HARVEST & VINTAGE

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Milton
Copy C, Plate 50

There is cause for rejoicing. The days of preparation are complete but Milton ends with work still to be done. Seeds have been planted and watered. The wheat and grapes have flourished in the summer heat. The harvesting is yet to be.

The masculine and feminine aspects of Milton unite to form an undivided human. Milton's Shadow or his Selfhood, had accepted annihilation preparing him to assimilate Ololon, his feminine portion. Ololon relinquished her Eternal form to become the human from that carries life. If we push this imagery further we might say that the spirit of Milton has cleansed itself of error and Ololon has accepted her role as Milton's contrary. Ololon had become Body to Milton's Soul and vice versa. This implies that Milton/Ololon together represent incarnation.

In the final image Ololon spreads the garment dipped in blood about her body. Milton is present in the vegetating stalks of wheat. Together they appear as 'The Bread of sweet Thought & the Wine of Delight' - the body and blood of Christ.

Matthew 26
[26] And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
[27] And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
[28] For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
[29] But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

W. J. T. Mitchell contributed a chapter named Blake's Radical Comedy to the book Blake's Sublime Allegory, edited by Stuart Curran & Joseph Anthony Wittreich, Jr., On page 305 he wrote: 

"The meeting of Milton and Ololon, then is simultaneously a revelation of the archetypal errors of masculine and feminine consciousness and a redemption of those errors. ... [T]he courage required for self-annihilation is not in itself sufficient to redeem either the self or the world. Milton's act would remain within the fruitless cycle of creation and destruction which continues to trap the male imagination, even after his descent, if it were not for Ololon's response, her renewal of life to balance his descent to death. Ololon's final transformation into an ark and a dove, the bearer and messenger of life amidst the annihilating flood, occurs when she casts off her false femininity... [S]he sees that the stereotypes ruling the behavior of both sexes are the basis for the vicious cycle which entraps the best efforts of Milton and the Sons of Los, and these roles must be annihilated and recreated as human relationships before the cycle can be broken and transormed into the fruitful, liberating dialectic of contraries." 

Milton, Plate 42 [49], (E 143)
"Immediately the Lark mounted with a loud trill from Felphams Vale
And the Wild Thyme from Wimbletons green & impurpled Hills       

And Los & Enitharmon rose over the Hills of Surrey
Their clouds roll over London with a south wind, soft Oothoon
Pants in the Vales of Lambeth weeping oer her Human Harvest
Los listens to the Cry of the Poor Man: his Cloud
Over London in volume terrific, low bended in anger.             

Rintrah & Palamabron view the Human Harvest beneath 
Their Wine-presses & Barns stand open; the Ovens are prepar'd 
The Waggons ready: terrific Lions & Tygers sport & play 
All Animals upon the Earth, are prepard in all their strength

PLATE 43 [50]         
To go forth to the Great Harvest & Vintage of the Nations
                                  Finis"

Letters, (E 709)
    "You stand in the village & look up to heaven
     The precious stones glitter on flights seventy seven
     And My Brother is there & My Friend & Thine
     Descend & Ascend with the Bread & the Wine

     The Bread of sweet Thought & the Wine of Delight
     Feeds the Village of Felpham by day & by night"

Matthew 13
[27] So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
[28] He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
[29] But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
[30] Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
 ...
[37] He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
[38] The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
[39] The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
[40] As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
[41] The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
[42] And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
[43] Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
  .