a high level of creativity.
The major strands covered:
- Poetic form in analysis and recognised and interpreted in the annotated artwork
- Personal response
- Language choice for effect
- A simple introduction to Romanticism
As an extension, students can be encouraged to look at their own towns/cultures in a similar manner and time might be given to comparing media portrayals of localities or events as opposed to the feelings of those living in the area.
Rationale
I have found time recently to introduce William Blake into Year 8 or 9. My students sit an exam in the summer which has focused in part on an appreciation of London, as an unseen poem. The question has followed the WJEC GCSE model – “write about this poem and its effect on you…” and students are being encouraged to respond to the writing as well as to...
