| Abstract | William Blake was a poet, artist, and engraver whose poetic, literary, and artistic work are deeply valued today and he is considered to be among the first and one of the greatest of the English Romantics. This versatile genius used motifs and imagery of flowers and plants in his poems to convey deep meanings in linguistically simple poetic works. The elements of nature have always inspired him, so it is no surprise that a simple rose, sunflower, or lily is endowed with unrivalled significance in his poems. Floriography, the language of flowers, is typical of Blake’s poetry and the imaginative power of flora in his poems is evident. By using a few simple words, Blake had the power to take hold of the attention of his readers and motivate them to think deeply about a simple motif, like a blossom. The aim of this paper is to offer an insight into the motifs of flowers and plants in Blake’s poems “Ah! Sun-flower,” “A Poison Tree,” “My Pretty Rose Tree,” “The Sick Rose,” “The Lily,” and “The Blossom.” The poems will be analysed individually, with a focus on the mentioned motifs. By providing multiple interpretations of Blake’s poetry, readers can get a grasp of his ingenuity in conveying deep meaning, usually concerning human life, in seemingly simple, straightforward poems. |
