Next Tuesday we’re starting to read one of the greatest poets and artists: WILLIAM BLAKE (1757-1827). To introduce the author and spend our “precious time in class” reading his poems I’m asking you to do this post, step by step.

NEWTON http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/blake-newton-n05058

No other poet could better embody the pure essence of Creativity, the fight against the injustices of his time and the constant wish to balance & blend the OPPOSITE FORCES of life in a PERENNIAL QUEST FOR HARMONY, which will be one of main themes running through our syllabus. I’ve found a TV documentary you may find interesting. In order to help you while listening, I’ve created some True/False questions with EDPUZZLE.

STEP 1: Watch the EDPUZZLE video & answer the provided questions.

Since Blake’s message according to the documentary was: EMBRACE A WORLD OF CREATIVITY I’ve chosen this second video animation, highly visual.

I know some of you are Art lovers so sou can see The 10 best works by William Blake in this article by The Guardian.  They’re stunning and highly impressive. Some of his paintings refer to Dante’s Divina Commedia and you’ll find them familiar. The Lovers’ Wirlwind Beatrice 

Show them to your teacher of Italian 🙂

The last video is an animation. Sheila Graber was Commissioned by the Tate Gallery (London) to create a movie for their 1977 Blake Exhibition. She was even invited down into the Sculpture Hall where she actually made the movie in public view – thus demonstrating how animation on cel ( a transparent sheet of celluloid or similar film material that can be drawn on, used in the production of cartoons) is actually done. It follows “The Poets” journey from Heaven to Hell and back… showing that, as Blake said, “Energy is Eternal delight and whether we create of destroy-it’s the same energy.”

Now I hope you’ll be ready and willing to know more about this great artist and read together in class some of his poems. Bye!