Pity (William Blake)
Encyclopedia
Pity is a colour print on paper, finished in ink
and watercolor, by English
art
ist and poet
William Blake
. Along with his other works of this period, it was influenced by the Bible
, Milton
, and Shakespeare. In this work, the inspiration came from Macbeth
, especially the lines:
Martin Butlin wrote that this colour print is one of the most inspired of all 'literal' illustrations of a text in the history of art
. In fact, "pity
and air", two words of the Shakespeare's verses, are also two motifs used by Blake in this picture: a female cherub leans down to snatch the baby from its mother. According to Blake biographer Alexander Gilchrist
, the print "is on a tolerably large scale, a woman bending down to succour a man stretched out at length, as if given over to death." Pity is seen as in opposition to Blake's print The Night of Enitharmon's Joy
(c. 1795) — which shows a Hecate
surrounded by fantastic creatures
and macabre elements of a nightmare
— because it provides a "possibility of salvation
" in the fallen world through pity.
It is a personification of a Christian
element that some critics argue was a negative virtue
for Blake, since pity is associated with "the failure of inspiration and a further dividing" and also "linked by alliteration and capitalization". It is also a part of Blake's mythology, in which a sexually frustrated
Tharmas
becomes "a terror to all living things", although the emotion inherent in him is pity. Other Blake characters have this feeling, and his mythology is developed between the confrontation of a feminine
"Pity" and a masculine
fiery, as happens in the brutal suppression of desire in Urizen
.
Some critics see a connection between Pity and the "hypnotic and helpless state" of William Butler Yeats
' The Wind Among the Reeds (1899). Presented by W. Graham Robertson to the Tate Gallery
, London
in 1939, this print also reflects a time when Shakespeare's Macbeth had a revival, being performed nine times in the theatre
s of England
.
Ink
Ink is a liquid or paste that contains pigments and/or dyes and is used to color a surface to produce an image, text, or design. Ink is used for drawing and/or writing with a pen, brush, or quill...
and watercolor, by English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
ist and poet
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
William Blake
William Blake
William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age...
. Along with his other works of this period, it was influenced by the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, Milton
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
, and Shakespeare. In this work, the inspiration came from Macbeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
, especially the lines:
- And pity, like a naked new-born babe,
- Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubim, hors'd
- Upon the sightless couriers of the air. (Macbeth, 1:21–23)
Martin Butlin wrote that this colour print is one of the most inspired of all 'literal' illustrations of a text in the history of art
History of art
The History of art refers to visual art which may be defined as any activity or product made by humans in a visual form for aesthetical or communicative purposes, expressing ideas, emotions or, in general, a worldview...
. In fact, "pity
Pity
Pity originally means feeling for others, particularly feelings of sadness or sorrow, and was once used in a comparable sense to the more modern words "sympathy" and "empathy"...
and air", two words of the Shakespeare's verses, are also two motifs used by Blake in this picture: a female cherub leans down to snatch the baby from its mother. According to Blake biographer Alexander Gilchrist
Alexander Gilchrist
Alexander Gilchrist was the biographer of William Blake. Gilchrist's biography is still a standard reference work on the poet....
, the print "is on a tolerably large scale, a woman bending down to succour a man stretched out at length, as if given over to death." Pity is seen as in opposition to Blake's print The Night of Enitharmon's Joy
The Night of Enitharmon's Joy
The Night of Enitharmon's Joy, often referred as The Triple Hecate or simply Hecate, is a 1795 colour print by English artist and poet William Blake, which depicts Enitharmon, a female character in his mythology, or Hecate, a chthonic Greco-Roman goddess of magic and the underworld...
(c. 1795) — which shows a Hecate
Hecate
Hecate or Hekate is a chthonic Greco-Roman goddess associated with magic, witchcraft, necromancy, and crossroads.She is attested in poetry as early as Hesiod's Theogony...
surrounded by fantastic creatures
Legendary creature
A legendary creature is a mythological or folkloric creature.-Origin:Some mythical creatures have their origin in traditional mythology and have been believed to be real creatures, for example the dragon, the unicorn, and griffin...
and macabre elements of a nightmare
Nightmare
A nightmare is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong negative emotional response from the mind, typically fear or horror, but also despair, anxiety and great sadness. The dream may contain situations of danger, discomfort, psychological or physical terror...
— because it provides a "possibility of salvation
Salvation
Within religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
" in the fallen world through pity.
It is a personification of a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
element that some critics argue was a negative virtue
Virtue
Virtue is moral excellence. A virtue is a positive trait or quality subjectively deemed to be morally excellent and thus is valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being....
for Blake, since pity is associated with "the failure of inspiration and a further dividing" and also "linked by alliteration and capitalization". It is also a part of Blake's mythology, in which a sexually frustrated
Sexual frustration
Sexual frustration describes the condition in which a human or animal is in a state of agitation, depression, stress, loneliness or anxiety due to prolonged virginity, sexual inactivity and/or sexual dissatisfaction that leads him or her to want more sex or better sex, or a state in which he or she...
Tharmas
Tharmas
In the mythological writings of William Blake, Tharmas is one of the four Zoas, who were created when Albion, the primordial man, was divided fourfold. He represents sensation, and his female counterpart is Enion, who represents sexual urges. He is connected to the God the Father aspect of the...
becomes "a terror to all living things", although the emotion inherent in him is pity. Other Blake characters have this feeling, and his mythology is developed between the confrontation of a feminine
Femininity
Femininity is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with girls and women. Though socially constructed, femininity is made up of both socially defined and biologically created factors...
"Pity" and a masculine
Masculinity
Masculinity is possessing qualities or characteristics considered typical of or appropriate to a man. The term can be used to describe any human, animal or object that has the quality of being masculine...
fiery, as happens in the brutal suppression of desire in Urizen
Urizen
In the complex mythology of William Blake, Urizen is the embodiment of conventional reason and law. He is usually depicted as a bearded old man; he sometimes bears architect's tools, to create and constrain the universe; or nets, with which he ensnares people in webs of law and conventional culture...
.
Some critics see a connection between Pity and the "hypnotic and helpless state" of William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and playwright, and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. A pillar of both the Irish and British literary establishments, in his later years he served as an Irish Senator for two terms...
' The Wind Among the Reeds (1899). Presented by W. Graham Robertson to the Tate Gallery
Tate Gallery
The Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1939, this print also reflects a time when Shakespeare's Macbeth had a revival, being performed nine times in the theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
s of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Sources
Rawlinson, Nick (2003). William Blake's Comic Vision. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 0312220642.External links
- Pity by William Blake. Perfil of the picture in Tate GalleryTate GalleryThe Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art...
official website. - Tate Learning. Artists in Focus: William Blake in Tate official website.