Thisvolumeinthe21stCenturyOxfordAuthorsseriesoffersstudentsandreadersacomprehensiveselectionoftheworkofWilliamBlake(1757-1827).Accompaniedbyfullscholarlyapparatus,thisauthoritativeeditionenablesstudentstoexploreBlake’spoetry,illuminatedpoetry,andprosealongsideselectionsfromhisletters,manuscripts,notebook,advertisingpamphlets,marginalia,andworksheprintedinconventionalletterpress.TheeditionarrangesBlake’sworksinchronologicalorder,accordingtothedatewhentheywerefirstprintedor,inthecaseofunpublishedworks,theyearsinwhichtheywerecomposed.Withthehelpofeditorialheadnotesandannotations,thisarrangementbringstotheforegroundBlake’smaterialandintellectuallaboursasapoet,painter,prophet,andnon-academicphilosopher;thenetworksofacquaintances,friends,patrons,andenemieswhohelpedsupportorprovokethiswork;andthetumultuoushistoricaleventsherespondedto,whichincludedthebeginningofmodernfeminism,theagriculturalandindustrialrevolutions,theAmericanandFrenchRevolutions,WilliamPitt’sso-called’ReignofTerror’inBritain,anattemptedrevolutioninIreland(1798),asuccessfulslaverebellioninHaiti(1791-1804),andtheFrenchrevolutionaryandNapoleonicwars.SomeeditionsattempttosanitizeBlake,byhidingfromviewthemoststartlingelementsofhisthought;butinthiseditionBlake’ssexual,political,religious,andpoeticheterodoxycomesintofullview.Atthesametime,thiseditionforegroundsthedynamicsofBlake’scompositeart,withequalweightgiventoitsverbalandvisualdimensions;makesvisiblethechieflinesofforcethatstructurehisoeuvre;andhighlightshisdevelopingthoughtonsapphism,sodomy,thebody,relationsbetweenthesexes,therootsofviolence,andthepoliticsofimagination.ThisisaBlakewhosedialoguewithhisowntimeanticipatesmuchlaterdevelopments,includingmoderndepthpsychologies;analysesofthesocialandpsychologicaldynamicsofwarandpeace;interestinthebody,sexuality,andgender;andexperimentsintherelationbetweenactualandvirtualrealities--aBlakewhoisprovocative,unsettling,exhilarating,andsomehowourcontemporary.Explanatorynotesandcommentaryareincluded,toenhancethestudy,understanding,andenjoymentoftheseworks,andtheeditionincludesanIntroductiontothelifeandworksofBlake,andaChronology.
