Week 4 literature entry!
The most fascinating thing that I found in today’s tutorial was that Blake in fact was a very emotional man. I am not sure what I expected but in terms of the modern day man Blake certainly has a different side that many men in the 20th century lack! This idea came to my attention in today’s tutorial when we examined Samuel Palmer’s ‘Letter to Alexander Gilchrist’ which explores his views and relationship with the man himself, Mr William Blake. Palmer talks about Blake’s reaction to the Bible story of the Prodigal son Blake was in tears. I soon came to see through Palmer’s eyes that Blake was a man who was secure and confident within himself and thus didn’t need to be put on a peddle stool to believe in himself. This idea is seen through “one of the very few who cannot be depressed by neglect, and whose name rank and station could add no lustre”.
Blake is depicted as a transparent human being who is honest and not two faced: “He was a man without a mask.....so he was free, noble and happy”. This idea of freedom is closely connected with Blake’s connection and appreciation to children. Palmer indicates that Blake enjoyed talking and writing about children which is indicated through “That is heaven, he said to a friend, (referring to Blake) leading him to the window, and pointing to a group of them at play”. Furthermore, Blake embraced his own childhood by retaining some of the innocent qualities that children posses but most adults lose as they experience the hardships in the world. Blake admired children’s willingness to appreciate the simplicities of life and their openness to the world and different perspectives.
He challenged the Hierarchy’s of the church and in Palmer’s conservative view of the church he believes that Blake sometimes “suffered fancy to trespass within sacred precincts.” Palmer also reflects on Blake’s willingness to defy the socially accepted norms of society as “no authority or popular consent could influence him against his deliberate judgement”. However, it must be said that Blake actually had a very deep connection with his spiritual being and used the church teachings to establish this. We must remember that the power, structure and organisation of the church was much different back in those days so Blake would not have fit it, although embraces many Bible teachings and stories.
