Not Glorious Within
HOUGH the NZBS session on William Blake recently broadcast from 3YC will serve as a good introduction to the poet’s work I was more critical of it than of the excellent One on Shakespeare the Sonneteer, also’ prepared by Professor Musgrove. In dealing with Blake chiefly as an anti-cleric, his concern with the social evils of his day, and his unceasing effort to free the springs of energy from evil, were scatcely mentioned. Indeed, attention was so exclusively directed towards Blake’s anti-clerical sentiments that the beautiful poem beginning "I saw a chapel all of gold," was coupled with one in which an angel-presumably of providence-had marked success.in seducing a "lithe lady." While this poem does show Blake’s opposition to organised religion, the first is a description of lust differing from Shakespeare’s 129th Sonnet in that it describes the action from within. In this poem the chapel is not the church but womanly beauty, the many people mourning
signify the longing desires of the lover, and Blake’s turning into a sty ‘the selfdisgust which overtook him. Neither the script nor the reading seemed likely to: convey the full and true meaning of the poem.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19511221.2.23.3
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 26, Issue 651, 21 December 1951, Page 12
Word count
Tapeke kupu
196Not Glorious Within New Zealand Listener, Volume 26, Issue 651, 21 December 1951, Page 12
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in