Blake's comic brilliance has been variously dismissed as the nervous ramblings of a neglected genius, the tomfool doodles of a distracted youngster, or a crude tool for destabilizing textual authority. But, for the eighteenth century, comedy played a pivotal role in debates on aesthetics, education, spirituality and morality. This exciting new study blends a close reading of Blake's early work with fascinating historical research to demonstrate that the comic was an essential component of Blake's artistic Vision.

Autorentext

Nick Rawlinson is Lecturer in English at Queen Mary and Westfield College at the University of London.

Inhalt

Preface Abbreviations Songs on Pleasant Glee: William Blake and the Comic Mirth at the Errors of a Foe: The Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Comic World Playing the Fool: Blake's Sense of Humour I Love the Jocund Dance: The Comic in the Poetical Sketches and Tiriel Talking of Virtuous Cats: An Island in the Moon To Sing the Sweet Chorus of Ha, Ha, He: The Songs of Innocence and of Experience A Vision of the Last Judgement: The Comic in Blake's Designs And to Conclude: A Fool Sees Not the Same Tree a Wise Man Sees Appendix Notes Bibliography Index