[Solution]1) What does William Blake think of the English society of his time? Your essay may include commentary on his attitude to religion, government, racism, the burgeoning industrial age, and/or anything else you consider relevant. 2) Discuss the political implications of Shelley’s “Ozymandias.”

William Blake was a British poet, painter, and printmaker during the Romantic Era known for his visionary poetry and art. His work often focused on themes of spirituality, free will, and social justice. During his lifetime, England was being heavily impacted by the Industrial Revolution which changed the landscape of the country from rural to urban in a short amount of time. This industrialization process created immense wealth for some but left many others behind with little opportunity or chance at social mobility.

Blake despised traditional religion as he felt it oppressed individuals’ ability to think freely and encouraged mindless conformity instead; this sentiment is reflected in several poems including “The Garden of Love” which speaks out against organized faith. Additionally, he believed that government systems should require people to be accountable for their actions rather than just blindly following orders handed down from above – particularly when those orders were oppressive in nature (like with taxation without representation).

Racism was also rampant during Blake’s lifetime with English colonialism still going strong around the world; however Blake spoke out against these injustices through works like “The Little Black Boy” which tells the story of an African boy struggling to reconcile his identity in a world where white supremacy reigned supreme. He also wrote about how these injustices affected him personally due to his mixed-race heritage via poems like “The Chimney Sweeper: A Little Black Thing Among The Snow”.

Shelley\’s \”Ozymandias\” is a sonnet written about an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh whose hubris led him to build an enormous monument depicting himself as invincible only for it later become one among ruins after years had passed by—a warning about hubris & impermanence despite seeming strength/power today. From a political perspective, Shelley used this poem as means of critiquing contemporary leaders who seemed omnipotent yet would eventually suffer similar fates due unchecked ambition/greed regardless of whether they ruled over nations or empires alike. Therefore its message could be seen as relevant even today given how corruptible power can be when placed into few hands or concentrated instead shared amongst many – acting not just as reminder that all rulers are mortal but also cautionary tale illustrating dangers associated with vanity & arrogance no matter how high one might climb up proverbial ladder over course time.