William Blake’s Comic Vision

Rawlinson, N.

Blake's comic brilliance has been variously dismissed as the nervous ramblings of a neglected genius, the tomfool doodles of a distracted youngster, or a crude tool for destabilizing textual authority. But, for the eighteenth century, comedy played a pivotal role in debates on aesthetics, education, spirituality and morality. This exciting new study blends a close reading of Blake's early work with fascinating historical research to demonstrate that the comic was an essential component of Blake's artistic Vision.

Details

Published by: Palgrave Macmillan

Publication Date: 2003-02-14

Format: Paperback

ISBN-13: 9781349410606

DOI: 10.1057/9780230287235

Dimensions: 216.0cm x140.0cm

Pages: 292.0