Kobe Shoin Women’s University Repository
Title
“He became a little child” : Christ in Blake's SONGS of
Innocence
Author(s)
Ronald
St.Pierre
Citation
Shoin Literary Review，No.26：1-14
Issue Date
1993
Resource Type
Bulletin Paper / 紀要論文
Resource Version
URL
Right
"Hebecamealittlechild"
ChristinBlake's
SONGSoflnnocence
RonaldSt.Pierre ThepresenceofChristimpressesitselfupontheSQNGSofInno-cencefromthefrontpiece:thechild,shepherdandlambsareallimages associatedwiththeChristianSonofGod.HerethefigureofChristis tripled,orviewedatonceinthreemanifestations,asanimal,aschild andasadult.EachofthethreefigureswillrecurinInnocenceseveral timesandbeeventuallycomplimentedbythetraditionalimageof Christpresentedinthreeillustrations(13,17&18).Christaschild representstheincarnationofGodasman;Christasshepherd,Godas protector;ChristasLamb,themeekandmildinnocenceofGod. ThethreeearthlymanifestationsofChristareneverindependentin Innocence.Theycontinuallyinteract,reflectuponeachother,confirm theirmutualidentity.Onthefrontpiece,allthreeinteractwitheach otherinauniqueway.Thechild,halfleaningonhiscloud,halfflying, bothinspirestheshepherd,ashisraisedarms-gesturingtocreation suggest(Erdman43),andencouragestheshepherdinhisactofartistic creation.Aswediscoverinthe"lntroduction",thisencouragement resultsintheSONGSofInnocencethemselves,boththepoetryand illustrations. Theinteractionoftheshepherdandhissheepisassumedinthe illustration,theircalmfeedingispossiblebecauseofthewatchfulnessoftheirshepherd.Thisrelationshipistakenasamatteroffaithinthe readerasthepiperofthe"Introduction"isneitheridentifiedasa.. shepherdnoraresheepmentioned.Indeed,thenameofChristisnever mentionedintheSONGSofInnocence,thoughthenameofGod appears.Infact,thenameChristappearsonlyfivetimesinallof Blake'silluminatedmanuscripts(Damon82).InInnocence ,themultiple imagesofChrist-lamb,shepherdandchild-revealtheSonofGod's identityinanactofnaturalintuition.Inthreeplates(13 ,17&18}, Christappearsintheillustrationthoughonlyoneoftheseisunmistak-ablyChrist,thesecondpageof"TheLittleBlackBoy ."Thereaderis assumedtomaketheidentificationofChristimplicitly ,justaswewill seelaterthelambisgivenhintsastotheidentityofhiscreator ,butis assumedtoanswerthecatechismcorrectly. The"Introduction"totheSONGSqんinnocenceclarifiesChrist'srole asinspirer,inspiredandsubjectofinspiration Pipingdownthevalleyswild Pipingsongsofpleasantglee OnacloudIsawachild Andhelaughingsaidtome. PipeasongaboutaLamb:(4) Christaschildrevealshisrollhereasinspirer,encouragingtheartist-shepherdinactofcreation.ThechildChrist,Godincarnate ,becomes inInnocencethesourceofmusical,poeticandartisticinspirationand laterofencouragementinthefaceofevilsinthisworld .Thefigureof thechildreactswithtearsofjoyattheartisticproductionhehimself inspires:"heweptwithjoytohear"(4).TheshepherdChrististhe artistofInnocencecreating,performingandpublishingtheSONGSof 2
InnocenceatthebiddingoftheChristchild.Christaslambbecomes, appropriately,thesubjectoftheSONGS,thelambsymbolicofChrist's サ innocence. "TheShepherd"developstheroleofChristinInnocence .Whereas thefrontpieceandthe"Introduction"lefttherelationshipbetween shepherdandsheepamatterofintuition,"TheShepherd"clarifiesit. Themutualityofprotectivecareisemphasizedinthepoem.Thesheep are"inpeace"because ,"Heiswatchful"andheisrewardedwithboth theblessingofhis"sweetlot"andwiththematingofthe"lamb's innocentcall"andthe"ewe'stenderreply".Asaresult,"histongue shallbefilledwithpraise"(5}.Thereisamutualityofblessingherein thatChrist-as-shepherdbringspeacetohischargesandtheresulting prosperitylendsChristacauseforcelebration. ThemutualitysuggestsasharedIifebetweenthesheep,theshepherd and,bytheextensionBlakemakes,Christ.Theprosperityofone meanstheprosperityoftheothersbecausethereisanidentitybetween themall.Theyareone.Theyaremanymanifestationsofasingle identity-Gad.Assuchtheyareindividualizedandsingle.Itmightbe wrongtosuggestthatthethreemanifestationsofGodinInnocence correspondstothethreepersonsofGod-Father,SonandHolySpirit -ChristasProtectorFather ,ChristasMansanchildincarnateand Christasthelifespiritofanylivingthing.Moreproperly,Christhas beenrevealedtobethreefoldinHisrelationshiptoman,protectorand protected,manandGod,sourceoffaithandfaithful. "lnfantJoy ,"thenextpoemintheseriesweareconsidering,men-tionsnoChristthoughthistimetheillustrationmaybemeantto suggestanativityscene,withmotherandchildattendedbyanangel. Thepoemdepictstheimaginativeconversationofamotherandchild inwhichthechildiscalled"joy."
Ihavenoname Iambuttwodaysold, Ihappyam Joyismyname. Sweetjoybefallthee! PrettyJoy! Sweetjaybuttwodaysold. SweetJoyIcallthee; Thoudostsmile. Isingthewhile Sweetjoybefallthee.(6) Thechildofthepoemisakindofevery-child,arepresentativeofearly lifeandmothering.TheillustrationofthischildremindsusofChrist withoutcallingattentiontotheidentification.Again,theidentityof GodasChristandmanandchildisintuitivelyexpressed.Blakerelies onhisreadertomaketheappropriateconnection. "InfantJoy"isfollowedby"OnAnother'sSorrow"whichcontinues toasserttheidentityofChristandallmen.Stanza4picturesthe creatorpityingthesorrowofallcreation Andcanhewhosmilesonall Hearthewrenwithsorrowssmall, Hearthesmallbird'sgrief&care, Hearthewoesthatinfantsbear, Andnotsitbesidethenest, Pouringpityintheirbreast; Andnotsitthecradlenear, Weepingtearoninfant'stear; Andnotsitbothnight&day, Wipingallourtearsaway? O!no,nevercanitbe! -4一
Never,nevercanitbe!(7) Thecreatorisheredepictedasapassivethoughfullysympathetic overwatcher.Heattendstoallthewoesofallcreaturesandshedstear fortear.ThoughHemaywipe"allourtearsaway,"Hetakesnoaction toendthecauseofsorrow.Thisisnottosaythatjoydoesnotcome fromHim,onthecontrary,alljoycomesfromthecreatorasthenext stanzaasserts Hedothgivehisjoytoall; Hebecomesaninfantsmall; Hebecomesamanofwoe; Hedothfeelthesorrowtoo.(7) Thatthecreatorbecomes"amanofwoe"againidentifiesGodin InnocenceasChrist,whosmilesonall,whoweeps"tearoninfanttear" andwho"give[s]hisjoytoall."Notethetenseoftheverbin"He becomesaninfantsmall;/Hebecomesamanofwoe"(7).Blakedoes notusethepasttensereferringtothehistoricalChrist,butaneternally presenttense. ChristinInnocenceisnotjustthehistoricalpersonagechronicalledin theNewTestament,insteadHeisconstantlybeingreborn,constantly becominga"manofwoe."Thusthebirthofeverychildrepeatsthe birthofChrist,thecomingofageofanyhumanbeingrepeatsthe adulthoodofChrist.Christ'sbountyconsistsofgivingjoyawayuntil ourgriefisassuaged Thinknotthoucanstsighasigh, Andthymakerisnotby; Thinknotthoucanstweepatear,
Andthymakerisnotnear, 0?hegivestoushisjoy Thatourgriefhemaydestroy; Tillourgriefisfled&gone Hedothsitbyusandmoan.(7) Christdoesnotcureoursorrowbyremovingitssourcebutbyoffering joytillweacceptit,sittingbyusinthemeantimesharingourgrief. TheillustratedfigureofChristastraditionallydepictedfirstappears in"TheLittleBlackBoy,"afewpoemslater .Called"God"inthe poem,ChristappearswithHislongwhiterobe,beard,longhairand shepherd'scrook.Inthepoem,God'sloveislikenedtothesun,thelight fromwhichwemustlearntobearinthisworldbeforewecangotoHis . HeretheLittleBlackBay'smotherteacheshersonherviewofour purposeonEarth "Looko ntherisingsun:thereGoddoeslive, Andgiveshislight,andgiveshisheataway; Andflowersandtreesandbeastsandmanrecieve Comfortinthemorning,joyinthenoonday. "Andweareputonearthalittles pace, ThatwemayIearntobearthebeamsoflove; Andtheseblackbodiesandthissunburntface Isbutacloud,andlikeashadygrove. "Forwhenoursoulshavelearn'dtheheattobea r, Thecloudwillvanish;weshallhearhisvoice, Saying:'Comeoutfromthegrove,mylove&care, Androundmygoldententlikelambsrejoice'."(12-13) Asin"OnAnotherSorrow,"Godascreatorgivesawaycomfort ,here fi一
intheformoflightandheat.Oncewecanbearitfullywearecalled
fromthisworldtohis"goldentent"whereweaslambscanrejoice.
Thelittleblackboytakesthislessonliterallyandseeshisblackbody
asanadvantageinbearingtheIightandheatfromGod.Heimagines
helpingthewhiteboyinheavenbyshadinghimfromGod'sheat.
Theillustrationtothesecondplateofthepoemdepictsthewhiteboy
atChrist'sknees,theblackboybehindholdingoutaprotectivehand.It
hasneverbeennotedthatthoughChrist'sfaceiswhite,theblackness
oftheshadowonHischestandarmsidentifiesHimwiththefiguresof
theblackmotherandblackboyinthepreviousplate,Christ'srobe
remindingusoftheblackmother'sskirtinthewayithangsabouther
legs.Christbecomesidentifiedwithwhiteaswellasblack,maleas
wellasfemale.
Christ'sroleisexpandedinthispoem.HereHeacceptschildreninto
Hisheavenlyflock.Thisroleiscontinuedintheillustrationfor"The
ChimneySweeper"wherearobedfigureraisesthecleanedsweepers
fromtheirblackcoffins(17}.Thoughthepoemspeaksofanangel
welcomingchildrenintoheaven,thisfigurehasnowingsasangelsdo
inInnocenceandelsewhereinBlake(Erdman53).
ThenextappearanceofGodinInnocencemaybemoreoftheGod
whowalkedinthegardenofEdenthanofChrist.Inthebottomright
corneroftheillustrationof"TheDivineImage,"aChristlikefigure
raisesonenakedfigurewhileanotherreclinesalittletotheleft.This
couldillustratethecreationofAdamandEve,thoughErdmansuggests
itcoulddepicttheraisingofLazurusbyChristorChristwiththe
womantakeninadultery{Erdman59).Theformeriscalledinto
questionbythefactthatitseemsthesecondcreatedintheillustration
isAdam,whereasinGenesisAdamwascreatedfirst.
Thepoemitself,morethananyother,identifiesManwithGodand
7
GodwithMan. ToMercy,Pity,Peace,andLove Allprayintheirdistress; Andtothesevirtuesofdelight Returntheirthankfulness. ForMercy,Pity,Peace,andLove IsGod,ourfatherdear, AndMercy,Pity,Peace,andLove IsMan,hischildandcare_(18) Thefirststanzaidentifiestheobjectofallmen'sprayertobemercy, pity,peaceandlove,andthesecondstanzarevealsthesequalitiestobe bothManandGod.BlakedoesnotsaythesearecharacteristicsofGod andman,butidentifiesthemasGodandman."Mercy,Pity,Peace,and Love/IsGod,.../AndMercy,Pity,Peace,andLove/IsMan." Further,manisGod's"childandcare."Thethirdstanzaclarifiesthis identification. ForMercyhasahumanheart, Pityahumanface, AndLove,thehumanfromdivine, AndPeace,thehumandress.{18) Thesefourvirtuesorqualitiesareidentifiedwithman,Mercyresiding inhisheart,pityexpressedinhisface,Lovemanifestinhisdivineform andPeacereaveledinhumandress."Dress,"hasbeendefinedasbody byWilmott(62),thoughIratherseedressasanextensionofman,the wayhepresentshimselfinasocialsetting.Inthisway,"dress"moves beyondbodytoasocialorganizationcharacterizedbypeace.In"The 8一
DivineImage,"then,God'squalities,ormoreproperly,GodHimselfis
expressedthoughman.Man'sformbeingdivine,hisheart,countenance
l andsocialactsexpressGod.ManmanifestsGodinthisworld.This sensenaturallysuggeststhelasttwostanzas. Theneveryman,ofeveryclime Thatpraysinhisdistress, Praystothehumanformdivine, Love,Mercy,Pity,Peace. Andallmustlovethehumanform, Inheathen,turk,orjew; WhereMercy,Love&Pitydwell ThereGodisdwellingtoo.{18} Wilmott(62}askswhether"must"inthelaststanzaisastatementor command.Thelogicalargumentationsuggestedbythe"For...Then" structureofthepoemleavesasenseofstatementratherthancom- mand.Theargumentbeingallpraytothehumanformdivine,there-forealllovethehumanformdivine,consciouslyorunconsciously. In"TheLittleBoyLost,"achildislostpartlybecauseofhisfather' sneglect,partlybyhissilence. "Father!father!whereareyougoing? Odonowalksofast. Speak,father,speaktoyourlittleboy, OrelseIshallbelost."{23) Whethertheneglectandsilenceisliteralorfigurative,thefatherhere seemssurelytoblameforhischild'splight.Thesecondstanza, however,seemsnottolayblame,butjusttostateafact."nofatherwasthere"{23). In"TheLittleBoyFound,"theyoungchildisledtohisweeping motherbyGod. Thelittleboylostinthelonely#en, Ledbythewand'ringlight, Begantocry;butGod,evernigh, Appear'dlikehisfather,inwhite. Hekissedthechild,&bythehandled, Andtohismotherbrought, Whoinsorrowpale,thro'thelonelydale, Herlittleboyweepingsought.(24) Whatexactlydoes"Appear'dlikehisfather,inwhite"signify .DidGod takeontheappearanceofthefathertoendthechild'scryingby seeminginafamiliarform?OristhefatherGod,God'sactsonEarth beingperformedbyman?Inthecontextof"TheDivineImage"the latterseemsthecorrectinterpretation,butifreadinthecontextof fatherlyrolesinInnocenceingeneral,theformerseemsmorereason-able.Elsewherefathersdonottakeactivepartsinthenurtureof children.Theonlyactivefatheristhefatherin"TheChimney-Sweeper"whosellshissonintoapprenticeship(Gardner75) . Theillustrationconfusesratherthananswersthequestion .The figureofGod,anditmustbeGodasthereisoftenahalo(Erdman55) , seemsmorefemininethanmasculine.ThisconfoundingofGod ,Father andMotherisperhapsanotherexpressionoftheidentityofManand God,regardlessofsex. "TheCradleSong"ofInnocencebacksoff somewhatfromtheidenti-ficationofManandGodinthelullabyofamothertillthefinalverse . Aftersingingawhiletothechild,themotherconcludeshersongas -10一
follows
Sweetbabe,inthyface
HolyimageIcantrace.
Sweetbabe,oncelikethee,
Thymakerlayandweptforme.
Weptforme,fortheeforall,
Whenhewasaninfantsmall.
Thouhisimageeversee,
Heavenlyfacethatsmilesonthee,
Smilesonthee,onme,onall;
Whobecameaninfantsmall.
Infantsmilesarehisownsmiles;
Heaven&earthtopeacebeguiles.{25-26)
ThefirsttwostanzasaboveseparateChristandthechild.Thechildis
onlyanimageofChrist.The"Hebecomesaninfantsmall,"isherehe
"becameaninfantsmall
."ThemotherseesaseparateChristweeping
formankindwithafacethechildshouldalwaysremember.This
biddingthechildtoseethe"Heavenlyface"smilinginfersthemother
haslostsightofthisimage.Thislossofvisiononthepartofthe
motherisreflectedinherloosingthesenseofidentitywithGod.Still,
sheassertsanidentityofGodandchildfinallyinamomentofreligious
insight."Infantsmilesarehisownsmiles,"notsimplyimagesofhis
smile.Finallyinthepoem,itisacooperationof"Heaven&Earth"
thatbeguilesthechildtopeace.
"TheLamb"returnstothemanifestationsofChristaslamb
,child
andearthlyprotector.Inthefirststanzaachildasksthelamb"Doth
thouknowwhomadethee?".Inansweringhisownquestion,thechild
exhibitsimplicitfaithinGod'sroleascreatorandprotector.
-11
LittleLamb,1'lltellthee, LittleLamb,1'lltellthee, Heiscalledbythyname, ForhecallshimselfaLamb. Heismeek&heismild; Hebecamealittlechild. Iachild&thoualamb. Wearecalledbyhisname. LittleLamb,Godblessthee LittleLamb,Godblessthee!(30} Thekeylinehereis"Wearecalledbyhisname."Wetooarecalled God,thechildmeans.Godtoo,asChrist,iscalled"child"and"lamb," theunityofallthreeexpressedinaseriesofnamesthatareinter-changeable.HerethechilddoestheworkofChristinthisworld, lookingafterandprotectingthesheep.Thechildneverneedstofinish hislessonwith"Godmadethee,"hisimplicitfaithisassumedashe assumesthelambwillbynatureassenttotheanswerimplied. ChristinSQNGSofInnocenceisforemostidentifiedwithhiscrea-tianbothasman,childandlamb.Hisqualitiesareman'squalitiesand Heactsinthisworldthroughman'sacts.ManisGod,everybirth repeatingthebirthofChrist,everygainingofadulthoodrepeat's Christ'sadulthood.AsChrist,thoughGoddoesnotactdirectly(with thepossibleexceptionof"TheLittleBoyFound"),hecontinually watchesoverus,weepsforusandsendshisgracetillourtroublesare past.Afterthislifeisover,Christwelcomesusintoheavenwherewe dwellwithhimandenjoyHislovedirectly.Childrenareclosesttoa continualvisionofGod,but,asintheexampleofthenursein"Acradle Song,"adultsbegintolosesightofGod'simage. IntheSONGSofInnocence,Blake'sviewofGodisthatofHisSon -12一
Christ.(WhenBlakeusesthewordJesuselsewhere,hereferstothe historicJesus(Damon213)).HeseesChristcontinuallyaroundusinour fellows,intheirfacesandforms,intheiractsofMercy,Pity,Peaceand Love.ThisimplicitfaithinChristandhisnearnessisaparticular qualityofthestateofinnocence,however,forHisimagewillbeabsent fromExperience.Thoughactsofkindnesscanbeseenthere,asinthe childleadingtheoldmanintheillustrationof"London"(Kyenes46), thisactcouldonlybeinterpretedasGodactingthoughtheagencyof rnan,hereachild,inretrospectrememberingtheSONGSofInnocence. WoxksCited Blake,William.SONGSofInnocence.NewYork:DoverPublications,1971. Illustrations,textandpoemorderdiscussedinthisarticlefollowCopyB fromtheCesusofBlake'sIlluminatedBookspublishedbytheGrolier Clubin1953.ThiscopyiscurrentlyhousedintheLessingJ.Rosenwald CollectionintheLibraryofCongressandisreproducedinthisDover edition.The"Publisher'sNote"indicatesthat"thelightcoloringindi-Catesthatthebook...waspublishedabout1790."Numbersinparentheses inmytextindicateptatenumbersinCopyBwhichcorrespondtopage numbersintheDoveredition. Damon,S.Foster.ABIakeDictionary:TheIdeasandSymbolsofWiliam Blake.NewYork:Dutton,1971. Erdman,David,annotator.TheIlluminatedBlake.GardenCity,N.Y.: AnchorBooks,1974. Garner,Stanley.Blake's"lnnocence"and"Experience"Retraced.New York:St.Martin'sPress,1986. Keynes,Geoffreyed.SONGSofInnocenceandofExperience.Oxford:・ OxfordUniversityPress,1967.
Wilmott,Richard,ed.SONGSofInnocenceandofExperience.Oxford OxfordUniversityPress,1990.
