Songs of Innocence and of Experience

Blake's illuminated paired worlds: the lamb and the tyger, two states of the human soul.

Specifications & Metrics

author

William Blake

type

Illuminated poetry collection

era

Romantic era (1789–1794)

language

English

verse form

Lyric metres with illuminated engraving

cantos count

46

Core Principles & Analysis

• Innocence appeared in 1789; Experience joined it in 1794 as a contrary state.
• Blake engraved, printed, and hand-colored each copy himself.
• 'The Tyger' and 'The Lamb' pair the collection's two souls.

Sources

• Wikipedia: Songs of Innocence and of Experience