Blake seeks to provide the Golden String which can lead us through the labyrinth of our experience or his own poetry.

Sunday, February 5, 2023

ZOAS IN PSYCHE

Yale Center for British Art
Jerusalem
Plate 36, Detail

 In 2020 there were 7 posts on the topic of READING WITCUTT. Blake: a Psychological Study is a small book written by William Purcell Witcutt in 1946. In his Introduction Witcutt calls Blake's work 'a veritable jungle of symbols.' Witcutt proposes to 'provide a plan of the maze' encountered when studying Blake's Prophetic Books. An understanding of mythology, symbolism and psychology are the keys he supplies to unlocking Blake's dense poetry. 

We had the good fortune to come across this book in the Arlington County Library in 1978. This was the beginning of Larry's interest in Blake. The linking of Blake with Jung made a profound impact on Larry and redirected his studies in the direction of Blake.

Perhaps Witcutt's book is flawed in some ways, but there seems to have been few other scholars who pursued the connections between Jungian psychology and Blake's poetry as thoroughly. As Witcutt explores Blake's characters, they seen to be active and recognizable in our own psyches, expanding our consciousness. Blake and Witcutt pursued their own paths as their own consciousness expanded. Would that we could do likewise.

Letters, To  Thomas Butts, (E713)

     "In his beams of bright gold
     Like dross purgd away
     All my mire & my clay
     Soft consumd in delight
     In his bosom sun bright
     I remaind.  Soft he smild
     And I heard his voice Mild
     Saying This is My Fold
     O thou Ram hornd with gold
     Who awakest from sleep
     On the sides of the Deep
     On the Mountains around
     The roarings resound
     Of the lion & wolf
     The loud sea & deep gulf
     These are guards of My Fold
     O thou Ram hornd with gold
     And the voice faded mild
     I remaind as a Child
     All I ever had known
     Before me bright Shone
     I saw you & your wife
     By the fountains of Life
     Such the Vision to me
     Appeard on the Sea"

 Links to posts in 2022.

READING WITCUTT

READING WITCUTT 2

READING WITCUTT  3

READING WITCUTT  4

READING WITCUTT  5

READING WITCUTT  6

READING WITCUTT  7

  

No comments:

Post a Comment