The English poet and painter William Blake appears to be mysterious, mainly because his works are not easy to comprehend. His poems and books are full of religious and philosophical questions and metaphors, some of his works are even accompanied by paintings which make his legacy even more complex.
Blake lived in revolutionary times. The era can be characterised as a time of big upheavals and major changes in society. Reasons for this are the French and the American Revolution which had an influence on writers of the early Romantic period. Furthermore the first signs of industrialisation in the late 18th century showed the need for political reforms. A connection between the events in France and the apocalyptic prophecies in the bible was drawn - a belief in a universal peace, similar to the promise of paradise following this apocalypse in the bible. When this hope was not satisfied, thinkers did not abandon it, but started a quiet, moralistic revolution.
In Blake’s work, both the social criticism and the religious aspect can clearly be found. This paper wants to find out about William Blake’s (religious) beliefs which are often seen as idiosyncratic. It tries to explain the most significant influences on Blake and his writing by illustrating his relationship with the Church of his time, the ideas of the Deist movement and the influence of the mystic Emanuel Swedenborg. Afterwards it will describe the influences of religion on the well-known volumes of poetry “Songs of Innocence” and “Songs of Experience” by commenting on exemplary poems of both volumes.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. William Blake’s religious views
2.1 William Blake and the Church of England
2.2. Blake’s scepticism against the Deists
2.3. Blake and Swedenborg
3. Blake’s religious views in ‘Songs of Innocence’ and ‘Songs of Experience’
3.1. The Chimney Sweeper
3.2. The Little Black Boy
3.3. The Tyger
4.Conclusion
5. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper explores the often-labeled idiosyncratic religious and philosophical beliefs of William Blake, examining how his critical perspective toward established institutions and contemporary movements influenced his literary output. By analyzing the interplay between his societal critique and theological inquiries, the research aims to uncover how these personal convictions manifest within his seminal poetic works, "Songs of Innocence" and "Songs of Experience."
- The ambivalent relationship between William Blake and the Church of England.
- Blake’s intellectual opposition to the rationalist Deist movement.
- The theological influence of Emanuel Swedenborg on Blake’s worldview.
- The representation of religious symbols and social criticism in his poetry.
- The dialectical tension between contrary states in Blake’s "Songs."
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 William Blake and the Church of England
Blake’s attitude towards the church of his times can be seen as quite ambivalent. Although it can be said that he rejected the institution, he also shared some ideas and beliefs of the Church of England. J.G. Davies states in his work “The Theology of William Blake”: “At his own wish he was buried according to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England in Bunhill Fields, on Friday, 17 August 1827”. This might indicate that Blake, even though he criticised the institution on several occasions, also felt a certain sense of attachment to their ideas.
The reasons for his rejection of the Church were diverse: Blake distrusted the clergy of his time and its failings, since they were “[…] spending so much time and energy in promoting their own interests, they took little notice of the miserable plight of the majority of the population, and those few priests who did so only threw into greater relief the apathy of the Church as a whole”. One might say, a problem which has always been discussed in ecclesiastical history, Davies even compares Blake’s disgust for the clergy with the rejection of the biblical Pharisees. Furthermore Blake as an artist was opposed to the Church’s view of arts and “its […] way to neglect the works of painters”. However, it is questionable whether this neglect had its roots in the beliefs of the Church, or existed due to other factors within the epoch Blake found himself in. In general, “the atmosphere of religious crisis that pervades Blake’s poetry is partly a reflection of the times in which he lived”.
He rejected the Church for its heartlessness towards “sinners” and insistence on doctrine - to Blake this was not the idea of Christianity: “The Church was lacking in compassion and forgiveness […] all the Church did was to preach stern duty, passive obedience to the ‘stony law’”. Even more controversially, it supported the rulers but was neglecting the poor. However, Blake also detected that the Church played an important role in caring for the sick and weak in its support for St. Thomas’ Hospital.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction outlines the complex nature of William Blake’s life and work, setting the stage for an examination of his religious and philosophical influences during the revolutionary era.
2. William Blake’s religious views: This chapter examines Blake’s critical stance toward the Church of England, his skepticism regarding the Deists, and the impact of Swedenborgian theology on his developing personal faith.
2.1 William Blake and the Church of England: This section details Blake’s ambivalent connection to the Anglican Church, highlighting his distrust of the clergy and his criticism of their neglect of social responsibilities.
2.2. Blake’s scepticism against the Deists: This chapter analyzes Blake’s opposition to the Deistic reliance on rationalism and natural law, which he viewed as antithetical to spiritual perception.
2.3. Blake and Swedenborg: This part explores the influence of Emanuel Swedenborg on Blake, particularly regarding the conceptualization of God as a tangible, personal being.
3. Blake’s religious views in ‘Songs of Innocence’ and ‘Songs of Experience’: This chapter bridges the gap between Blake’s theoretical beliefs and their practical application in his poetry, focusing on specific poems that reflect these ideas.
3.1. The Chimney Sweeper: This analysis uses "The Chimney Sweeper" to demonstrate how Blake employs religious symbolism to critique social order and the institution of the Church.
3.2. The Little Black Boy: This section discusses the Swedenborgian elements within the poem and how Blake integrates traditional Christian teachings with his own unique views on afterlife and equality.
3.3. The Tyger: This chapter focuses on the philosophical skepticism inherent in "The Tyger," arguing that the poem’s unresolved questions are essential to Blake’s dialectical worldview.
4.Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes that Blake’s work is defined by the necessity of contraries, confirming his status as an idiosyncratic and visionary thinker.
5. Bibliography: Lists the academic sources and secondary literature used to construct the argument.
Keywords
William Blake, Songs of Innocence, Songs of Experience, Church of England, Deism, Emanuel Swedenborg, Romanticism, Religion, Philosophy, Poetry, Social Criticism, Idiosyncratic, Rationalism, Contraries, Theology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper examines the idiosyncratic religious and philosophical beliefs of the English poet and painter William Blake and how these views inform his poetry.
What are the primary themes analyzed in the work?
The study focuses on Blake’s skepticism toward the Church of England, his opposition to Deist rationalism, his interaction with Swedenborgianism, and his critique of social injustices in his "Songs."
What is the primary objective of this research?
The goal is to explain the most significant influences on Blake’s writing by illustrating his relationship with the religious and philosophical currents of his time.
Which scientific method is employed?
The author uses a qualitative, analytical approach, examining historical context and secondary literary criticism to interpret Blake’s poems as expressions of his personal worldview.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body discusses the origins of Blake’s religious attitudes and provides detailed readings of specific poems, such as "The Chimney Sweeper," "The Little Black Boy," and "The Tyger."
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include William Blake, Romanticism, Religion, Deism, Swedenborg, social criticism, and dialectical thinking.
How does Blake’s view of "contraries" function in his work?
Blake believed that "without Contraries is no progression," meaning that elements like reason and energy, or love and hate, must coexist and struggle for human existence to advance.
What does the author conclude about Blake’s religious orientation?
The author concludes that Blake did not adhere to any single movement but synthesized various influences into a personal, visionary, and idiosyncratic belief system.
- Quote paper
- Selina Kunz (Author), 2009, William Blake’s idiosyncratic beliefs and his poetry, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/133907
