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Blake's Devil is no diabolical fallen angel, but a rebel hero turning his back on a church that seeks to suppress the true nature and love of humanity. And, Blake's Hell is no place of punishment, but a place of freedom where people can be what they truly are. This poet and engraver was considered a radical and an eccentric in his own time, partly because of his beliefs about religious dogma and doctrines. He believed them to be harmful and detrimental to humanity, and he wrote often in support of turning away from organised religion. Instead, he proposed that humanity would do better to explore its true nature, rather than deny it for religious reasons.
Proverbs of Hell is written in imitation of biblical proverbs but, instead of laying out a dogma by which he believed readers should live by unquestioningly, his proverbs are meant to provoke and inspire thought. Again, Blake was seeking to unshackle his readers from the chains of organised religion, hoping that they might then be one step closer to reality. "If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, Infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thro' narrow chinks of his cavern."
- The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.
- A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees.
- The busy bee has no time for sorrow.
- The pride of the peacock is the glory of God.
- The nakedness of woman is the work of God.
- One thought fills immensity.
Perhaps a few of those seem familiar, and perhaps you can see why Blake's ideas seemed radical; pride and nudity being natural and God's intention sits uncomfortably with a church that extols the virtues of restraint and modesty! These are but some of Blake's proverbs.
Again, I am glad that Blake's work has found its way onto my shelves. Though perhaps you are getting a little tired of my writing so much about it; I promise I am not proselytising, not trying to convince you, I just like talking about William Blake this much!
Having said that, ahem, if you would like to read more Blake, you can purchase The Marriage of Heaven & Hell here, or you can purchase the Vintage Classics' selection of his poetry here, from bookshop.org, who support independent bookshops.
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Thank you for reading. Stay safe. Stay well. And, read lots of good books!
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