[26] Jerusalem
this week's theme (sort of) - poems and rock music
And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?
And did the Countenance Divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among these dark Satanic mills?
Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land.
-- William Blake
|
from 'Jerusalem', 1804.
First, a Biographical Note, filched from the Wondrous World Wide Web
(yes, I shall be using a large number of Capital Letters in today's mail
:-)):
"I do not behold the outward creation... it is a hindrance and not
action." Thus William Blake--painter, engraver, and poet--explained why
his work was filled with religious visions rather than with subjects
from everyday life. Few people in his time realized that Blake expressed
these visions with a talent that approached genius. He lived in near
poverty and died unrecognized. Today, however, Blake is acclaimed one of
England's great figures of art and literature and one of the most
inspired and original painters of his time.
Blake was born on Nov. 28, 1757, in London. His father ran a hosiery
shop. William, the third of five children, went to school only long
enough to learn to read and write, and then he worked in the shop until
he was 14. When he saw the boy's talent for drawing, Blake's father
apprenticed him to an engraver.
At 25 Blake married Catherine Boucher. He taught her to read and write
and to help him in his work. They had no children. They worked together
to produce an edition of Blake's poems and drawings, called Songs of
Innocence. Blake engraved both words and pictures on copper printing
plates. Catherine made the printing impressions, hand-colored the
pictures, and bound the books. The books sold slowly, for a few
shillings each. Today a single copy is worth many thousands of dollars.
Blake's fame as an artist and engraver rests largely on a set of 21
copperplate etchings to illustrate the Book of Job in the Old Testament.
However, he did much work for which other artists and engravers got the
credit. Blake was a poor businessman, and he preferred to work on
subjects of his own choice rather than on those that publishers assigned
him.
A follower of Emanuel Swedenborg, who offered a gentle and mystic
interpretation of Christianity, Blake wrote poetry that largely reflects
Swedenborgian views. Songs of Innocence (1789) shows life as it seems to
innocent children. Songs of Experience (1794) tells of a mature person's
realization of pain and terror in the universe. This book contains his
famous `Tiger! Tiger! Burning Bright'. Milton (1804-08) and Jerusalem
(1804-20) are longer and more obscure works. Blake died on Aug. 12,
1827.
- Mark Harden and Carol Gerten-Jackson, WebMuseum
Blake was a Certified Poetic Genius - equal parts visionary, mystic,
revolutionary, romantic, eccentric and lunatic. Early on in his career
as a printer, he rejected the methods and models of fashionable painting
and created, alongside many highly competent commissions (mainly
illustrations), an art of his own: fusing poetry, engraving and
book-binding into a single expression. Yet his wonderfully produced
books and prints (now greatly treasured as works of art), were always
merely vehicles for his intense, sometimes apocalyptic visions.
Through it all, though, his poems remained uncompromisingly 'true' in
thought and description - Blake could be bitterly critical of what he
saw as wrong with his beloved England. It was this harsh, almost
Puritanical criticism, coupled with his joyful and curiously childlike
visions of heaven, that inspired him to his greatest flights of lyricism
As usual, the Bard puts it best:
"Lovers and madmen have such seething brains,
Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend
More than cool reason ever comprehends.
The lunatic, the lover and the poet
Are of imagination all compact:
One sees more devils than vast hell can hold,
That is, the madman: the lover, all as frantic,
Sees Helen's beauty in a brow of Egypt:
The poet's eye, in fine frenzy rolling,
Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven;
And as imagination bodies forth
The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen
Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing
A local habitation and a name."
from 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.
(Yes, I know, I cheated, I've included two poems instead of one today
:-))
What I like best about Blake, though, is the effortless skill with which
his verse is written. He creates wonderful, resonant phrases of lasting
beauty (almost the whole of today's poem, as well as the more famous
'Tyger', are testimony to that) using simple, natural, flowing language;
at a time when Euphuism (the use (some would call it abuse) of classical
allusions in poetry) ran riot, Blake's verse came like a breath of fresh
air. Sadly, it was not appreciated at the time.
Oh, and finally, the rock music connection: I really got to know and
appreciate this poem only after hearing Emerson, Lake & Palmer's
brilliant rock interpretation of it. Rarely have words, meaning and
music come together in such perfect synergy. Listen to it.
thomas.
From: Dan Marsh <reply@>
I can't help but agree, both on the points of Blake's writing and the
Emmerson, Lake, and Palmer version of this poem. I've also heard that
Blake composed it as a hymn, for the Church of England. At any rate,
what I find so striking about this poem (and it is one of my favorite
poems) is not only the effortless and vivid rhyme scheme, but the power
of the last two verses. The strength of Blake's love for his native
country is deeply woven in every line, and his final declaration -- that
he will not rest until his land is pure and true-- is emphatic and
moving.
Blake is of a fascinating school of English Christian mystics--
spiritual yet not overbearing, his convictions are profoundly strong,
yet remarkably tolerant of other ideas. I frankly think that his
ideals, presented very well in this poem, are good ones regardless of
what religion one actually subscribes to, and are definitely worth
emulating.
From: "Victoria Heward" <vheward@>
I've justfinished reading The Marian Conspiracies by (I can't remember)
which proposes an interesting theory on the writing of Blake's
'Jerusalem'. Blake saw or heard about a letter sent by St Augustine to
Pope Gregory in which he described a church in Britain which had been
built by Christ himself. Obviously this wasn't very good news for the
Roman catholics who thought themselves the first church and was
therefore hushed it up. Does anyone know anything about this or have any
other interpretations on Blake's idea that Christ walked on England's
green and pleasant land?
Vicky
From: Rick Francis <rickf666@>
My understanding is that the church stood at Glastonbury -- one tradition is that it was built by Joseph of Arimathea, who is also said to have brought the "three Marys" and the remains of Christ over the sea to the south of France. I have wondered if these stories represent a kind of reaction to the loss of the Crusaders' kingdom of Outremer in Palestine, as well as the resurgence of Marian sentiment that coincided with the romances of the jongleurs.
This poem of Blake's, by the way, is sung enthusiastically by Englishmen in pubs, where they punctuate it with shouts of "Fine girl you are!" The custom is preserved at a San Francisco watering hole for expats called the Edinburgh Castle, where I often used to go on Saturday nights -- they had a good piper there who knew much of the piobaireachd and played them well.
Rick
--Boundary_(ID_hhsUlA84IpXbOj8FwkOJyQ)
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My understanding is that the church stood at
Glastonbury -- one tradition is that it was built by Joseph of Arimathea, who is
also said to have brought the "three Marys" and the remains of Christ over the
sea to the south of France. I have wondered if these stories represent a
kind of reaction to the loss of the Crusaders' kingdom of Outremer in
Palestine, as well as the resurgence of Marian sentiment that coincided with the
romances of the jongleurs.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>This poem of Blake's, by the way, is sung
enthusiastically by Englishmen in pubs, where they punctuate it with shouts of
"Fine girl you are!" The custom is preserved at a San Francisco watering
hole for expats called the Edinburgh Castle, where I often used to go on
Saturday nights -- they had a good piper there who knew much of the piobaireachd
and played them well. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Rick</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
--Boundary_(ID_hhsUlA84IpXbOj8FwkOJyQ)--
From: "Murray, Michael" <Michael.Murray@>
I have to wonder if Blake was also writing to defend the pastoral life of
the English
countryside ("mountains green"... "pleasant pastures") against the
industrial revolution
("Among these dark Satanic mills?"). Earlier discussion points refer to
Blake's
disdain of the "outward creation", so surely he would have been appalled at
how the
industrial revolution was reshaping both the countryside and English life.
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From: "Anne Shields" <annes@>
I cant help but thinking after reading deeper into the text of this
poem, that it is infact a critisism of the opression that religion
created in society at the time.The rhetorical questions for example,"and
did those feet in ancient time walk upon Englands mountains green?" I
think refers to Jesus, and the answer to that question would quite
simply be no.He didnt walk upon english soil, there fore how can England
be almost governed by a religion that infact had nothing to do with the
country! "Bring me my bow of burning gold" this is blake linking
religion with money and power,as the reference to gold and bow,a weapon
used in war. The war reference, showing the power that religion actually
had over the people of England in that time. "Bring me my arrows of
desire" also a war like reference. The word 'desire' makes me think of a
corruption of innocence,which is typical of Blake poems from 'songs of
innocence and experience.' "Chariot of fire" the word fire,is a direct
reference to hell,"Built jerusalem in Englands green and pleasant land"
The building of Jeruselam throughout the poem is a metaphor for the
control that the church had over people,particularly those who were less
wealthy. Blake was truly a genius, i find it very odd that people
actually sing this in churches to praise thier god and religion when i
think it is actually quite the opposite.
From: jreminence_uk@
I think you all speak bullshit.
From: "A" <acescalona@>
I have but one question. Was Blake a freemason?
From: "Roland Howell" <r.howell87@>
It is however said that Christ did come to England to learn the tin
trade in Somerset and that his time there may account for the "missing
years"between his boyhood and his adult ministry.
Regards R. Howell
From: "Bellord, Frances" <Frances.Bellord@>
From someone in England. I don't think William Blake was worldly or well
connected enough to have been a freemason. Also this poem is sung loudly in
England at weddings in churches, I have just done so at a lovely wedding in
Beckenham, Kent.
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From: "Bellord, Frances" <Frances.Bellord@>
And another thing about Blake, he lived in Lambeth, South London, with his
wife and was quite dotty. He believed that he saw the soul of a man in a
flea and was quite often to be seen at the bottom of his garden with nothing
on.
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From: "Peter Ozanne" <ozanne@>
Dear Anne!
I read your comments on "Jerusalem" with great interest: you are
obviously someone who cares and thinks.
So, what would you like first: the good news, or the other good news?
The good news is that, yes, Blake was a genius, and you are right that
the poem is not the patriotic song that most people think, but a
critical look at the state of mind of society and religion.
The other good news is that the poem is a whole lot more positive than
you think. Why does Blake ask if Jesus ever visited England? Because
he's looking at the soulless, materialistic, unequal state of society,
and thinking, "If He ever was here, people have really screwed up when
it comes to following his ideas of peace, brotherly love, selfless
behaviour, etc." (Jesus went "missing" from the age of about 14 to
30-ish: there is one legend that he visited Glastonbury, England, and
another that he went to north India and studied Buddhism in a monastery
in Kashmir. Both are possible, and there are a lot of the basic elements
of Buddhism in his practical teachings - I can go into this in depth if
anyone wishes - but it doesn't actually matter if either legend is true
or not; it's v. unlikely we will ever get proof, one way or the other!)
So, why does he say he wants to build Jerusalem in England's green and
pleasant land, if, as you thought, Jerusalem is a symbol of the way the
Church oppresses people? O.K., you are right, that the church did - some
would say it still does - oppress and brainwash people with it's own
largely mistaken and lifeless version of what I think Jesus was trying
to teach, and Blake was acutely aware of this. He says he will not rest
until we have created a joyful, loving society. "I will not cease from
mental fight, nor shall my sword sleep in my hand, till we have built
Jerusalem, in England's green and pleasant land". The "sword" is maybe
his pen, which he used to spread his inspirational ideas.
If the "bow of burning gold" refers to the link between religion,
money, and power, why would Blake ask for it? Why would he ask for the
"corruption of innocence", as you interpret "arrows of desire"?. Surely
the "desire" which he is invoking here is the sincere and intense wish
to make things better! The "bow" is perhaps his intelligence, the
"chariot of fire" his energies: fire is often a positive symbol. Yes,
these are images taken from war, but Blokes war is against ignorance and
sadness. He is getting himself together for the great "fight" of telling
people that life is wonderful and magical, to lift them out of their
depression and selfishness (the sad selfishness that causes some people
to oppress others).
Blake wrote that "if the Doors of Perception are cleansed, Everything
appears as it truly is: Infinite". That's where Jim Morrison's "The
Doors" got their name, and Huxley got the title for a book about states
of mind and psychedelic drugs.
Blake was writing about the state of mind where he saw all life as one,
and the beauty of life when experienced with a calm, clear mind.
Teachers of peace and love, like Buddha and Jesus, talk about the
reality that is hidden in appearances, as do quantum physicists, and
Carlos Castaneda. Some people do meditation to get into this state of
freedom from suffering, in order to be of maximum benefit to others who
are feeling down, and some people take L.S.D. to try to blast out of the
narrow, normal view of things: although drugs may cause problems - the
experience can be too intense - and any good experiences fade
afterwards, as their source is external and temporary.
As for a religion being "foreign" or not, "feeling good" and "being
kind" do not belong to any country, they are for everyone. I think
that's basically what Jesus was teaching, before his followers put a
heavy "Old Testament" spin on his ideas, and the whole thing got
distorted by Rome's power-trip, mistranslation, and misinterpretation.
In conclusion, Anne: there are levels of meaning: the feelings you get
from this poem are special to you, and have a meaning within your life,
but they are not the whole story. A poet has his own ideas, and
sometimes we mistake our ideas for his. I think 99% of Blake scholars
would broadly agree with my take on "Jerusalem", but try to read
something by someone who has really done some serious research (not just
for fun, like me!). A good biography on Blake came out last year - I'm
going to the library!
Best Wishes,
Peter Ozanne.
From: Plainsinger@
Ms Shields,
I beg to differ with some of your interpretations. Regarding fire's "direct
reference to hell", you forget the fire which burns in the belly (recall
Jeremiah's), and the Spirit's tongues of fire which rest upon the foreheads of the
believers (Acts 2). Blake was certainly referring to the chariots of fire which
appeared to take the prophet Elijah up to heaven in the whirlwind (2 Kings 2)
and those which surrounded Elisha on the hills as he claimed "Don't be
afraid... Those who are with us are more than those who are with them" (2 Kings 6).
Blake is directing England's (and our) attention to the world of the spirit
which was so real to him. The sword incidentally is decidedly in Blake's hand,
where it will not sleep until Jerusalem has been "built" in his homeland. Yes,
Blake would have been frustrated by an oppressive and regimented church, but
the Jerusalem that he desires to see built is one builded in the heart and mind
of man. Whether he was conscious of it or not, Blake became and has become a
prophetic voice even in today's milieu of "clouded hills, Satanic mills," and
yet still "green and pleasant land." I leave you with his second stanza of the
Innocent Lamb. Peace, Jeremy Botts
Little Lamb I'll tell thee,
Little Lamb I'll tell thee;
He is called by thy name,
For he calls himself a Lamb:
He is meek & he is mild,
He became a little child:
I a child & thou a lamb,
We are called by his name.
Little Lamb God bless thee,
Little Lamb God bless thee.
From: Nancy Schumaker <nschumak@>
Victoria Heward got it right. Read Bloodline of the Holy Grail for the whole
story. There is
a great deal of historical information available now in this and other books
regarding
Mary Magdelene's escape across the sea to the south of France and Joseph of
Arimathea being a title, not the
name of a person, that person being Jesus' brother James, who eventually
ended up in what is now England.
Nancy
From: FredRez@
Every one is a free mason or controlled by them.
From: Sally <esdemio@>
Jerusalem - first showed up in the movie "Chariots of Fire" - It
certainly is a hymn in the Church of England hymnal.
Thanks to a friend in England, I had something to go on to find all the
words and so found this site. The tune is in the Protestant Episcopal
Church hymnal of 1982, but not the same words.
It may have been written in the 18th century, but the words are for all
time. I was thinking the words belonged to the early industrial years
of England when the manufactories were belching out smoks, people and
children worked long hard hours in places which no idea of industrial
safety as there are now.
From: Bill Stewart <bill.stewart@>
Somebody was asking about the tune.
It's by Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry (1848-1918), written in 1916.
http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Charles_Parry
Emerson Lake & Palmer's version keeps the tune and adds their own
kinds of decoration to it.
----
Bill Stewart bill.stewart@
From: "William L. Hathaway" <hatha003@>
The hymn became the associated with England's (my memory is
growing poor) religious socialist movement. As some of these
comments indicate, it was a favorite of the working class labor
congregations. Some years ago I was looking for it in the cur-
rent volume of Anglican hymnody but failed to find it. It was
in a Presbyterian (or Methodist) hymnal from which I Xeroxed
it. Memory also associates it with Fabian socialists, etc.
The use of it to end summer concerts together with Land of
Hope and Glory is sometimes sung several times by the audience,
since it affirms both middle class and working class hopes and
and heritage of all English people. Indeed, it stirs those of
us (English speaking people) who share the heritage and equal-
itarian dream.
Bill Hathaway
From: "Carol Cox" <ambrocox@>
This was written as a poem about 1804, then later music was composed for
it. It was not written as a hymn but became one because of its
stunningly powerful imagery and Biblical perspectives.
Remember the words to the Lord's Prayer: Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be
done on Earth as it is in Heaven. There are many other Biblical images,
both Old and New Testaments, that make the point that our job here on
Earth is to become like Christ, and to work until the world around us is
like Heaven. (Please do not misunderstand me. This is not about forced
conversions or anything like that. It's about first allowing God to
reign in the "kingdom" of ourselves, our own hearts and minds. As is
always the case, who we are gets expressed in the world we build around
us.) With these Christian concepts informing his views, Blake, I
believe, is asking the rhetorical question if Christ has truly come to
England. He's talking to Christians, upbraiding them. At the time
these words were written, England was a "Christian nation," at least
officially so.
It was written during a time when England was being ravaged by the
Industrial Revolution (the effects of the "dark satanic mills") and
England, being the first to experience the Industrial Revolution's awful
societal impacts and disruptions, hardly knew what had hit them. Today
we might look back and naively and ignorantly think about this in terms
of pollutants and environmental destruction, but that would not begin to
describe the horrible degradation of life that came. It was sooty air
and horrible work conditions to be sure, but it was a thousand things
more. It was the end of a whole rural, agrarian way of life where
people knew each other in small villages. It was this enormous shift to
urbanization with absolutely no infra-structure to support it, awful
work conditions, horrible epidemics and diseases, dreadful prostitution
of women who couldn't support themselves. This profound societal
upheaval effected everyone: peasant and noble, parent and child, artisan
and captain of industry. The "dark satanic mills" is shorthand for all
this hellishness. In terms of "who is speaking" (the poetic voice) in
the first two verses, I believe the "I" could be any honest observer at
the time, looking about and asking these questions. In other words, has
Christ truly been here?
In the last verses the "I" who is speaking is God Himself. The imagery
is of war and wrath, in other words, God's judgment toward the Christian
Church until these horrible unjust edifices are destroyed and we "build
Jerusalem." God is not going to remove the judgment upon us until
justice is done, until Jerusalem is built in England's green and
pleasant land.
This is a powerful poem/hymn, and it's a shame so few seem to have the
slightest clue what it's about. It's just a traditional, national hymn,
oft sung and heard, but evidently without comprehension.
As inspiring as these words are, the notion that everyone should just
rush out there and begin righting all wrongs is folly. These are words
for honest Christians who know they can never do God's work until God
has first done a work of grace and redemption in them.
So.Jerusalem first needs to be built in our hearts, then we are to go
out and build it everywhere. I think that is awesome. Profound. Deep.
Utterly challenging.
Thank you William Blake for these awesome words, still powerful and
commanding after two centuries.
Carol
From: pete lohr <pete_lohr@>
hello, i would like to add, keeping on topic, that i am suprised nobody has mentioned that one of the biggest heavy hitters on the rock and roll heavy metal sceen Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden gave tribute to William Blake's "Jerusalem" in one of the most amazing songs i have ever heard. whether you are a fan or not it is a must hear song.
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From: Jane Clarke <jane@>
William Blake was a Knight Templar, the forerunners of freemasons, and in his later years most of his references included symbols currently used in freemasonry. His poem Jerusalem is about the Holy Grail - in other words the bloodline of Jesus brought to England (people believe Glastonbury) by folowers of Joseph of Arimethea.
Joseph of Arimethea first ecaped from Egypt to France with Mary Magdalene and many believe with Sarah the daughter of Jesus and Mary.
The Knight Templars where burnt to death as heretics in France on Friday 13th 1307. Some escaped with the bloodline of Jesus and christian artifacts to Ireland, England and Scotland. The Holy Grail was believed to have been kept for many years in Glastonbury.
Jane Clarke (British woman living in Spain)
From: betty torrence <torr_bet@>
Hello,
I would like to voice an opinion, and perhaps some helps on this topic.
I first heard Jerusalem in the VHS Tape by E.Raymond Capt, a Biblical Archeologist. He made this tape in Glastonbury, and many proofs are in the British Museum... I have never heard such a haunting melody. The name of the Tape is the "Traditions of Glastonbury".. Also Mr Capt has witten a book, same name.. Wonderful works.. TRUTHS and things to hold dear.
Hope this helps.. Its beautiful
Thanks for your site.
betty
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From: "Ian Dick" <hector99@>
I realise Blake may not have been an actual freemason , yet there are
many clues that he had been influenced by freemasonry. Of course, the
story of Joseph of A. and Glastonbury is a key part of the Grail legend.
Also the open-ness of Blake's views and breadth of imagination would
encompass the Grail mysteries, such as Christ's marriage to Mary
Magdalene ( she being the true 'grail' ie receptor of Christ's seed).
But that is an aside.
Blake is to be seen in the broad liberalism of the 18th Century's
philosophical scope which would have included may ideas from
Freemasonry. However, his disdain of Isaac Newton sugests he was on the
wrong foot in one respect, as Newton was a strong Freemason and
possibly, a Grand Master.
From: "jenny Ruddlesden" <jenruddlesden@>
Have you ever heard of the saying "Hull, Hell or Halifax?"
Blake's Jerusalem was my school song (Akroyd Place Junior School,
Halifax West Yorkshire 1950-1960). I was informed (from a school
teacher at the time) that the words were penned in response to Blake's
vision of the small industrial town (cloth, carpets, wool) as he viewed
it from 'Godley Bridge' overlooking the town of Halifax, a small but
very industrial mill town with blacked mills and lots industrial
chimneys that churned out smoke and soot. The town is surrounded by
hills that had very little pasture due to the local pollution (they are
little improved today!).
Blake would have also noted the very impressive 'Halifax Parish Church'
(CofE) and the Square Chapel - which may have had Knight Templar links.
I don't know if this helps but I thought I'd share it.
Respectful of all view expressed - JennyR
From: "Karen Bruce" <kbruce@>
It is a mistake to divorce those lines from the larger epic to which
they form a prologue. One of the longer works in his mythological cycle,
Milton is Blake's personal, idiosyncratic response to the other poet's
famous Paradise Lost. In it, he has Milton leave heaven and return to
earth, after he realizes that his religious epic has served the purposes
of tyranny and inhumanity, and therefore has enslaved Albion
(representing England and Man simultaneously). To the Romantics, the
Miltonic God was a tyrant, demanding absolute obedience from Satan and
the Angels, punishing those who disobeyed him.
While on earth, Milton has two lessons to learn. Firstly, he needs to
learn how to identify, give form to and annihilate all that is not human
with himself. This means seeing through or taking off everything that
constrains humanity, like the bodily senses (which Blake saw as limiting
true vision), like the arbitrary division into the two sexes. Secondly,
Milton has to learn the true nature of love, namely, that it combines
both wrath and pity. One without the other is ineffectual at least,
dangerous at worst.
When it comes to the actual lines that are commonly known as Jerusalem,
they are essentially a call for a profound transformation to take place
in England among Blake's compatriots.
In the poem, Blake asks whether Jesus was "on Englands pleasant pastures
seen", and whether Jerusalem was "builded here / Among these dark
Satanic Mills"? It is a mistake to take these lines too literally, as
some scholars have done. For the Romantics, Jesus was a revolutionary
figure, who had stood against the tyranny of the Roman government and
legalistic religion, who was a martyr for a revolutionary cause.
Similarly, for Blake, Jerusalem represented a city that allowed humanity
to be true to its own imagination, that was characterised by perfect
justice and perfect freedom. If we understand those facts, the opening
two stanzas make a great deal more sense. If a revolutionary like Jesus
had once walked in England, if an ideal city had been built there, it
could happen again. People could rise up and overthrow the tyrants, and
create cities that were more conducive to humanity.
However, at the same time, Blake was convinced that true freedom was not
possible while people's minds and imaginations were still in chains. He
believed in the existence of an unspoken compact between the rulers and
the people who allowed themselves to be ruled, so that tyranny was more
of a state of mind than a physical condition. (In modern parlance, we
would say that people internalize their oppression.) It did not matter
if people were physically free if they were still mentally and
imaginatively oppressed. Therefore, the bow, the chariot, the spear for
which he calls are not physical ones, but ones to equip himself for the
"Mental Fight" to which he refers in the fourth and final stanza. (There
is obviously an implicit comparison with the Satanic Mills here, and the
physical weapons that they produce.) This combat will be detailed in the
remainder of the epic as Milton strives to transform himself mentally
and imaginatively.
From: "Mike Underwood" <mike@>
Dear Carol Cox,
Enjoyed reading your comments on Jerusalem very much. I felt that you
got straight to the point and were not distracted at all. No one else I
remember referred to the fact that Jerusalem is a metaphor for the
Kingdom of God - ie. a state of being where He is the master of the
heart, after all we die in sin without Christ in us.
After the lines "arrows of desire" etc, we are left wondering what Blake
meant by "nor shall my sword sleep in my hand.." but then, I think we
are meant to work out for ouselves what this means, and after the
preceding lines, we can only think in allegorical terms.
Insidentally, since reading the tao te ching, I have begun to wonder if
Jesus visited China rather than studying buddhism. There are so many
parallels - the use of similar metaphors etc, and also "Tao te Ching"
means "The way of Heaven and its power". Christ is the Way! Christ is
also Heaven, and He is also called Power, Wisdom.....
Mike.
From: JGarde373@
I don't believe that Blake constructed this poem as a hym to the hristian
church because Blake was completely against organised religion which he
considered repressive. He believed that the church used its power and sense of
mystery to exploit people and to keep the poor in poverty and justify the power of
the church. He also belived that the church scared people intro 'doing their
duty' as they would be rewarded in the after life pr punished if they did not
follow the chrches values. Look at the poem 'The Human Abstract' which
explores this more deeply.
Also Jerusalem is criticising the industrial revolution and saying that
England shuld reamin as a rural and pleasant land where innocence is not lost to
the poverty of the larger cities. If you study Blake's\poems you will notice
that his innocence poems are often set in rural areas and his experience poems
in cities ans urban areas as he considered industrialisation 'satanic'.
Jerusalem is not a religious poem
From: Kilted911@
I must say that I am saddened, yet not really surprised, that there are
those who would twist the meaning of this beautiful poem-turned-hymn into
something that it is not. Jerusalem is paradise, with Jesus Christ reigning supreme.
From: "Michael Scuffil" <nc-scuffimi@>
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The first six lines consist of three questions, which are basically one
question, namely: is the Glastonbury legend true? Blake's answer I think is
non-committal: "I don't know whether Jesus was here or not, but..." This
leads us to the fourth question, to which Blake's answer, in modern
parlance, would be "You cannot be serious!!". Unfortunately, the music puts
the stress on "builded", but it should be on "here". It is a bitter
question -- look what we've done to the place!
The next four lines are a metaphor for ecstasy, or rather they are a (fairly
transparent) metaphor for orgasm, which should be interpreted broadly. This
defines how Blake (a believer in "free love") interpreted "Jerusalem", which
is of course a reference to the New Jerusalem of the Book of Revelation (the
antithesis of organized religion). He would fight to establish in England a
New Jerusalem ruled by the heart and not by the head (and certainly not by
those who had built the Satanic mills).
If there is one thing that can be said about Blake, it is that he was
anti-Enlightenment. It is a dangerous position, though possibly a necessary
corrective.
Michael Scuffil
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From: Curtis Rice <ccrice@>
-- Curtis Rice
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From: Bobaldcraft@
Countless school children have had to sing this as their"school song" and
many,many mourning families have included it in the funeral rites of a loved
one. It is even regarded as Britain's "unofficial national anthem" -
but what does it mean.? This is another example of us mouthing words we do
not understand just because we are too mentally lazy to find out.