The Complete Poetry & Prose of William Blake (Paperback)

by William Blake (Author), David V. Erdman (Editor), Harold Bloom (Commentary), William Golding (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Abstinence Sows Sand All Over
All Pictures Thats Panted With Sense & With Thought
All Religions Are One
America A Prophecy
An Ancient Proverb
And His Legs Carried It Like A Long Fork
The Angel
The Angel That Presided O'er My Birth
The Angel, Fr. Songs Of Experience
Anger And Wrath
An Answer To The Parson
Are Not The Joys Of Morning Sweeter
Auguries Of Innocence
The Birds
Blake's Apology For His Catalogue
Blind Man's Buff
The Blossom, Fr. Songs Of Innocence
The Book Of Ahania
The Book Of Los
The Book Of Thel
The Caverns Of The Grave I've Seen
A Character
The Chimney Sweeper, Fr. Songs Of Experience
The Chimney Sweeper, Fr. Songs Of Innocence
The Clod And The Pebble, Fr. Songs Of Experience
Contemplation
Cosway Frazer & Baldwin Of Egypts Lake
The Couch Of Death
Couplet
Cr--- Loves Artists As He Loves His Meat
A Cradle Song
A Cradle Song, Fr. Songs Of Innocence
The Cripple Every Step Drudges & Labours
Cromek
Cromek Speaks
The Crystal Cabinet
Cupid
Day
Dedication Of The Designs To Blair's Grave: To The Queen
The Defiled Sanctuary
Delicate Hands & Heads Will Never Appear
A Divine Image, Fr. Songs Of Experience
The Divine Image, Fr. Songs Of Innocence
A Dream, Fr. Songs Of Innocence
Earth's Answer, Fr. Songs Of Experience
The Echoing Green, Fr. Songs Of Innocence
English Encouragement Of Art (final Reading); Cromek's Opinions
English Encouragement Of Art (first Reading)
Epigram
Epigram
An Epitaph
An Epitaph
Epitaph: John Trot
Eternity
Europe A Prophecy
The Everlasting Gospel (version 2)
The Everlasting Gospel: Preface
Experiment
Fair Eleanor
The Fairy
A Fairy Stepped Upon My Knee
The First Book Of Urizen
Florentine Ingratitude
The Fly, Fr. Songs Of Experience
The Four Zoas
The Four Zoas: Nights The Fifth And Sixth
The Four Zoas: Nights The First And Second
The Four Zoas: Nights The Ninth
The Four Zoas: Nights The Seventh And Eighth
The Four Zoas: Nights The Third And Fourth
The French Revolution
The Garden Of Love, Fr. Songs Of Experience
The Gates Of Paradise; For Children
The Gates Of Paradise; For The Sexes
The Ghost Of Abel; A Relation In The Visions Of Jehovah
Give Pensions To The Learned Pig
The Golden Net
Great Men And Fools Do Often Me Inspire
The Grey Monk
Grown Old In Love From Seven To Seven Times Seven
Gwin, King Of Norway
He Has Observ'd The Golden Rule
He's A Blockhead Who Wants A Proof Of What He Can't Perceive
The Hebrew Nation Did Not Write It
Holy Thursday, Fr. Songs Of Experience
Holy Thursday, Fr. Songs Of Innocence
How Came Pride In Man
How To Know Love From Deceit
The Human Abstract, Fr. Songs Of Experience
I Asked My Dear Friend Orator Prigg
I Feard The Fury Of My Wind
I Heard An Angel Singing
I Laid Me Down Upon A Bank
I Rose Up At The Dawn Of Day
I Rubens Am A Statesman & A Saint
If I E'er Grow To A Man's Estate
If It Is True What The Prophets Write
If Men Will Act Like A Maid Smiling Over A Churn
If You Play A Game Of Chance
If You Trap The Moment Before It's Ripe
Imitation Of Pope: A Compliment To The Ladies
An Imitation Of Spencer
In A Wife I Would Desire
Infant Joy, Fr. Songs Of Innocence
Infant Sorrow, Fr. Songs Of Experience
An Island In The Moon (in A Manuscript Fragment)
Jerusalem; The Emanation Of The Giant Albion
Jerusalem; The Emanation Of The Giant Albion: Chapter 1
Jerusalem; The Emanation Of The Giant Albion: Chapter 2
Jerusalem; The Emanation Of The Giant Albion: Chapter 3
Jerusalem; The Emanation Of The Giant Albion: Chapter 4
King Edward The Third
Lacedemonian Instruction
Lafayette
The Lamb, Fr. Songs Of Innocence
The Land Of Dreams
The Laocoon
Laughing Song, Fr. Songs Of Innocence
The Lily, Fr. Songs Of Experience
The Little Black Boy, Fr. Songs Of Innocence
The Little Boy Found, Fr. Songs Of Innocence
A Little Boy Lost, Fr. Songs Of Experience
The Little Boy Lost, Fr. Songs Of Innocence
The Little Girl Found, Fr. Songs Of Experience
The Little Girl Lost, Fr. Songs Of Experience
A Little Girl Lost, Fr. Songs Of Experience
The Little Vagabond, Fr. Songs Of Experience
London, Fr. Songs Of Experience
Long John Brown And Little Mary Bell
The Look Of Love Alarms
Mad Song
Madman I Have Been Called
Marriage
The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell
Mary
The Mental Traveller
Merlin's Prophesy
Milton
Mock On, Mock On! Voltaire, Rousseau
Morning
Motto To The Songs Of Innocence & Of Experience
Mr. Cromek To Mr. Stothard
Mr. Stothard To Mr. Cromek
My Pretty Rose Tree, Fr. Songs Of Experience
My Specter Around Me Night And Day: Postcript
My Spectre Around Me Night & Day
My Title As A Genius Thus Is Provd
Nail His Neck To The Cross, Nail It With A Nail
Never Pain To Tell Thy Love
Night, Fr. Songs Of Innocence
No Real Style Of Colouring Ever Appears
Now Art Has Los Its Mental Charms
Nurse's Song, Fr. Songs Of Experience
Nurse's Song, Fr. Songs Of Innocence
O Dear Mother Outline Of Knowledge Most Sage
O Lapwing, Thou Fliest Around The Heath
Old Acquaintance Well Renew
An Old Maid Early, E'er I Knew
On Another's Sorrow, Fr. Songs Of Innocence
On F----- & S-----
On Friends And Foes
On H---- The Pick Thank
On H----ys Friendship
On Homer's Poetry
On S-----
On Sir Joshua Reynolds
On The Great Encouragement Given By English Nobility & Gentry
On The Virginity Of The Virgin Mary And Johanna Southcott
The Only Man That Eer I Knew
P --- Loved Me, Not As He Lovd His Friends
A Petty Epigram .. Have Paid Great Sums In Venetian & Flemish Ooze
The Phoenix To Mrs. Butts
A Pitiful Case
A Poison Tree, Fr. Songs Of Experience
Prologue To King John
Prologue. Intended For A Dramatic Piece Of King Edward The Fourth
Rafael Sublime Majestic Graceful Wise
Riches
Samson
The School Boy, Fr. Songs Of Experience
The Shepherd, Fr. Songs Of Innocence
The Sick Rose, Fr. Songs Of Experience
Silent Silent Night
Since All The Riches Of This World
Sir Joshua Praised Rubens With A Smile
Sir Joshua Praises Michael Angelo
The Smile
Soft Snow
Some Men Created For Destruction Come
Some People Admire The Work Of A Fool
Song
Song
Song
Song
Song
Song
Song By An Old Shepherd
Song First By A Shepherd
The Song Of Los
Songs Of Experience: Introduction
Songs Of Innocence: Introduction
Spring, Fr. Songs Of Innocence
The Sunflower, Fr. Songs Of Experience
The Sussex Men Are Noted Fools
Swelled Limbs With No Outline You Can Descry
The Sword And The Sickle
Terror In The House Does Roar
There Is No Natural Religion (a)
There Is No Natural Religion (b)
These Are The Idiots' Chiefest Arts
Tiriel
To Autumn
To Chloe's Breast Young Cupid Slyly Stole
To English Connoisseurs
To F ---
To Flaxman
To God
To H----
To Hunt
To Memory
To Morning
To Mrs. Ann Flaxman
To My Myrtle [mirtle]
To Nancy F ---
To Nobodaddy
To S-----d (1)
To S-----d (2)
To Spring
To Summer
To The Evening Star
To The Muses
To The Royal Academy
To Tirzah, Fr. Songs Of Experience
To Venetian Artists
To Winter
The Tyger [tiger], Fr. Songs Of Experience
Visions Of The Daughters Of Albion
The Voice Of The Ancient Bard, Fr. Songs Of Experience
A War Song To Englishmen
Was I Angry With Hayley Who Used Me So In
The Washer Woman's Song
When I See A Rubens Rembrandt Correggio
When Klopstock England Defied
When You Look At A Picture You Always Can See
Who Will Exchange His Own Fire Side
Why Should I Care For The Men Of Thames
The Wild Flower's Song
William Bond
William Cowper
With Illustration To Gray's Poems
A Woman Scaly
You Don't Believe
You Say Their Pictures Well Painted
-- Table of Poems from Poem Finder®

Product Description
Since its first publication in 1965, this edition  has been widely hailed as the best available text  of Blake's poetry and prose. Now revised, if  includes up-to-date work on variants, chronology of  poems and critical commentary by Harold Bloom.

An  "Approved Edition" of the Center for Scholarly  Editions of the Modern Language Association.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 1024 pages
• Publisher: Anchor; Revised edition (March 5, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385152132
• ISBN-13: 978-0385152136
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #38,435 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It Can't Be Possible, July 23, 2004

By	Gianmarco Manzione (Tampa, FL USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

How is it possible that Blake was able to articulate the full enormity of his vision while keeping up with the complex mythological narrative he invented? Through much of his longer poetical works he so effortlessly associates his mammoth cosmic figures with a riveting and impassioned philosophical discourse. One wonders whether the man was even human. And yet it is precisely this disbelief he and, a bit later and with more severity, Nietzsche preached against.

For Blake, the human imagination is the gateway to eternity, and anyone is capable of it. Yet even this vote of confidence in man falls short of Nietzsche's often misunderstood optimism when he asserts that artistic achievement has nothing to do with the "muse" and is wholly within the boundaries of human ability. For Nietzsche, man alone responsible for his great works, and to credit anything else with their sublimity is to undermine human potential. But Blake, a man of profound faith, contends that "When I am commanded by the spirits, then I write; and the moment I have written, I see the words fly about the room in all directions." Yet how telling it is that even this humble explaining-away of his powers is fraught with poetry.

But whether or not Blake credited himself with his evident genius, the works speak for themselves. And for "The Complete Poetry and Prose," two of the most competent Blake scholars join forces to offer a clear, extensive and informed presentation of Blake's output. Astonishing in scope and scholarship, this Erdman/Bloom edition is as indispensable for Blake's work as it is for their notes and commentary. My only complaint is the inconsistency of Bloom's commentary. He skips entire sections of Blake's worth here, whereas he covers every last word of it in his own book, "Blake's Apocalypse." Hmm . . . Harold wouldn't, by any chance, be trying to get us to, um, SPEND a little more, you think? Naaahhh.

But no commentary -- no matter how illuminating -- will ever approach the radiance of Blake's own words. From the plainspoken awe of the early masterpieces, "Ahania" and "The Book of Thel," to the astonishing epics "The Four Zoas" and "Jerusalem" and right down to "The Mental Traveler," that late fruition of Blake's bitingly ironical voice, "The Complete Poems and Prose" reads like a Bible in its own right. Routinely taking on such lofty subjects as the fall of man, love and jealousy, desire and reason, good and evil, a reading of Blake's work all together yields just as much beauty, mystery and genius.

Equally as riveting are the many letters with which the primary portion of the book concludes. Rife with the fierce inquisitiveness and confidence that characterizes the famous "Proverbs of Hell," Blake's letters rank with those of Keats and Hopkins as some of the most stirring autobiographical sketches ever produced by a master poet.

Erdman's "Prophet Against Empire" and Bloom's aforementioned "Blake's Apocalypse" make for great companion pieces, as does Frye's "Fearful Symmetry." But I think the best way for new readers to take on Blake's work is by diving blindly into its initially cold waters, and only calling in Erdman, Bloom and Frye to turn up the heat later on.

56 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential for Blake fans and the Blake curious.., June 28, 2000

By	Charles Pinney (Boone, NC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

There's not much more I can say after reading the reviews below, except to agree that this is _the_ book to own if you're wanting to add William Blake to your library.

This is a large book, clocking in at around nine hundred pages. Within you'll find all the great poetry that makes Blake, well, Blake. The "Songs of Innocence and Experience" are truly wonderful, as is "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell".

Lots to read here beyond than the known works, including miscellaneous poems, songs and verses and sataric verses and epigrams, even letters that Blake himself wrote.

The book is neatly organized and easy to navigate, making the section you're looking for a snap to find. At the back of the book are sections with textual notes (a small "t" is marked throughout Blake's works), and commentary (a small "c"), also marked. Invaluable resources to help understand and navigate the complexity of Blake's poems and prose. An index of titles and first lines is also included in the back.

All in all a wonderful collection for any Blake fan to own and for the curious to lose themselves in the majesty that is William Blake.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An essential book with the words of a great writer and poet, September 10, 2002

By	Craig Matteson (Ann Arbor, MI) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This is an essential book for those of us who love William Blake for his words as well as for his engravings, drawings, and paintings.

I hardly knew anything about Blake before I made several trips to London on business in 1995 - 96. When I began to see his work (for example, at the Tate - now Tate Britain) I was deeply moved. I read the wonderful biography by Ackroyd that was just then published and began to collect affordable editions of the illustrated works.

Later, I became aware of this book and purchased it as well. It is very affordable and contains many wonderful things in addition to the primary writings of Blake. For example, we also get Blake's annotations of other writers' works, some of his letters, and textual notes. On the downside, there are a only a few black and white illustrations. This is a book for thinking about Blake's WORDS.

Yes, by definition the illuminated works really do require the illustrations to be complete, but it is hard to meditate and think about just the words without being distracted by those amazing drawings. (Princeton University Press publishes fabulous editions of the illuminated works in paperback.) By all means spend a great deal of time with the illuminated works and you will be richly rewarded, but spending time with the words apart is also very wonderful and very helpful.

The always rewarding Harold Bloom also provides extended commentary on many of the works in the back of the book.

Please put this book in your library and on your shelf - AFTER you read it. Then take it off again to drink of these great words over and over again.