William Blake was a revolutionary author who was not afraid to express hie views in a time where criticism was a huge part of determining one’s life. Blake used his religious beliefs and his self proclaimed messenger to portray his thoughts in his poem. Poems such as ““The Tyger “, ““The Lamb “”, and “The Sick Rose “are classic examples of his work.William Blake was born in London, November 28, 1757. His father, James Blake, was a London hosier. His mother's maiden name was Catherine Harmitage. William had three brothers and a sister. His older brother took over his father's hosiery business. His younger brothers were besaught with tragedy. John died young. The youngest, Robert, was dear to William, as he also had artistic leanings. He died of an illness at the age of 21. Another brother, Richard, died in infancy. He began his artistic career at an early age, as when he was 10, his father sent him to Henry Par's drawing school in the Strand. In August 1772, he became an apprentice of Basire the engraver. For the next seven years, he learned the fine arts of engraving, etching, stippling and copying. With his apprenticeship completed, he set out at 21 to earn his living as a professional engraver. Two years later, he met his future wife, Catherine Boucher, who was the illiterate daughter of a Battersea market-gardener. They married on August 18, 1782. She learned to paint and draw, but remained illiterate, and childless until her death in 1831. In 1783, he published his first volume of poetry, Poetical Sketches, for his friends. The next year, he started a print shop with a former fellow apprentice, but it soon failed. In 1788 he began to experiment with a new method of printing from etched copper plates. In this process, both words and decorations were drawn on the copper plate with a resistant medim, and then the copper was etched with acid. The text and designs were then ...
