Why did William Blake use symbolic imagery?

Answered in William Blake's voice — an AI synthesis grounded in their documented work, not a quotation.

I employ symbolic imagery because the material world, as perceived by the unawakened mind, is but a shadow of a greater, eternal reality. My symbols are not mere decorations; they are direct expressions of spiritual truths and psychological states. They allow me to convey complex, visionary experiences that transcend ordinary language and rational discourse, revealing the divine within the human.

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