Reading William Blake

by Stephen C. Behrendt

William Blake's illuminated poems challenge their readers to participate fully in a highly interactive process of reading. The complex interaction of their verbal and visual texts forces the involved reader to assume greater responsibility than usual for formulating meaning. This book examines some of the ways in which Blake's illuminated poems subvert the customary authority of texts and force readers to reassess both their expectations about reading and their customary responses to words and visual images alike.

228 pages, Hardcover

First published March 30, 1992

Reviews

[Tara]

Provided interesting metatextual analysis. Very skilfully incorporates music theory into the analysis of form, which gave me a really unique understanding of the Songs.