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Xerox University Microfilms 300 North Zeob Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 I I 73-26,873 MINNICK, Thomas Ludwig, 19^2- ON BLAKE AND MILTON: AN ESSAY IN LITERARY RELATIONSHIP. The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1973 Language and Literature, modern University Microfilms, A XEROX Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan © Copyright by Thomas Ludwig Mirmick 1973 THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. ON BLAKE AND MILTONt AN ESSAY IN LITERARY RELATIONSHIP DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Thomas Ludwig Minnick, B.A., M.A. The Ohio State University 1973 Reading Committee: Approved by John B. Gabel Albert J , Kuhn Edwin W, Robbins Adviser Department of English PREFACE In 1938 Milton Percival asserted what recent scholarship has gone a long way toward proving, that "when the evidence is in, it will be found that in the use of tradition Blake exceeded Milton and was second, if to anyone, only to Dante." In the follow­ ing essay I have tried to explore the outlines of one aspect of Blake's use of prior literatures, his reliance on the poetry and prose of John Milton. The influence of Milton on 31ake was persistent and pervasive, as virtually every critic of 31ake's writings and paintings has had occasion to observe. Yet with one exception, no sustained critical study isolating Blake's lifelong concern with "the British Homer" has found its way into print. That exception, Blake and Milton by Denis Saurat (London: George Allen & Unwin, Ltd., 1935* reissued in New York by Russell & Russell, Inc., 1 9 6 5 ), though richly suggestive, antedates the major works of Blake scholarship by Milton Percival, Northrop Frye, David Erdman, and the many other histor­ ians and critics examining Blake in recent decades, A thorough account of the relationship between Blake and Kilton, the most outstanding example of the creative use of one poetfs thought by another which English liter­ ature affords, is therefore overdue. Perhaps no study of this relationship could claim to be exhaustive, so multiform and sometimes so obscure are the threads of the cathexis. But I am especially sensible of having passed over the questions of epic theory (of why Blake preferred the structure of his prophecies to the arch­ itectonic of Milton's long poems, for example), and of the wholly personal aspects of the relationship, aspects which some recent critics imply require the special tools of psychotherapists in addition to the usual means of literary history, I have reserved my speculations on these issues to an afterword on the problem of literary relationship altogether. » In the main I focus on the argument of Blake's developing mythology as he incorporates or rejects the thinking of Milton. Weaving a coherent pattern from the threads of this relationship has often required me in the text of this essay to omit mention of illuminating comments on Blake and Milton made by other critics. Moreover, I did not wish merely to repeat observations by others which were not directly relevant to my case. But I have benefitted greatly from the work of many scholars; my debts, and occasionally my disagreements, are recorded in the notes. I owe a more personal debt to Professor Albert J. Kuhn for his patience and guidance throughout my work on this essay. And I want also to record my thanks to the members of my examining committee--Professors John B. Gabel, Virgil Hinshaw, and Edwin W, Robbins— and to others who read and commented on part or all of the manuscript, and whose good wishes encouraged me to complete this work— Mr. James R. Carter, Professor W, J, Thomas Mitchell, Mr. Ruthven Todd, and Professor Joseph A. Wittreich. VITA 25 September 19^2. .Born - Cleveland, Ohio 1 9 6 ^ ..................... B , A, , The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1966 . ................. K.A., The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio I96A— 1973. ....... .Graduate Teaching Associate, Department of English, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio PUBLICATIONS "Blake Items in the Library of Isaac Reed," Blake News­ letter. 3 (1 9 7 °)i 8 9 . "Blake and 'Cowper’s Tame Hares'," Blake Newsletter, k (1 9 7 0 ), 11-12. Comp., "Summary of Correspondence to the New Study Commission," PKLA. 85 (1970), 5505 6 , "A New Rossetti Letter," Blake Newsletter. 19 (1971-72), 181-82. (with William A, Gibson), "William Blake and Henry Emlyn * s Proposition for a New Order in Architectures A New Plate," Blake Newsletter, 21 (1972Fi 12-17. v TABLE OF CONTENTS. Page PREFACE................................................ ii VITA ................... v LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS................................ vii EXPLANATION OF NOTES ...............................viii Chapter I. THE BONES OF THE DEAD...................... 1 II. IN SEED TIKE LEARN ........................... 39 III. AT LIBERTY .................................... 83 IV. PROPHETIC DREADS URGE KE TO SPEAK. .... 137 V. IN TERRIBLE MAJESTY MILTON ................ 180 AFTERWORD............................................. 213 BIBLIOGRAPHY OF WORKS CITED........................ 220 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. "The Dance of Albion". .................... 8 2. "The Expulsion from Paradise" by Francis Hayman ............. 18 3. "The Expulsion" (first series) by William Bla&e. , .......................... 19 k, "Har and Heva Bathing" (Tiriel, Drawing no. 2) ....................... 68 5. "Tiriel Supporting Myratana" (Tiriel. Drawing no. 1) ..................... 69 6. Title page, The Marriage of Heaven and Hill. 93 7. Plate 15» The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. , 95 8. Frontispiece, Visions of..the_Daughers o£ Albion . .......................... 113 9. Frontispiece, Europe. "The Ancient of Days" 12? 10. Plate The Marriage of Heaven and Hell , , 130 11. Milton. Plate 32 of Copy D ................ 197 12. Milton. Plate 16 of Copy D . ............ 203 EXPLANATION OF NOTES Citations to 31ake's writings, exclusive of his letters, are to the edition by David V. Erdraan, The Poetry and Prose of William Blake, commentary by Harold Bloom, 4th printing, rev, (Garden City: Doubleday and Company, 19?0), For Blake’s annotations and other prose, quotations are followed in the text by page references to this edition, within parentheses (as E 6 3 4 ). The following abbreviations are used 'for Blake's works: A America BU The First Book of Urizen E Europe FR The French Revolution FZ The Four Zoas J Jerusalem M Milton MHH The Harriaye of Heaven and Hill PS Poetical Sketches T Tiriel Thel The Book of Thel VDA Visions of the Daughters of Albion VLJ A Vision of the Last Judgment Except when noted otherwise, citations to Milton's poetry follow the edition of Merritt Y, Hughes, John Milton: Complete Poems and Major Prose (New York* The Odyssey Press, 1957)* viii Matth, 13*52 Every Scri"be instructed to the Kingdome of Keav'n, is like the Kaister of a house which bringeth out of his treasurie things old and new. — cited by Hilton, title page, The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce Imitation is Criticism — Blake, annotations to Reynolds CHAPTER I THE BONES OF THE DEAD To learn the Language of Art Copy for Ever, is My Rule — Annotations to Reynolds In the summer of 1790 workmen renovating the church of St. Giles, Cripplogate, uncovered what they believed to be the coffin of John Milton. On 3 Aug­ ust they reported an old lead casket, "much corroded, and without any inscription, or plate upon it" to Mr, Cole, the church warden: and he, having measured and washed it, ordered the grave (where Milton's father was also thought to rest, in a wood coffin below the one of lead) to be closed, for "with a just and laudable piety they disdained to disturb the ashes after a requiem of 116 years.' But curiosity (stimulated perhaps by drink) drew Cole, the workers, and the church overseers back to the site. They reopened the grave the next morning, battered tack the casket lid, and regarded the corpse. 1 2 "Upon first view, , .