While William Blake was a unique and gifted writer by the measures of any era, his poetry also reflected the background and worldview from which he came. Blake's writing and worldview were heavily influenced by: Christian thought and the Bible; societal changes that stemmed from the Industrial Revolution; and changing ideas about social mores. However, Blake was not a traditional Christian; rather than following the tenets of the Church of England, he created his own personal theology that synthesized his interpretations of the Bible as well as the works of philosophers and theologians.
As a result of Blake's unique and often obscure theological references and biblical...
