Blake and Lucretius: The Atomistic Materialism of the Selfhood

This book demonstrates how William Blake aligned his concept of the Selfhood with the atomistic materialism of the Epicurean school, revealing that Blake was aware of classical atomistic cosmogony and sense-based epistemology and systematically mapped postlapsarian existence onto an Epicurean framework.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 266 pages
Publication date: 25 November 2022
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This book explores the fascinating relationship between the idiosyncratic concept of selfhood articulated by William Blake and the atomistic materialism of the Epicurean school as it was transmitted through the Roman poet and philosopher Lucretius in the first century BC. Through a comprehensive re-evaluation of Blake's work, this study aims to clarify the classical stream of Blake's philosophical heritage through Lucretius, return Blake to his historical moment, a thirty-year period from 1790 to 1820, which has been described as the second Lucretian moment in England, and employ a new exegetical model to understand the phenomenological parameters and epistemological frameworks of Blake's mythopoeia.

What emerges from this study is a profound realization that Blake was not only aware of classical atomistic cosmogony and sense-based epistemology but that he systematically mapped postlapsarian existence onto an Epicurean framework. This revelation sheds light on Blake's unique perspective and his ability to blend different philosophical schools to create a rich and complex body of work that continues to inspire and challenge readers today.

In conclusion, this book offers a fresh and insightful perspective on William Blake's work, demonstrating how he aligned his idiosyncratic concept of selfhood with the atomistic materialism of the Epicurean school. By addressing this philosophical debt, this study provides a valuable contribution to the field of Blake studies and offers a new way of understanding the complexities of his mythopoeia.

Weight: 364g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030888909
Edition number: 1st ed. 2021