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Words Articulate, Bursting in Thunders

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Words Articulate, Bursting in Thunders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email protected]'4)6'$;:05$*5%C4&'1)%B*.@*'0< '4.5E''>05$'%)'$%@' #)$-*#=0+*#,-',6'*"$'*.+2(+%',6 '*"$'(#-)'#-'*"$'!.$%$-*&'+%'3$44'+%'"#%' :.0:$*C;'0< '4)'%&&13%)45*6'<151.*+'5$*':0*5'*)B%@%0)@'4':.0C*@@'0< '%)%5%45%0)' *"+*'3#44'4#;$.+*$'"2(+-#*<'6.,('*"$'0,-=-$%',6'!$.0$!*#,-&'+-)'2-#6<'*"$' C.*45%B*'3%)6'H%5$'*A:*.%*)C*'%5@*&<E' !! !"#$%&#'()*+,-./01#/( #,0#23&4.&0-#5&*6,0-" In his letter to the Reverend Dr. John Trusler, Blake explains his perception of his creative endeavor. When he comments on the Reverend’s inability to “[comprehend] All Species of this Art,” he describes his own work as “that Species which gives Existence to Every other, namely Visions !" #$%&'()%*+#,-./0&#12345##6/%&'7#8&#9./):;7#<=#0(!>#%8/%#?8);#@!'.A#=;#/# World of Imagination and Vision. I see Every thing I paint In This World, BC%#$D&'*#B!A*#A!&;#(!%#;&&#/.)0&+#,12345##?8&#E!&%F;#;CGG&;%)!(#%8/%#%8&# world and the imagination are joined, and that the world is a possession of the imagination, deserves remark, both as a self-analysis on Blake’s part and as an opportunity to explain his relationship to his art. At one point, Blake expresses satisfaction with the accessibility of 8);#>!'0H#<=#/:#8/EE*#%!#I(A#/#J'&/%#K/L!')%*#!" #M&..!>#K!'%/.;#NOP#9/(# Elucidate My Visions & Particularly they have been Elucidated by Children NOP#?8&'&#);#/#D/;%#K/L!')%*#!(#%8&#;)A&#!" #=:/G)(/%)!(#!'#QE)')%C/.#Q&(;/- %)!(+#,12R45##-./0&#A!&;#(!%#B&.)&D&#%8/%#8&#/.!(&#);#E')D*#%!#/(*#E/'%)9C./'# )(;)G8%7#%8/%#8);#E!&%'*#);#;!:&8!>#:!'&#A)"I9C.%#%8/(#!%8&'#D&';&7#!'#!%8&'# art. Indeed, his letter expresses conviction that his message—rather, his project—will be clear as long as the reader interweaves analysis and empa- thy in the process of reading. # Q%)..7#-./0&F;#E!&%'*#'&:/)(;#A)"I9C.%5##=#B&.)&D&#%8&#98/..&(G&#.)&;#)(# %8&#"/9%#%8/%#-./0&#&E)%!:)S&A#%8&#E!;)%)!(#!" #%8&#/'%);%#/;#/#IGC'&#>)%8# complete imaginative freedom. As a poet, whose work describes the world purely in the abstract language and logic of poetry, Blake poses a challenge to all perspectives that disregard the possibilities inherent in a textual universe. His work is equally individualized and universalized. While his IGC'&;#/'&#8);#!>(7#%8&*#'&T&9%#/..#!"#8C:/()%*U#>8).&#8);#E'!L&9%#B&.!(G;#%!# him as an artist and experimenter, its purpose extends to address every- thing. 12 ! "#$!%$&&$'!&(!&#$!)$*$'$+,!-.!.-/+-012+&!-+.(32'!2.!-&!1(+0'4.!&#$! integration of the world and the imagination in Blake’s verse. In Blake’s project, the struggle for the world is a struggle within the mind, and more .5$1-012%%67!&#$!1'$2&-*$!4-+,8!!92'%6!-+!&#$!%$&&$'7!&#$!5($&!230'4.7!:;!3$$%! &#2&!2!<2+!426!=$!#2556!-+!"#-.!>('%,?!@ABCD8!!E$!%-+F.!&#$!+(&-(+!(3! happiness to his conception of the world as being “of Imagination & Vision,” insinuating that a correlation exists between happiness and an illuminated understanding of the world. Still, as the letter indicates, happi- ness is elusive, and humanity remains oblivious. The reason for these ,-301G%&-$.!=$1(4$.!2552'$+&!-+!2!12'$3G%!2+2%6.-.!(3!H%2F$I.!5($&'68!!!! 3. A Warning in a Book. The Book of Urizen begins with a fall, and then documents a series of consequent falls. The poem is a record of failure and its results. Uri- zen’s inability to make peace with his conditions, followed by his escape from the pattern of thought that creates the world, births horrors that transcend human understanding. The poem presents an active engagement between the events described in its text, the voice recording the events and its sources of inspiration, and the reader. Blake organizes this interaction directly in the J'$%G,-G47!K#$'$-+!2+!G+-,$+&-0$,!*(-1$L$-&#$'!H%2F$I.!('!&#2&!(3!2+(&#$'7! detached agent—encourages the Eternals to “[d]ictate swift winged words, M!3$2'!+(&N"(!G+3(%,!6(G'!,2'F!*-.-(+.!(3 !&('4$+&?!@O'-P$+!QQR8STBD8!!"#$! Preludium prevents the poem from operating passively. If the chapters of Urizen are the transmissions of a higher power, rather than Blake or a disembodied representation of Blake, then they must be more than “art for art’s sake”—they originate in a location beyond immediate contact, if not understanding. The Eternals antedate form, and more importantly, recall Blake’s use of the word “Eternity” in his description of the imagination and its connection to the world in his letter to John Trusler. The Eternals 13 inspire art, yet they are intimately connected with the imagination. ! "#$!%&$'()*$!'%(+!,)-.)/%'.(01+!),!2$.('03!!4&)5$.!6&789%$,!:7&2,! out of nothingness, “divided, & measur’d/Space by space in his ninefold 8'&;.$,,+<!8$,6)($!7%%961).-!'.!$26(1!=*7)8<!>??@3ABC+!DE3!!F$:7&$!(#$! :'00$.!G($&.'0!6&789%$,!:7&2,+!#$!)2'-).$,!(#$23!!H7&$!,6$%)/%'001+!#$! distinguishes them as separate from him. The act of separation, of “re- volving in silent activity:/Unseen in tormenting passions,” is at once substantial and insubstantial, and in all cases, a transgression against eternity >??@3?AB?CE3!!4&)5$.I,!(7&(9&$!),!).(&7,6$%()7.+!1$(!#),!,$0:B%7.($260'()7.! produces bodies outside of his own. The causal relationship established here is as allegorical as the reader would like it to be. Clearly, by creating external forms, Urizen generates changes, no matter how real they may actually be—and his changes transform him. ! F0';$I,!/-9&$!).)()'($,!'!6$&*$&($8!-$.$,),!',!#$!=,(&7*$!).!J'((0$,! 8)&$KL.!9.,$$.!%7.M)%()7.,!N)(#!,#'6$,KF&$8!:&72!#),!:7&,';$.!N)08$&- .$,,+KO: !J$',(+!J)&8+!/,#+!,$&6$.(!P!$0$2$.(+KQ72J9,()7.+!J0',(+!*'679&! '.8!%0798<!>??@3?RB?SE3!!"#'(!#),!,(&9--0$,!'&$!=9.,$$.<!)260)$,!(#'(!(#$! voice receiving the message of the Eternals is incapable of perceiving 4&)5$.I,!,(&9--0$,!$.()&$01!>??@3TE3!!U$!),!%'6'J0$!7:!%726&$#$.8).-!4&)5$.! '.8!(#$!8&'2'!7: !#),!:'00+!1$(!#),!:')09&$!(7!-&',6!(#$!/-9&$I,!$'&01!:7&2'()*$! struggles indicates that they occur in an insubstantial medium. The nature of the medium is unimportant. The medium’s status as the predecessor of form recalls Blake’s conception of the world in his letter. Likewise, the association of “[w]ords articulate” with “thunders” joins the basic method of communication—and the form of Blake’s art—with worldly events >??T3DB!!!@E3!!4&)5$.!:',#)7.,!'!N7&08!:&72!(#79-#(3 Urizen’s fall results, arguably, from a problem of logic. The Eternal spurns eternity and the freedom of formlessness out of a desire for solidity. He makes his anxieties plain in Chapter 2: 14 “[f]rom the depths of dark solitude, From The Eternal abode in my holiness, Hidden, set apart in my stern counsels Reserv’d for the days of futurity, I have sought for a joy without pain, ! "#$!%!&#'()!*(+,#-+!.-/+-%+(#01!2334546378 Urizen creates the world and instigates the suffering of all life within the /#090:&!#; !;#$<!=:/%-&:!,:!(&!%;$%()>!$%+,:$!+,%0!%//:?+(0@!/,%0@:!%&!%! constant, he seeks to control his surroundings in a way that will accommo- date his interests. He is at once a creator in a universal sense and a creator in an individual sense, “[symbolizing] reason,” and acting as the “limiter of Energy, the lawmaker, and the avenger of conscience” according to S. "#&+:$!A%<#0!2A(/+(#0%$B!C3D85!!E,(&!<-/,!(&!?'%(0!(0!F$(G:0H&!/$:%+(#0!#;! binding “Laws of peace, of love, of unity” alongside the creation of forms 233I57C85!!E,:!?#:<!<%J:&!0#!)(&+(0/+(#0!=:+*::0!F$(G:0!%&!%!$:.:/+(#0!#; ! thought and Urizen as the creator of the universe, because there is no )(;;:$:0/:!=:+*::0!+,:!9@-$:&5 The implications of Urizen’s action are far-reaching. His doubts lead to a maelstrom of torments. Los’s effort to “watch for Eternals to /#090:KE,:!#=&/-$:!&:?%$%+(#0!%'#0:1!:0)&!*(+,!+,:!'%++:$!9@-$:!=:(0@! “rent from his [Urizen’s] side,” with “a fathomless void for his feet,” and L(0+:0&:!9$:&!;#$!,(&!)*:''(0@1!233D57D6CM85!!N,:0!O#&!%/P-($:&!%!?,B&(/%'! =#)B!(0!Q,%?+:$!RST!,(&!%@#0B!+:&+(9:&!+#!+,:!/#0):<0%+(#0!(0,:$:0+!(0! ?,B&(/%'!:<=#)(<:0+T!(0&#;%$!%&!+,:!9@-$:!(&!L(0/,%(0H)KU:%V(0@!)#'#$#-&W! %0@-(&,H)W!-0=:%$%=':T1!%0)!%!L$##; !XYZ!(0/'#&H)KR0!%0!#$=T!,(&!;#-0+%(0!#; ! +,#-@,+1!23M[57367C85!!\-=&:P-:0+!+#!:0+:$(0@!,(&!=#)BT!O#&!&-;;:$&!;$#<!%! +:''(0@!&:0&#$B!$:&+$(/+(#0>!LX%Z''!+,:!<B$(%)&!#; !]+:$0(+B^K_''!+,:!*(&)#<!`! joy of life:/Roll like a sea around him./Except what his little orbs/Of sight =B!):@$::&!-0;#')1!23MM5Ma67[T!3M757367M85!!E,:!%&&-<?+(#0!#; !;#$<!=B!+,:! 15 lapsed Eternal reveals the limitations imposed upon people by the senses. Eternity is outside of the reach of extant forms. The Eternals constrict the expansion of the mortal, bodily universe !"#$%&'()*+#,'%+&#-(%.$(.%&-#(/'(#0)11&%#1%23#4%)5&*6-#$%&'()2*-#$/)&7"#8)(/# respect to design.
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