I teach this poem for GCSE English literature and will absolutely be using this video to illustrate the political magnitude of Blake's writing - incredible and succinct analysis!!
How lucky are your students to have a caring and cultured teacher. Our professor made us buy Cambridge English Guillivers A2 lmao like this ain't a library book club
As someone who occasionally dabbles in creative writing and poetry, I really love this type of content from you. You do an impeccable job at immersing the viewer in the poems and creating an atmosphere around them with the video itself. I'd tell you to do a lot more of it, but I also love all of your other content and it feels as though you are at your best, when you simply write about whatever catches your interest at the time. Looking forward to whatever you decide to cover next.
I think Evan has maintained a high standard over a long time but my thing with this channel is Evan kinda dropped the ball by not keeping a high level of output. His uploads dramatically reduced through Covid, so he could write his book I guess? But that was when he most needed to increase his rate of uploading content to YT. If he had he might have way more subs and views now and made a lot more money probably than his book ever will.
It doesn't get better than the analysis of a poem when it comes to expressing the utmost with the minimal. 16 short lines is all it takes in the hands of a master
I have followed you for close to 10 years now and although I skip a few videos now (partly because of me changing, partly because of the changes in the channel) I still watch pretty much every one of your videos, they really bring something different from most youtubers and I discover stuff I would have maybe never heard about. I will always remember when I discovered Saturn eating! I'm sure you have inspired many people to do youtube videos (I know at least a few french youtubers who said they were directly inspired by your work), so thanks for everything!
I never cared much for poetry when at school. When I went into higher education as an adult and studied William Blake, specifically this poem, it gave me greater appreciation of poetry. He remains a personal favourite of mine, his themes and criticisms speak to me deeply.
I love all of your analyses and dissections of art, literature, culture anything! You make it interesting and fun. I loved your book, too! Thank you for the work that you do. I’m here for all of it!
I have heard someone use the phrase "mind-forg'd manacle" only once and only by Hitchens in a debate/speech against religion. I had no idea he got the phrase from Blake. It's very fitting.
Just found your channel today and so glad. When first hearing Blake's piece on London, it brought to mind John Cooper Clarke's "Beasley Street." The spoken word version is amazing, but the song is equally worth hearing.
Great video, I wanted to let you know I loved your audiobook. While personally I wasn't a superman guy growing up, your insights overall were valuable to my perspectives. Thanks, I look forward to your next book if you decide to write another, and of course your videos.
Awesome! I would love a Hart Crane analysis if you decide to do more poetry. “The Bridge: To Brooklyn Bridge” is a masterpiece and currently my favorite poem.
This is one of my favourite poems and one of the reasons for this is that I first heard it as the song London by Sparklehorse. Honestly do yourself a favour and listen to how Spakrlehorse puts this poem to music and makes a fantastic song
Hey nerdwriter1 I love your editing skills and content you produce. I've been your fan since you started this channel. Years passed rappers,model came and went. You are still my favourite 🫡👌✨
In the middle of reading your book (on the second chapter). It's amazing so far. Food for thought during my walks with the dog. I bought it on kindle - I hope you see the money from that?
Blake is definitely known more for his poetic works than his visual ones, it’s only in the last half century that he’s been truly appreciated in that sphere.
What do you make of the Capitalization of certain words? I know that Shakespeare (in the First Folio) intends the actor to pay particular attention to a word if it's capitalized, but since poetry is usually meant to be read more than spoken, why do you think so many words are emphasized in this way?
Love Blake's poem but couldn't help but notice a passing..or is it.. similarity to a contemporary creation.. The Verve's " History" , 1st 2 verses.. "I wander lonely streets Behind where the old Thames does flow And in every face I meet Reminds me of what I have run for In every man, in every hand In every kiss, you understand That living is for other men I hope you too will understand" Hmmmm... 🤔
Fantastic video in general, but I cannot help but think that interpreting the ending as a criticism of the institution of marriage is a massive stretch. The reasoning of misogyny creating sexual repression resulting in loveless marriages and thus creating a need for prostitution is mental gymnastics and falls apart under the bare minimum of scrutiny.
I would say the phrase "Marriage hearse" is pretty convincing evidence that it was--in part--commentary on the institution of marriage as it was at the time. Of course it's also just more general descriptions of the "cries" from stanza 2 just like stanza 3 was. The harlot curses (no doubt sorrowful of her own situation) her baby causing it to cry, and the harlot also curses marriages with plagues causing tears there.
@@j.prt.979 I'm not that convinced. It is a specific instance (not every, not general but specific instances of the harlot, the child and the couple) and the act of infidelity is itself a negation of what the institution of marriage is supposed to be and have been. And I very much doubt that the author was arguing that paid extramarital affairs are part and parcel of what marriage is. Furthermore, the plagues are, as I understand it, what is turning the wedding carriage into a marriage hearse.
This is a wonderful video on a wonderful poem. HOWEVER! I do think you may have overstepped in your assumptions about what the soldier's blood was meant to evoke. Slightly too modern, I think! But that's part of the fun of poetry. Who can ever know?
I was totally trapped by your narration, the exposition was perfectly clear and the edition helped a lot to follow the analysis. Thank you so much for your work!
There is an interesting meta-level here, as regards to the French revolution certainly. We know from history that the French revolution was actually incredibly illiberal - and everything counter to the hopes of people like him and Thomas Paine. So in a way this poem stands too as a warning of the hubris of the writer too. Just a thought.
I teach this poem for GCSE English literature and will absolutely be using this video to illustrate the political magnitude of Blake's writing - incredible and succinct analysis!!
Same! Can't wait to share with my Year 11s
How lucky are your students to have a caring and cultured teacher. Our professor made us buy Cambridge English Guillivers A2 lmao like this ain't a library book club
I was about to say that this poem is used for my A Level Lit course and I will absolutely steal every idea in this video lol
Gross
As someone who occasionally dabbles in creative writing and poetry, I really love this type of content from you. You do an impeccable job at immersing the viewer in the poems and creating an atmosphere around them with the video itself. I'd tell you to do a lot more of it, but I also love all of your other content and it feels as though you are at your best, when you simply write about whatever catches your interest at the time. Looking forward to whatever you decide to cover next.
Can we just appreciate the incredible high level of craft that The Nerdwriter has sustained for over 10 years now!
No. He’s awful lmao. Just pseudointellectual BS no one cares about.
No because he hasn't
I think Evan has maintained a high standard over a long time but my thing with this channel is Evan kinda dropped the ball by not keeping a high level of output. His uploads dramatically reduced through Covid, so he could write his book I guess? But that was when he most needed to increase his rate of uploading content to YT. If he had he might have way more subs and views now and made a lot more money probably than his book ever will.
It doesn't get better than the analysis of a poem when it comes to expressing the utmost with the minimal. 16 short lines is all it takes in the hands of a master
William Blake, the man who could compose a gripping hymn and a Yo’ Momma put down at the same time.
William Blake was one of the most talented people to ever live. An inspirational figure to me personally.
I have followed you for close to 10 years now and although I skip a few videos now (partly because of me changing, partly because of the changes in the channel) I still watch pretty much every one of your videos, they really bring something different from most youtubers and I discover stuff I would have maybe never heard about.
I will always remember when I discovered Saturn eating!
I'm sure you have inspired many people to do youtube videos (I know at least a few french youtubers who said they were directly inspired by your work), so thanks for everything!
This was terrific. Blake has always been my favourite poet. He always intones so much meaning into his work and London is one of his best.
Love that you evaluate poems and paintings. It helps you stand out as a giant amongst your peers!
I never cared much for poetry when at school. When I went into higher education as an adult and studied William Blake, specifically this poem, it gave me greater appreciation of poetry. He remains a personal favourite of mine, his themes and criticisms speak to me deeply.
Outstanding analysis of such a powerful poem. More of this, please.
Your videos have been consistently great for the longest time. Beautiful looks into art. Editing is always amazing.
I love all of your analyses and dissections of art, literature, culture anything! You make it interesting and fun. I loved your book, too! Thank you for the work that you do. I’m here for all of it!
I have heard someone use the phrase "mind-forg'd manacle" only once and only by Hitchens in a debate/speech against religion. I had no idea he got the phrase from Blake. It's very fitting.
Just found your channel today and so glad.
When first hearing Blake's piece on London, it brought to mind John Cooper Clarke's "Beasley Street."
The spoken word version is amazing, but the song is equally worth hearing.
Great video, I wanted to let you know I loved your audiobook. While personally I wasn't a superman guy growing up, your insights overall were valuable to my perspectives. Thanks, I look forward to your next book if you decide to write another, and of course your videos.
Awesome! I would love a Hart Crane analysis if you decide to do more poetry. “The Bridge: To Brooklyn Bridge” is a masterpiece and currently my favorite poem.
That's the painting from Red Dragon (2002) at 07:54
Hey Nerdwriter1! Can you please do videos about the mythology William Blake creates?
What a visionary he was! Shout out to my English professor Swartz whose knowledge of Blake was astounding and made learning about him fun.
Done that London poet in 9th grade. Love his poem. Even poisonous tree
The Harlots Curse, teh Infants Tear, and the Marriage hearse is LIFE
This is one of my favourite poems and one of the reasons for this is that I first heard it as the song London by Sparklehorse. Honestly do yourself a favour and listen to how Spakrlehorse puts this poem to music and makes a fantastic song
As a retired English professor, I found this insightful and remarkably efficient, with an excellent voice.
It's insane and yet beautiful that William Blake is still ahead of our time today.
"Mind forg'd manacles" reminds me of one of my favorite Nas lines - "I'm amped up/ they locked the champ up/ Even my brain's in handcuffs..."
A two day stay, you may say I need the time alone, to relax my dome, no phone, left the nine at home
Although this was written a long time ago, I can absolutely relate to what Blake is expressing here
I love when you put an eye on the dark
Loved your book!
Thank you from all the English Literature teachers currently teaching this poem to GCSE pupils! ❤
Love how you break down the poem 🙂
Reminds me of that song Streets of London by Ralph McTell
I watched all your videos and continue to be inspired. Thank you
Hey nerdwriter1 I love your editing skills and content you produce. I've been your fan since you started this channel. Years passed rappers,model came and went.
You are still my favourite 🫡👌✨
Astounding episode, as good as the "scariest painting" one.
He did the best illustration of Jacob’s Ladder!
Absolutely brilliant description!
William Blake and A.E Houseman my fav ❤
Great video! Glad to see you around
Thank you so much for the video. Excellent analysis.
btw your vids are coming up on my feed despite the fact that i watch nearly every one
A Brilliant autopsy of verses
No wayyyyyyy! Nerdwriter covering one of my favourite people in history.
Great video, always interesting and informative.
The Garden Of Love is my favourite Blake poem
In the middle of reading your book (on the second chapter).
It's amazing so far. Food for thought during my walks with the dog.
I bought it on kindle - I hope you see the money from that?
Ordering your book today.
Great video, as always.
Blake is definitely known more for his poetic works than his visual ones, it’s only in the last half century that he’s been truly appreciated in that sphere.
Among us ඞ 5:11
What an incredibly powerful power that still sadly echoes quite true today
Just bought the book on that sweet deal. Looking forward to finally reading it!
Thank you, Evan! 📜
So good as always
Excellent video! Greatest poem in the English language.
What do you make of the Capitalization of certain words? I know that Shakespeare (in the First Folio) intends the actor to pay particular attention to a word if it's capitalized, but since poetry is usually meant to be read more than spoken, why do you think so many words are emphasized in this way?
Another great one
Love Blake's poem but couldn't help but notice a passing..or is it.. similarity to a contemporary creation.. The Verve's " History" , 1st 2 verses.. "I wander lonely streets
Behind where the old Thames does flow
And in every face I meet
Reminds me of what I have run for
In every man, in every hand
In every kiss, you understand
That living is for other men
I hope you too will understand"
Hmmmm... 🤔
what's the painting being used at 4:18 ?
Fantastic video in general, but I cannot help but think that interpreting the ending as a criticism of the institution of marriage is a massive stretch.
The reasoning of misogyny creating sexual repression resulting in loveless marriages and thus creating a need for prostitution is mental gymnastics and falls apart under the bare minimum of scrutiny.
I would say the phrase "Marriage hearse" is pretty convincing evidence that it was--in part--commentary on the institution of marriage as it was at the time. Of course it's also just more general descriptions of the "cries" from stanza 2 just like stanza 3 was. The harlot curses (no doubt sorrowful of her own situation) her baby causing it to cry, and the harlot also curses marriages with plagues causing tears there.
@@j.prt.979 I'm not that convinced. It is a specific instance (not every, not general but specific instances of the harlot, the child and the couple) and the act of infidelity is itself a negation of what the institution of marriage is supposed to be and have been. And I very much doubt that the author was arguing that paid extramarital affairs are part and parcel of what marriage is.
Furthermore, the plagues are, as I understand it, what is turning the wedding carriage into a marriage hearse.
wow just studying this in the IB right now lol
I think everyone's vision of London is pretty dark, or at least if they've been there at least once
Can you please PLEASE do this but with the rest of the Power and Conflict anthology poems. Preferably before May
He's such an inspiration 🌠! Great job 👍🏻
Thank You!
Thank you
The fact that the captions auto-capitalized “Among Us” 😭
Nice. Thank you! More Blake please! :)
great job, I love you
Great video
5:11 among us
fantastic analysis, happy halloween!
Love your videos
cool vid man
A wonderful analysis of an english lit fave.
Not English Lit A-Level coming back to haunt me in later life 😭
Damn that's beautiful
Thanks for this/super useful paradigm for close reading Kashmiri and Palestinian poets!
Bravo!
Blake was a real one.
Good job :)
I can't thumbs up this enough!
This is a wonderful video on a wonderful poem. HOWEVER! I do think you may have overstepped in your assumptions about what the soldier's blood was meant to evoke. Slightly too modern, I think!
But that's part of the fun of poetry. Who can ever know?
@8:09 A lot like home
I was totally trapped by your narration, the exposition was perfectly clear and the edition helped a lot to follow the analysis. Thank you so much for your work!
If only my English educators had understood Blake!
Blake had Darkvision?!
Incoming nerdwriter bg3 video confirmed
No evidence says otherwise
Death walks behind you!
Tan, tararan, tan tan ta taan!
Any atomic Rooster fans out there?
Come on!
That's the first thing I thought of too!
@@bluesdjben hell yeah!
There is an interesting meta-level here, as regards to the French revolution certainly. We know from history that the French revolution was actually incredibly illiberal - and everything counter to the hopes of people like him and Thomas Paine. So in a way this poem stands too as a warning of the hubris of the writer too. Just a thought.
It was mixed. You can't get more illiberal than slavery, for instance, and they abolished it.
Blake was a time traveller confirmed!
How else could he have ripped off The Verve's History??
u didnt time stamp stanza 4
I saw a thing
and it was bad
It was so bad
it made me -- OH, what word will perfectly express my deep emotions because I'm a writer!??!!
Engage in an outdated fad?
96 years later: From Hell
Brilliant breakdown and vid! Blake's poem is still relevant in contemporary times ... unfortunately.
Even as a non-native English speaker this video is amazing. Easy to understand even for my dumbass
More poetry!
Why does this video in particular feel like a Vox video?
with what’s going on rn I’d do a William Blake vid to calm down too lollll
OMG WILLIAM BLAKE
Man, I just watched Red Dragon a few days ago. Your timing is...spooky!