Blake: Songs of Experience: A Divine Image: Flashcards
Plot summary:
What is the plot summary?
In the Blake portrays negative human traits—Cruelty, Jealousy, Terror, and Secrecy—as divine qualities.
The poem critiques the association of these destructive traits with divinity, suggesting they shape both human behaviour and the divine relationship, challenging traditional religious views.
Quotes:
Key Quotes (CLUE: There are 2)
‘Terror is the human form divine’ - Fear is a powerful tool that the church uses to control others . Shows how fear is overwhelming.
‘The human heart, its hungry gorge’ - ‘Gorge’ means throat/stomach - something that consumes - linking to consumerism - that is never satisfied and endless - it is a cycle and destructive.
Form and Structure:
What is the form/structure like?
The poem has three quatrains with an ABAB rhyme scheme.
The regular structure and rhythm contrast with the poem’s unsettling themes, emphasising the negative traits of Cruelty, Jealousy, Terror, and Secrecy as divine qualities.
Themes:
Key themes e.g. the dark side of human nature
The poem presents negative traits like Cruelty, Jealousy, Terror, and Secrecy as inherent aspects of humanity, challenging idealised views of human nature.
Context:
What is the context of Blake?
Blake critiques organised religion, presenting negative traits like Cruelty, Jealousy, Terror, and Secrecy as divine qualities.
Written in the late 18th century, the poem challenges traditional views of a benevolent god and reflects Blake’s belief that religion can show darker aspects of humanity.
Other poems it could link to:
What other poems could it link to?
“The Garden of Love” (SOE) – Critiques religious repression of natural instincts.
“The Human Abstract” (SOE) – Explores the contradictions of human nature, similar to A Divine Image.
