Class Description
Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
—William Blake (1757-1827)
Explore William Blake as a multimedia artist, focusing on his most accessible and beloved book, Songs of Innocence and of Experience. The poems and engravings in this book integrate every facet of Blake’s talent: poet, singer, engraver, painter, and printer. We will discuss such classics as “The Lamb,” “The Tyger,” and “The Chimney Sweeper,” comparing multiple versions of the colorful hand-painted engravings that Blake created to accompany his songs. We will also listen to musical adaptations performed by various contemporary artists.
Michael Hennessy, PhD, Marquette University, is a retired literature professor and award-winning teacher who has taught at four universities, including Texas State University and Loyola University Chicago. His anthology Little Poems was published by Knopf in 2023.
Materials List
Order from the Newberry Bookshop!
Required
First Reading
- For our first meeting, please read the introduction to the course book, pp. 7-15.
Cost and Registration
4 sessions, $200 ($180 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.
To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.
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