3. Poems by Blake - Poetry - Class 12 - Kaleidoscope

Jul 10
5 min read

Updated: Jul 11

Author: William Blake

Kaleidoscope – Poetry (Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience)

Genre – Lyrical / Philosophical / Allegorical Poetry

Summary

William Blake’s paired poems, The Divine Image (from Songs of Innocence) and The Human Abstract (from Songs of Experience), offer contrasting views of human nature. In The Divine Image, Blake celebrates four divine virtues—Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love—stating that all people, regardless of religion or race, pray to these qualities. He argues that God embodies these virtues, and since they also exist within humanity, the human form becomes sacred. The poem reflects idealism, innocence, and spiritual unity.

In contrast, The Human Abstract explores how these same virtues become corrupted in a flawed world. Blake suggests that Pity and Mercy only exist because of suffering and inequality. Selfishness and fear breed cruelty, which grows like a dark tree in the human mind. This tree, with its fruit of Deceit and shelter for the Raven (symbolizing death or darkness), represents the perversion of divine qualities. The second poem offers a stark, cynical view of the human condition, shaped by greed, pride, and spiritual decay.

Together, the poems illustrate Blake’s philosophy that both innocence and experience exist within every human being, and understanding both is essential for spiritual growth.

Character Sketch (of the Human Being / Speaker)

The human being in Blake’s poems is portrayed as a spiritual paradox. In The Divine Image, he is gentle, godlike, and capable of embodying mercy and love. But in The Human Abstract, the same human being becomes self-serving, creating false virtues to mask pride and cruelty. Blake’s speaker is philosophical, deeply introspective, and critical of social and religious hypocrisy. He acknowledges both the divine potential and the fallen state of mankind.

Themes

Theme	Description
Duality of Human Nature	The poems contrast the innocence of divine virtues with their corrupted forms in experience.
Divinity in Humanity	Blake suggests that Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love are both divine and human.
Religious Hypocrisy	The Human Abstract critiques how organized religion manipulates virtue for control.
Innocence vs. Experience	Reflects the two contrary states of the soul—pure idealism and dark realism.
Social Injustice	Virtues like Mercy only exist because of poverty and inequality.

✨ Literary Devices / Poetic Devices

Device	Example	Effect
Personification	“Mercy has a human heart, Pity a human face…”	Attributes human form to divine virtues.
Symbolism	The Tree in The Human Abstract represents corrupted morality.	Evokes the growth of deceit in the mind.
Allusion	“Raven” and “Mystery” – biblical and gothic imagery	Suggests death, darkness, and hidden sin.
Irony	“Pity would be no more / If we did not make somebody Poor.”	Shows how virtues exist only because of social injustice.
Rhyming Couplets	ABAB structure in both poems	Gives musicality and reinforces meaning.

Title Justification

The titles reflect Blake’s central message about human nature. The Divine Image celebrates the ideal version of humanity where godly virtues like Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love are seen as innate and divine. It suggests that these qualities are what connect man to God. In contrast, The Human Abstract reveals how these same virtues, when filtered through human pride, fear, and selfishness, become corrupted. The title “abstract” suggests a distortion or false version of the original divine values. Both titles are symbolically perfect, capturing Blake’s contrasting views of innocence and experience.

One-Mark Questions

What divine qualities does Blake highlight in “The Divine Image”?
Blake emphasizes Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love as core divine and human virtues. These qualities are universal and form the basis of prayer and faith.
How does Blake portray God in “The Divine Image”?
God is shown as embodying human virtues, making the human form sacred. Blake presents God not as separate but reflected within humanity.
Why does Blake say Pity and Mercy exist only because of suffering in “The Human Abstract”?
He argues that if all were happy and equal, these virtues would not be needed. Their existence is rooted in the presence of injustice.
What does the tree in “The Human Abstract” represent?
The tree symbolizes corrupted virtues and moral decay in the human mind. It grows from false humility and selfish love.
What does the presence of the Raven signify?
The Raven nesting in the tree’s shade symbolizes darkness, death, and the permanence of corrupted thought.

Three-Mark Questions

Compare the tone of “The Divine Image” and “The Human Abstract.”
“The Divine Image” has a hopeful, spiritual, and uplifting tone. It glorifies human virtues and celebrates the divine within man. In contrast, “The Human Abstract” is cynical, critical, and somber. It exposes how societal structures and pride twist divine virtues into tools of control. Blake contrasts innocence with experience to depict two sides of the same human soul.
What does Blake mean when he says ‘Mercy has a human heart’?
Blake humanizes divine qualities by assigning them human traits. He suggests that people embody God's love through their actions. A “human heart” for Mercy implies compassion and emotional understanding. It bridges the gap between man and divinity. Thus, the line affirms that humans are sacred when they act with virtue.
How does Blake use the image of the tree in “The Human Abstract” to discuss moral corruption?
The tree grows from false humility and mutual fear. It feeds on tears and is shaded by mystery, representing confusion and deceit. Its fruits are “ruddy and sweet,” indicating how moral corruption can appear attractive. The tree shelters the Raven, suggesting death and doom. Blake uses it as an extended metaphor for how selfish love and false virtues dominate human minds.

Value-Based Question

Q: What moral message do these two poems by Blake offer about human conduct and belief?

Blake’s poems remind us that while humans are capable of divine love and compassion, they can also corrupt these virtues through fear, pride, and selfishness. The Divine Image encourages us to recognize and nurture the godly qualities within ourselves and others. The Human Abstract warns against false morality that arises from inequality and spiritual decay. Together, they show that a truly moral life requires both innocence and self-awareness. Blake urges us to act with sincerity, question hypocrisy, and strive for unity between our divine and human selves.

End

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