Reading Response: William Blake- A Song of Liberty

A Song of Liberty embodies strong views on freedom and revolution that mirrors political and aesthetic movements of Romanticism. The French Revolution played a major role in the Romantic era, and the idea of freedom versus oppression is evident in Blake’s writing. From the beginning lines of A Song of Liberty Blake portrays the birth of revolution as being heard all over the world, with a call to France to “rend”, or tear, down their dungeons (an end to monarchy) and Spain to abandon the Catholic church.

By the time Blake wrote the “Song” in the early 1790s, the French Revolution had barely begun, so the excitement and support of the rebels was at a high. Although, Blake also seems to be referencing to another revolution that had ended not long before. Beginning on line 8, he says “on those infinite mountains of light, now barred out by the Atlantic sea” which speaks to the newly independent United States. The American Revolution was a prime example of what would be “the new born fire” that “stood before the starry king.” Blake is taking examples from other demands of freedom and independence in order to call Great Britain to action, even though that demand was made against his own country.

The Romantic Era was characterized by an interest in individualism and freedom, influenced greatly by the French Revolution, and Blake seems to also draw inspiration from revolutions abroad as well. In A Song of Liberty, Blake is not subtle in his call to other countries to rid themselves of strictness and rigidity of their old ways, which were contrary to the ideas of change and freedom that were brought to the forefront of society by Romanticism.