Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience

Written by William Blake

Narrated by Roy Macready

The “Songs of Innocence” were published in 1789 and republished in 1794 together with the “Songs of Experience”. They represent Blake's two perspectives on the world, that of the child (innocence) and that of the adult (experience).

Blake's poetical works were largely neglected in their own time but are today considered some of the most brilliant of English verse. The “Songs” are presented here together with “Auguries of Innocence".

Public Domain (P)2016 Spiders' House Audio/Roy Macready

• Language: English
• Publisher: Big Happy Family
• Release date: Jul 7, 2016
• ISBN: 9781509461622

William Blake

William Blake was born in London in 1757. He was apprenticed to a master engraver and then studied at the Royal Academy under the guidance of Joshua Reynolds. In 1789 he engraved and published Songs of Innocence and the contrasting Songs of Experience came later in 1794. A poet, painter and printmaker of great originality and imagination, his work was largely unrecognized during his lifetime and he struggled to make a living. Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age. He died in 1827.