Week 2 - Post

[chrisoneill]

Here's my impressions of The Clod and the Pebble by William Blake.

After reading it, I began to think that I liked it. Its ryhming style was unlike any I had came across before (perhaps due more to my uncultured reading history than Blake's inventiveness - but that remains to be seen). I enjoyed its symmetry and the way that the reader does not

Comments

Niggling little question - here's my take

[lizkaras]

First of all, I love your writing style and your vocabulary! You seem to be intelligent and quite credible in your writing. I particularly enjoyed your inner dialogue "Despite trying to convince myself of being enamoured with its artistic dexterity and poise... why are two obviously inanimate objects with no soul, mind or reason for being discussing the motivations of love?"

Just fabulous.

I think the point you may have missed persay is that the ability to keep their own form/structure(i.e. permanence) of the Clod and the Pebble is key to the credence of the ideas of love that they are singing/warbling about. Despite their animated nature being highly unrealistic, the point may be to imply which view of love is the one that persists throughout all weather and obstacles and which erodes and withers at the tiniest touch.

There is a sense of warped ideals with the Clod, being a piece of clay that crumbles at the slightest movement, is presenting the idea of selfless love and the Pebble is backing up selfish love building "a Hell in Heaven's despite", when we obviously want, nay, need it to be the other way around. We are very romanticised human beings (as demonstrated by Plessix Gray's essay "On Friendship") and we enjoy the idea of selfless love being dominant within society. Blake is attempting to turn this thought around in his poem, subtle though it may be.

Let me know your thoughts in any case, I'd love to hear your feedback and what you think after my not-so-well-explained point has been made.

Cheers, keep up the good work
Liz

Re: Niggling little question - here's my take

[chrisoneill]

Thanks for the comment Liz. It's always nice when someone reads what you write and their first reaction isn't to launch into a frenzy of projectile vomitting which the case with most of the guff I put down.

I understand what you are saying about the symbolism of love being able to stand up to the test of time. Your mentioning of the clay that crumbles at the slightest movement is quite well founded I feel, having as its foil the pebble who endures. Must think about it a bit more after another reading I guess...

Also, it's hardly a 'not-so-well-explained' point I must add. Your ability to decipher these texts and your obvious writing talent seem to be quite formidable talents methinks.

Thanks again,
Chris.