William Blake: A Study of His Life and Art WorkLangridge, Irene
General
William Blake: A Study of His Life and Art Work
Langridge, Irene
Blake, William, 1757-1827
And then follow Plates 6, 7, 8, the workings of the Evil One, the coming
of the three friends to Job, and Job raising himself in agony and uttering
the frantic words, "Lo, let the night be solitary and let no joyful voice
come therein, let the day perish wherein I was born." This suggests
"thoughts beyond the reaches of the soul." Then follows the Vision of
Eliphaz--very terrible and grand--and Plate 10, "The Just Upright Man is
laughed to scorn," in which Job's attitude, the dignity of his grief and
faith, are magnificent. "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him," is
expressed in every line of the noble, piteous figure.
Plate 11--"With Dreams upon my bed thou scarest me and affrightest me with
Visions"--has something mediaeval in the grotesqueness and ingeniousness
of the horrors depicted. Orcagna's devils, Duerer's "Death and Satan" are
not more terrible than Job's tormentors. The words engraved in the border
contain all the condensed pain of the race of man, as well as the faith
which alone makes it possible to be endured.
And then to all this "storm and stress" succeeds Plate 12, with its
suggestions of returning peace and the everlasting calm of the stars. "Lo,
all these things worketh God oftentimes with Man to bring back his Soul
from the pit to be enlightened with the light of the living!" says the
inspired young man to Job, who with the seal of a great suffering set on
his face--but a suffering of which the bitterness is past--sits listening
intently as one who suddenly receives light in his soul. The sonorous
penetrating words fall on the senses like the music of rain-drops on a
thirsty land, and the design grows out of them like a true organic form of
which the shape is innate. Oh! the peace of that night sky, and the gentle
radiance of the stars set in its depth!
The border is here specially beautiful. "Look upon the heavens, and behold
the clouds which are higher than thou"--words that found a responsive echo
in the heart of Blake--is the verse inscribed on the robe of a sleeping
old man. The border is quick with winged thoughts, floating upwards from
his head, in the shape of small men and women, linked in a sinuous
succession, which finally reaches a sky, also set with stars, whose clouds
have verses written upon them that contribute to a full understanding of
Job.
Plate 13, "Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind," continues the
gracious and softening influences of the last design. Job and his wife,
with tremulous eager hope, look up into the mild face of God, who, clothed
and enwreathed by a whirlwind of which Blake only could have suggested the
marvellous vortex, stretches His arms in blessing above them. The three
friends are prostrated and overwhelmed beneath the force of the blast that
encloses God.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account