William Blake, The Song of Los

David Punter (University of Bristol)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.06: English Writing and Culture of the Romantic Period, 1789-1837.
Vol. editors: Daniel Cook (University of Dundee), Daniel Robinson (Widener University)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1795

Places

England (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Poetry (any)

Resources

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The Song of Los

, probably written in 1794-5, is one of Blake's most startling indictments of tyranny. Although the first of its two parts, subtitled “Africa”, does have some more or less precise historical and geographical referent, it also gives Blake the opportunity to speak of some of his abiding general concerns:

These were the churches, hospitals, castles, palaces, Like nets and gins and traps to catch the joys of Eternity, And all the rest a desert; Till like a dream Eternity was obliterated and erased.

Human institutions, no matter what their ostensible object, are all seen

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259 words

Citation: Punter, David. "The Song of Los". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 17 July 2001 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=7778, accessed 06 May 2024.]

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