The spirit of William Blake- still burning bright today
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.It is perhaps a tribute to William Blake's genius that he can be claimed as a prophet by such disparate admirers. To some nationalists, the peculiar Englishness of his visions is what appeals, although many are the sort of people who love a revolutionary so long as they are 200 years dead.
It is perhaps a tribute to William Blake's genius that he can be claimed as a prophet by such disparate admirers. To some nationalists, the peculiar Englishness of his visions is what appeals, although many are the sort of people who love a revolutionary so long as they are 200 years dead.
But then Blake is not an easy ally for any tendency of opinion.
Rationalists might feel that his religious mysticism has an uncomfortably New Age feel. He was quizzical about scientific progress, a utopian dreamer of a pre-industrial age. Socialists and conservatives alike have adopted "Jerusalem" as their anthem, conveniently ignoring the parts they do not like.
That is part of his enduring appeal: not only was he a lyricist of shining lucidity, there is always more complexity, contradiction and challenge in both his art and his writing than first meets the eye.
His "Songs of Innocence" and "Experience", which combined worldly cynicism with a childlike openness to life, and which saw each reflected in the other, were so modern in sensibility that they remained totally obscure in his lifetime. His work was even adopted as a theme for the Millennium Dome, although not so prominently as anyone would notice - it would have been difficult for such a New Labour monument to cope with his multiple subversions. In his range, ambition and methodical madness there have been few artists to compare.
It is heartening, therefore, to see the continuing revival of interest in Blake generated by the largest ever exhibition of his art and poetry at Tate Britain (which is sponsored by The Independent, running until 11 February, 2000).
Anyone in search of one of those "moments in each day that Satan cannot find" of which he wrote would be well advised not to miss it.
Blake would have been insufferable to have had much to do with as a living companion, yet his work is the product of such a vivid and challenging imagination that it is almost impossible not to learn from it. Besides, anyone who can start a hymn with the word "And" deserves respect.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments