Songs of Innocence and of Experience

William Blake subtitled his Songs of Innocence and of Experiençe Shewing Two Contrary States of the Human Soul. Many of the poems in Experience contrast with the simplicity of earlier ones in Innocence, but Blake's overall vision of the human condition is one where good and evil exist interdependently. This vision is also reflected in Blake's coloured engravings of the poems, examples of which are included in this collection. The edition has comprehensive notes on the poems and an Approaches section offering commentary and activities on key themes and techniques, such as Blake's political beliefs and the role of imagery within his poetry.