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"In Love with the Productions of Time": A Study of the Treatment of Time and Eternity in William Blake's Prophetic Works

Öwre, John LU (2015) LIVR07 20151
Master's Programme: Literature - Culture - Media
English Studies
Abstract
Eternity and time are central concepts within the Prophetic Works. In the Prophetic universe, eternity is defined as a positive state of infinite potentiality, whereas time is depicted as a state founded on the exclusion of possibilities; hence, the existence of the human mind in time rather than in eternity severely limits the sum of his existence. Viewed as a whole, the Prophetic cycle can be seen as an extended attempt to reconciliate man’s awareness of his nature as an “eternal” being with his actual existence as a body in time. Within the poems, this conflict can be discerned on a symbolical, philosophical, as well as a linguistic level, and has repercussions in the Prophetic universe that are felt in almost every area of life.... (More)
Eternity and time are central concepts within the Prophetic Works. In the Prophetic universe, eternity is defined as a positive state of infinite potentiality, whereas time is depicted as a state founded on the exclusion of possibilities; hence, the existence of the human mind in time rather than in eternity severely limits the sum of his existence. Viewed as a whole, the Prophetic cycle can be seen as an extended attempt to reconciliate man’s awareness of his nature as an “eternal” being with his actual existence as a body in time. Within the poems, this conflict can be discerned on a symbolical, philosophical, as well as a linguistic level, and has repercussions in the Prophetic universe that are felt in almost every area of life. Throughout the majority of the cycle, the aforementioned conflict manifests itself as a struggle against the constraints of time and an attempt to reinstate the conditions of eternity to the greatest degree possible. By the end of the cycle, however, the goal has shifted to become the creation of a necessary synthesis between the two. (Less)
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author
Öwre, John LU
supervisor
organization
course
LIVR07 20151
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
language
English
id
7445305
date added to LUP
2015-06-25 11:12:01
date last changed
2015-06-25 11:12:01
@misc{7445305,
  abstract     = {{Eternity and time are central concepts within the Prophetic Works. In the Prophetic universe, eternity is defined as a positive state of infinite potentiality, whereas time is depicted as a state founded on the exclusion of possibilities; hence, the existence of the human mind in time rather than in eternity severely limits the sum of his existence. Viewed as a whole, the Prophetic cycle can be seen as an extended attempt to reconciliate man’s awareness of his nature as an “eternal” being with his actual existence as a body in time. Within the poems, this conflict can be discerned on a symbolical, philosophical, as well as a linguistic level, and has repercussions in the Prophetic universe that are felt in almost every area of life. Throughout the majority of the cycle, the aforementioned conflict manifests itself as a struggle against the constraints of time and an attempt to reinstate the conditions of eternity to the greatest degree possible. By the end of the cycle, however, the goal has shifted to become the creation of a necessary synthesis between the two.}},
  author       = {{Öwre, John}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{"In Love with the Productions of Time": A Study of the Treatment of Time and Eternity in William Blake's Prophetic Works}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}