William Blake and Gender

Voorkant
McFarland, 27 jan 2015 - 220 pagina's

The closing years of the eighteenth century were the particular domain of literary radicals whose work challenged ideas on gender and sexuality. During this transitional period, the poetry of William Blake reflected the changing mores of society as well as his own developing notions of gender. This work presents an in-depth exploration of gender issues in Blake's three epic poems, The Four Zoas, Milton and Jerusalem.

The opening chapter discusses basic concepts such as notions of apocalypse, utopia and gender, all essential to the author's reading of Blake. Background regarding the literary atmosphere of the time, which included influence from the tradition of dissent, English Jacobinism and early feminism, is also included, effectively setting the context for Blake's work. The book then examines the poems in chronological order. It concentrates particularly on male and female activity within each work (refuting the common assumption that Blake was anti-feminist) while exploring the symbolism of the poetry. Blake's repeated theme of the struggle between the sexes receives special emphasis, as does the progress of his gender vision through the three poems.

Vanuit het boek

Geselecteerde pagina's

Inhoudsopgave

Introduction
1
1Apocalypse Utopia and Gender
9
2Blakes Radical Context
40
3The Gender Utopia of The Four Zoas
60
4The Gender Utopia of Milton
122
5The Gender Utopia of Jerusalem
158
Afterword
191
Bibliography
197
Index
205
Copyright

Overige edities - Alles bekijken

Veelvoorkomende woorden en zinsdelen

Populaire passages

Pagina 103 - For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
Pagina 186 - They hand in hand with wand'ring steps and slow, Through Eden took their solitary way.
Pagina 17 - The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth : and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Pagina 152 - Thou hearest the nightingale begin the song of spring: The lark, sitting upon his earthy bed, just as the morn Appears, listens silent; then, springing from the waving cornfield, loud He leads the choir of day— trill! trill! trill! trill! Mounting upon the wings of light into the great expanse.
Pagina 134 - There is a Moment in each Day that Satan cannot find. Nor can his Watch Fiends find it; but the Industrious find This Moment & it multiply, & when it once is found It renovates every Moment of the Day if rightly placed.
Pagina 190 - All Human Forms identified even Tree Metal Earth & Stone, all Human Forms identified, living going forth & returning wearied Into the Planetary lives of Years Months Days & Hours reposing And then Awaking into his Bosom in the Life of Immortality. And I heard the Name of their Emanations they are named Jerusalem...
Pagina 16 - And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown...
Pagina 145 - Periods, wondrous buildings; And every Moment has a Couch of Gold for soft repose, (A Moment equals a pulsation of the artery), And between every two Moments stands a Daughter of Beulah To feed the Sleepers on their Couches with maternal care. And every Minute has an azure Tent with silken Veils: And every Hour has a bright golden Gate carved with skill: And every Day & Night has Walls of brass & Gates of adamant, Shining like precious Stones & ornamented with appropriate signs: And every Month a...

Over de auteur (2015)

Magnus Ankarsjö is a visiting university lecturer at the University of Buckingham in southeast England.

Bibliografische gegevens