William Blake and the Idea of Poetic Vision* And they conversed together in Visionary forms dramatic...
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Transcript of William Blake and the Idea of Poetic Vision* And they conversed together in Visionary forms dramatic...
William Blake and the Idea of Poetic Vision*
And they conversed together in Visionary forms dramatic which bright
Redounded from their Tongues in thunderous majesty, in Visions
In new Expanses, creating exemplars of Memory and of Intellect
Creating Space, Creating Time according to the wonders Divine
Of Human Imagination, throughout all the Three Regions immense
Of Childhood, Manhood & Old Age; & the all tremendous infathomable Non Ens
Of Death was seen in regenerations terrific or complacent varying
According to the subject of discourse & every Word & Every Character
Was Human according to the Expansion or Contraction, the Translucence or
Opakeness of Nervous fibres such was the variation of Time & Space
Which vary according as the Organs of Perception vary & they walked
To & fro in Eternity as One Man reflecting each in each & clearly seen
And seeing: according to fitness & order. -William Blake, Jerusalem, plate
98 * Univ. of Washington Lecture by Leroy Searle, 2007
Visionary Forms
Redounded from their tongues
Exemplars of Memory
Exemplars of Intellect
The Divine wonders of Human Imagination
Every Word & Every Character Was Human
Time & Space . . .vary according as the Organs of Perception vary
They walked/To & Fro in Eternity as One Man
Reflecting each in each & clearly seen and Seeing
According to fitness and order
Seeing Through not With the Eye
What it will be Questioned: When the Sun rises do you not see a round Disk of fire somewhat like a Guinea?
O no no! I see an Innumerable company of the Heavenly host
crying Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty.
I question not my Corporeal or Vegetative Eye any more than I would question a Window concerning a Sight. I look thro it & not with it.
(565-66. Punctuation added)
To see a World in a Grain of SandAnd a Heaven in a Wild FlowerHold Infinity in the palm of your handAnd Eternity in an hour From Auguries of Innocence, p. 490
Now I a fourfold vision seeAnd a fourfold vision is given to me Tis fourfold in my supreme delight And three fold in soft Beulahs night And twofold Always. May God us keep From Single vision & Newtons sleep –
Letter to Thomas Butts, 11-22-1802, p. 722
The Two Contrary States of the Human Soul
Title Page: Songs of Innocence and of Experience (copy z) Frontispiece to Innocence (copy z)
Introduction & The LambThe Lamb
ExperienceInnocence Experience
Experience• Intro to Experience Earth’s Answer
• Innocence • Experience
Vision (3 terms)Speaker in Innocence Speaker in Experience
What State is the Reader IN?
Reader sees I & E, and can recognize that BOTH are real, Neither is REALITY.The error in innocence is exactly complementaryto the error in experience: each thinks their view ISREALITY.
Vision 4 terms• As FELT (1) As FELT (2)
• AS READ/ SEEN (3)
• Critique Critique
• New State: the need for a POEM (4)
Things are (will be)
OK (if I’m Good)
Things SUCK,And it is
Somebody’sFAULT
Innocentvision
ContainsIts own
defeat & will generateIts contrary
The vision ofExperience Will poison
Its own World.
The reader canSee all this: there
Is NO choice Between
Innocence andExperience:
NEW CREATION
Visionary formsDramatic