Published in 1794, Songs of Innocence and Experience is perhaps William Blake's best-known work. Blake's goal in creating these two groups of contrasting poems was to show two different sides of the human soul. This illustrated book contains the first collection of the poems from Songs of Innocence. As the title suggests, this collection showcases joy, love and the goodness of the human spirit. The first poem "The Shepherd," for example, reflects on God's steadfast love for humanity. Similarly, "The Lamb" celebrates the value of unquestioning faith in God. These simple poems are childlike in nature and often deal with children—a choice of Blake's that reflects his theme of innocence. Though these poems seem straightforward, the simple, innocent nature of these works is complicated by Blake's second collection of poems, Songs of Experience, which expresses an entirely different worldview. Read together, these collections highlight both the potential good and evil of human beings.
