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Proverbs of Hell
All 70 of William Blake's Proverbs of Hell, each accompanied by a photograph chosen to extend and enhance the impact of the proverb.
27 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1997
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429 people want to read
About the author
William Blake
1,248 books3,221 followersWilliam Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake's work is today considered seminal and significant in the history of both poetry and the visual arts.
Blake's prophetic poetry has been said to form "what is in proportion to its merits the least read body of poetry in the language". His visual artistry has led one modern critic to proclaim him "far and away the greatest artist Britain has ever produced." Although he only once travelled any further than a day's walk outside London over the course of his life, his creative vision engendered a diverse and symbolically rich corpus, which embraced 'imagination' as "the body of God", or "Human existence itself".
Once considered mad for his idiosyncratic views, Blake is highly regarded today for his expressiveness and creativity, and the philosophical and mystical currents that underlie his work. His work has been characterized as part of the Romantic movement, or even "Pre-Romantic", for its largely having appeared in the 18th century. Reverent of the Bible but hostile to the established Church, Blake was influenced by the ideals and ambitions of the French and American revolutions, as well as by such thinkers as Emanuel Swedenborg.
Despite these known influences, the originality and singularity of Blake's work make it difficult to classify. One 19th century scholar characterised Blake as a "glorious luminary", "a man not forestalled by predecessors, nor to be classed with contemporaries, nor to be replaced by known or readily surmisable successors."
Blake's prophetic poetry has been said to form "what is in proportion to its merits the least read body of poetry in the language". His visual artistry has led one modern critic to proclaim him "far and away the greatest artist Britain has ever produced." Although he only once travelled any further than a day's walk outside London over the course of his life, his creative vision engendered a diverse and symbolically rich corpus, which embraced 'imagination' as "the body of God", or "Human existence itself".
Once considered mad for his idiosyncratic views, Blake is highly regarded today for his expressiveness and creativity, and the philosophical and mystical currents that underlie his work. His work has been characterized as part of the Romantic movement, or even "Pre-Romantic", for its largely having appeared in the 18th century. Reverent of the Bible but hostile to the established Church, Blake was influenced by the ideals and ambitions of the French and American revolutions, as well as by such thinkers as Emanuel Swedenborg.
Despite these known influences, the originality and singularity of Blake's work make it difficult to classify. One 19th century scholar characterised Blake as a "glorious luminary", "a man not forestalled by predecessors, nor to be classed with contemporaries, nor to be replaced by known or readily surmisable successors."
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 7, 2020
This work of is central to the vision of William Blake who is generally recognized to be one of the greatest poets of the English language. I decided to read it after finishing Olga Tokarczuk's "Drive your plow over the bones of the dead." The title of Tokarczuk's novel is the second line of the "Proverbs" and many of the quotations found at the beginnings of the individual chapters are also taken from the "Proverbs."
In the "The Proverbs of Hell" Blake asserts his fundamental thesis that man who lives in a fallen state cannot return to his divine condition by simply abstaining from sin. Rather man must act in a dynamic and creative manner. In the context of Tokarczuk's the heroine who is a timid and restrained vegan at first simply recoils in horror as she observers hunters slaughter the animals in the forest where she lives. Finally she decides that she must act and she embarks on a killing spree in which she kills four hunters. The conclusion that may be drawn is that in our ecological twenty-first century is that Blake is more relevant than ever.
In the "The Proverbs of Hell" Blake asserts his fundamental thesis that man who lives in a fallen state cannot return to his divine condition by simply abstaining from sin. Rather man must act in a dynamic and creative manner. In the context of Tokarczuk's the heroine who is a timid and restrained vegan at first simply recoils in horror as she observers hunters slaughter the animals in the forest where she lives. Finally she decides that she must act and she embarks on a killing spree in which she kills four hunters. The conclusion that may be drawn is that in our ecological twenty-first century is that Blake is more relevant than ever.
May 5, 2021
Contemporary American Gothic poet Oliver Sheppard has done all Blake lovers a favor by editing and publishing a one volume edition of Blake's "Proverbs of Hell". Part of the larger, multifaceted "Marriage of Heaven and Hell", this is the first time it has been published on its own. The small volume also includes Blake's "A Memorable Fancy", and a selection of proverbs and aphorisms from other Blake works. As well as a small, well curated, selection of proverbs from Johann Kaspar Lavater and Swedenborg, both of whom influenced Blake greatly, but with whom Blake had some major issues as well.
Sheppard also includes his own excellent 10 page Introduction, which nicely presents the book-within-a-book within Blake's career and thought. Sheppard understands Blake both on an intellectual level as a scholar, and intuitively as well, as someone who appreciates Blake's difficult cosmology.
This is the fourth title in Sheppard's "Sources of Gothic" series, published by his own Ikonograph Press. My only complaint is that not all the reproductions of Blake's art work is clear and precise - some of it looks quite muddled. But, this is a small press, and the text is the important part here. The text itself is well formatted here, with Roman Numerals indicating each Proverb, and lots of space between each.
For lovers of Blake, the Romantic tradition, and alternative world and spiritual views.
Sheppard also includes his own excellent 10 page Introduction, which nicely presents the book-within-a-book within Blake's career and thought. Sheppard understands Blake both on an intellectual level as a scholar, and intuitively as well, as someone who appreciates Blake's difficult cosmology.
This is the fourth title in Sheppard's "Sources of Gothic" series, published by his own Ikonograph Press. My only complaint is that not all the reproductions of Blake's art work is clear and precise - some of it looks quite muddled. But, this is a small press, and the text is the important part here. The text itself is well formatted here, with Roman Numerals indicating each Proverb, and lots of space between each.
For lovers of Blake, the Romantic tradition, and alternative world and spiritual views.
August 1, 2016
Truth can never be told so as to be understood, and not be believ'd.
September 13, 2020
Excelentes proverbios del gran Blake, siempre misterioso, oscuro y a la vez luminoso.
February 7, 2022
I'm not sure I understand as much as I should or could. I'm just beginning on Blake.
December 26, 2023
I’m not a big fan of poetry but I liked our class discussions on this one
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews