William Blake-a Fighter Cleansing The Doors Of Perception

Misunderstood by his contemporaries but venerated by modern society, British poet and artist William Blake is the earliest of a long line of reformist Romantic poets. After losing confidence in politics, he realizes that the key to saving his fellowmen is to remove their "mind-forg'd manacles". This thesis tries to present the efforts William Blake has made in cleansing the doors of perception.In chapter one and chapter two, a general introduction to William Blake and his social context is provided to help understand him. Further, three poems from Songs of Experience are analyzed to show William Blake's response to the problems in his society. Although William Blake seems isolated from his contemporaries, he is in fact much concerned about the fate of his fellowmen. His writings reflect social conditions and expose the social oppression and injustice of his time.From chapter â…¢ the thesis begins to focus on the efforts William Blake has made in cleansing the doors of perception. First, in chapter â…¢, the thesis gives a demonstration of the concepts clarified by William Blake. Then, in chapter â…£, the thesis analyzes William Blake's mental fight against the Church, Isaac Newton and John Locke as well as his theory of Imagination. Finally, Milton, one of William Blake's long prophetic poems, is quoted to demonstrate his mental fight.