Introduction
Blake’s society was in the midst of revolutionary fever, and the hope of a better future prompted the poet to express views he hoped would guide the people to freedom. His poems show that apparent evil is the manifestation of energy working to oppose the established order. This new perception of truth was a solution to societal challenges that halted development and encouraged the persecution of the innocent. Religious institutions assumed control of the people’s lives by dictating socially acceptable modes of conduct while prohibiting the full expression of human desire. Blake’s assessment of the corruption in “Songs of Innocence” fueled his disillusionment with religious entities in “Marriage of Heaven and Hell,” thus contributing to society’s understanding of the modern republic’s crisis.
Songs of Innocence
The juxtaposition of the unimpeachable pastoral reality of childhood against the tyrannical and corrupt adult world in “Songs of Innocence and Experience” highlights how the modern republic is in crisis. While poems such as “The Lamb” emphasize humble virtue, others such as “The Tyger” portray dark antagonistic forces. The works investigate the limitations and values of two distinct perspectives of life. It is worth noting that Blake pairs a majority of the poems to facilitate the evaluation of the same situation through different lenses. The poet distances himself from either perspective to identify and correct fallacies associated with innocence and experience.
Blake uses his poetic skill to criticize dictatorial authorities, sexual suppression, restrictive morality, and standardized religion. His most important assertion is that all the aforementioned vices contribute to the squelching of human spirituality and identity. In “Holy Thursday,” Blake castigates the Church for celebrating a holiday whose sole purpose is to expose the “thousands of little boys and girls” who suffer untold misery (Blake 73). He confronts society’s depiction of riches and civilization by radically stating that the people lived in “a land of poverty” (Blake 93). He further notes that the nature in which society cared for its children was “cold and usurious” because profit was the main motivation (Blake 93). These remarks align with themes in “The Merchant of Venice,” where wealth is the primary source of greed and dissatisfaction. In addition, it is a source of power and control that allows the play’s main characters to assert their will on those they deem inferior. The relentless aggression with which society’s institutions sought to address needy children’s needs for profit meant many individuals met their death in the pursuit of a living.
Blake dramatizes the callow aspirations and fears of youth and assesses their evolution as a child transforms into adulthood. Many of the poems highlight desirable aspects of human understanding before the disfigurement and corruption associated with experience. However, some of the author’s poems strongly condemn innocent purity. For instance, while he explains how rudimentary Christian values possess immense emotional power over innocent individuals, he points out that Christianity is capable of facilitating inequality and malice.
Blake uses contrasts and parallels to protest against how brutal experiences in adulthood annihilate the good in innocence while emphasizing the limitations of the naive perspective. In “The Tyger,” the poet indicates how the universe’s negative forces are unopposed by innocence. In many of the poems, Blake is keen to point out how institutions such as the Church are deeply embedded in politics to influence people’s minds. In “The Chimney Sweeper,” the poet uses color imagery to compare the soot with the “white hair,” which is representative of the young sweep’s innocent childhood (Blake 74). The soot will inevitably cause the child’s demise, a fact Blake satirically highlights in the phrase “happy and warm” as he describes the children’s attitude as they unknowingly court death (Blake 74). Even though the child’s guardians are religious fanatics, they see nothing wrong in exposing an innocent child to danger. The hypocrisy of religion is evident in society’s indifference to youthful virtuousness.
Marriage of Heaven and Hell
Blake’s disillusionment with religious institutions and their contribution to inequality is evident in the “Marriage of Heaven and Hell.” The author’s demonstration of a class war highlights the concept of a modern republic in crisis. The use of the phrases “new heaven” and “eternal Hell” demonstrate two opposed social strata. The majority are repressed by the few who have access to wealth and power. In essence, the new heaven symbolizes the poor and downtrodden members of society fighting against the religious leaders whom Blake defines as eternal hell. The phrases represent relationships of dominance where those in power have taken control of every aspect of life.
The intricacies of religious customs and the impact of the Church’s political strength are explored in “Persian Letters” by Montesquieu. He highlights how patriarchy promotes dehumanization and supports despotism which is capable of permeating all levels of society. The leaders’ exploitative and oppressive tendencies effectively control the populace and cement power structures that parallel contemporary society. Montesquieu’s assessment of the Seraglio highlights aspects of a modern republic in crisis and provides ways through which the people can regain control of their lives. Similarly, Blake prompts the people to change by proposing metaphysical arguments to highlight the failures in religion, education, and social life. He prompts his audience to disregard religious principles that insist on the existence of opposites in the phrase “without contraries is no progression” (Blake 248). The poet stresses the fact that the evil figures represent religious leaders who purposefully institutionalize biblical myths as law and deny alternative theories on the origin of life.
The Muqaddimah emphasizes how roadblocks characterize society’s quest for success. Additionally, the author posits that royal authority is required to restrain human evil. However, those in authority use their power to dominate their subjects by denying them life’s necessities. In the end, the people revolt leading to a republic in crisis. These views are supported in “The Argument” when Blake notes that “Rintrah” and his repressive priests are envious beings intent on intimidating those with creative energy (Blake 247). The “just man” is driven into the wilderness even though he has turned the “perilous path” into a beautiful garden (Blake 247). The poet emphasizes how people in power take everything from society, leaving the people destitute.
Conclusion
Blake’s evaluation of the ills that plague society helps deepen his audiences’ understanding of the modern republic’s crisis. The juxtaposition of childhood innocence and the corruption of adulthood underscores society’s indifference to youthful virtue. His aggressive attack on religious entities and their dishonest ways further emphasizes the failures of a system designed to profit a few members of society. Blake’s systematic dismantling of commonly held beliefs and conceptions helps open the people’s eyes to the realities of life under an institutionalized religious regime.
Work Cited
Blake, William. The Poetical Works of William Blake. Edited by John Sampson, Oxford University Press, 1906.