the poem All Religions Are One by William Blake captured my attention. The belief that God exists in every man (British Literature,76) is profound for this type of thinking and time period. Blake's work reveals the unlimited questions and and radical thinking about the change in religion for that time period. It appears that Blake is viewing the world around him in a global perspective. Although Principle 6 states,
"The Jewish & Christian Testament are
An original derivation from the Poetic Genius..." (British Literature, 77)
it can be assumed that Blake maybe also talking about other religions that may have arisen or become recognized during the period of the Romantics. He makes this claim in Principle 7;
"As all men are alike (tho infinitely various) So all Religions:
& as all similars
have one source...(British Literature, 77).
Blake recognized that human existence did not primarily focus on man's religious beliefs. His thoughts centered around a God that was shared by many faiths, "Religions of all Nations are derived from each..."(British Literature, 77).
Another profound topic that Blake addresses is the topic of race and religion. In the poem, The Little Black Boy, there are tones of race attributed to purity and God; "And I am Black, but O! my soul is white..." (British Literature, 77). The Little Black Boy represents an image of oppression and that his soul is the purest form that resides within him. The poem goes further with the black child explaining to the white child that they are not the same, but their souls are equal; "For when our souls have learn'd the heat to bear, The cloud will vanish we shall hear his voice...: (British Literature, 81).
Blake perceives racism and oppression as part of a God driven order that gets equalized or disappears through death, relief from the physical world. In depth, The Little Black Boy poem shows some ambivalence to Christian thinking-struggling in the earthly life and rewards given in heaven. Blake's interpretation of oppression and racism reveals that the time period was reflective of concerns with old social norms.
I had some questions about the poem, once I read it for the thirtieth time. The one question that came to my mind as "Why wasn't the voice of the little English child present in the poem?" The little black child's outlook on his situation (his race) is almost demeaning. However, I had to reflect on the time period and examine Christian beliefs that may have been standard at the time and the application of the belief through the eyes of Blake. However, I do think that Blake was trying to shed some light on the race and inequality in society to his limited perspective on race. Blake was English, but by no means was he privileged. However, he was able to look at the societal perspectives of oppression and race.
William Wordsworth
I attached William Wordsworth to this blog post because I believe, he was the "flip side" or the counter part to Blake's work. Whereas Blake was controversial in religious beliefs and possible sought to figure unfavorable societal conditions, Wordsworth attached himself to the lost art of beauty and good in man and nature. This is relevant to the to societal changes that were happening in England. There were more cities and less villages and towns. People were migrating towards the city and city life as a better means of existence (Podcast 2, Glance). For example, his poem/ballad Simon Lee, Wordsworth, examines the life of an old hunter who has aged, along with his wife and has very little to look forward to;
I had some questions about the poem, once I read it for the thirtieth time. The one question that came to my mind as "Why wasn't the voice of the little English child present in the poem?" The little black child's outlook on his situation (his race) is almost demeaning. However, I had to reflect on the time period and examine Christian beliefs that may have been standard at the time and the application of the belief through the eyes of Blake. However, I do think that Blake was trying to shed some light on the race and inequality in society to his limited perspective on race. Blake was English, but by no means was he privileged. However, he was able to look at the societal perspectives of oppression and race.
William Wordsworth
I attached William Wordsworth to this blog post because I believe, he was the "flip side" or the counter part to Blake's work. Whereas Blake was controversial in religious beliefs and possible sought to figure unfavorable societal conditions, Wordsworth attached himself to the lost art of beauty and good in man and nature. This is relevant to the to societal changes that were happening in England. There were more cities and less villages and towns. People were migrating towards the city and city life as a better means of existence (Podcast 2, Glance). For example, his poem/ballad Simon Lee, Wordsworth, examines the life of an old hunter who has aged, along with his wife and has very little to look forward to;
"To say the least, four counties round
Had hear of Simon Lee;
His master's dead, and no one now
Dwells in the hall of Ivor;
Men, dogs and horses, all are dead;
He is the sole survivor" (British Literature,198).
Wordsworth portrays a pretty grim picture of Simon Lee's life as an aging huntsman. However, the tragic feeling of aging, struggling and society shifting to a selfish society, prevails at the end of the poem when a man (Wordsworth) offers to help Simon Lee who is struggling with chopping roots of a tree;
"The tears into his eyes were brought,
And thanks and praises seemed to run
So fast out of his heart, I thought
They never would have done "(British Literature, 199).
What is most recognizable in the poem is the societal problem of the abandonment of the aged. Todays' society still struggle with caring for the aging and incorporating the aging in society in a positive manner. Wordsworth weaves through the poem giving account for Simon Lee's life as a viable participant in society, who, childless, still continue to bestow the energy to continue his work.
In their respective arts, Blake and Wordsworth saw societal concerns in different aspects, however their topics were reflective of the issues that are still prominent today. Religion, oppression, racism, humanity, human kindness, aging, are all relative issues that are faced today. The insight to these social issues will make for further interesting reads in the Romanticism era.
In their respective arts, Blake and Wordsworth saw societal concerns in different aspects, however their topics were reflective of the issues that are still prominent today. Religion, oppression, racism, humanity, human kindness, aging, are all relative issues that are faced today. The insight to these social issues will make for further interesting reads in the Romanticism era.
Denise,
ReplyDeleteGood first post on your blog! I like the way you focus on specific poems by each author, and quote and discuss passages from each. That is a good strategy to follow in these blogs. I also like that you provide parenthetical citations, but in the future cite the author's name rather than "British Literature," and cite the line numbers for poetry rather than the page numbers. SInce many poems are short and are only a single page long, page numbers are not that useful for locating specific passages in them. Good speculations here, and I think your practice of rereading the poem is appropriate (although thirty rereadings seems a bit excessive).
In the poem All Religions Are One, do you think that Blake is merely just talking about new religions that derived from the Romantic time period or saying that even thought there are different religions they all came form the same original source of belief? Also who do think the "poetic Genius" is?
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