Harold Bloom in this passage near the end of his chapter on
Blake's Milton in Blake's Apocalypse, demonstrates connections in
Milton between the two greatest influences on Blake: the
Bible and John Milton. In the three works, the Book of Job, Paradise
Regained and Blake's Milton, the triangle of relationships
he observes is among Man, God and Satan.
"Like the Book of Job and Paradise Regained, Blake's Milton
is a study of gathering self-awareness. Job and Milton's Son of
God come to recognize themselves in their true relation to God.
Blake's Milton recognizes himself as God or imaginative Man and
proceeds to purge from himself everything opposed to that
recognition. But whereas the Book of Job and Paradise Regained
identify sonship to God with obedience to him, Blake's Milton
urges us to 'seek not thy heavenly father beyond the skies' but
rather 'obey thou the Words of the Inspired Man.' Job and Milton's
Son of God overcame the temptations, which in Job are deeply
involved with inner conflicts. Blake's Milton is close to Job in
that he must rid himself of the conviction of his own
righteousness before he can resolve the conflict within himself.
The clearest link between the Book of Job, Paradise Regained, and Milton is that the protagonist of each work must overcome Satan or a condition brought on by Satan's activity. Here Milton occupies a kind of middle position with respect to both the earlier works. Like Job, Blake's Milton must overcome his Satanic situation or inwardness, rather than Satan himself. But like the Son of God, Blake's Milton must resist overt Satanic temptations as well. Blake's Milton is both a suffering man, like Job and a Son of God, very like Milton's Christ."
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| Illustrations of the Book of Job Satan Before The Throne of God Butts Set |
Job 1
[9] Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear
God for nought?
[10] Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his
house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed
the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
[11] But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he
hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
[12] And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath
is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So
Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
Job 42
[1] Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
[2] I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no
thought can be withholden from thee.
[3] Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge?
therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful
for me, which I knew not.
[4] Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of
thee, and declare thou unto me.
[5] I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but
now mine eye seeth thee.
[6] Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in
dust and ashes.
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| New York Public Library Milton, Plate 8 Satan and His Two Brothers |
Milton, Plate 38 [43], (E 139)
"The Spectre of Satan stood upon the roaring sea & beheld
Milton within his sleeping Humanity! trembling & shuddring
He stood upon the waves a Twenty-seven-fold mighty Demon
Gorgeous & beautiful: loud roll his thunders against Milton
Loud Satan thunderd, loud & dark upon mild Felpham shore
Not daring to touch one fibre he howld round upon the Sea.
I also stood in Satans bosom & beheld its desolations!
A ruind Man: a ruind building of God not made with hands;"
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Wikimedia Commons Paradise Regained Christ placed on the pinnacle of the Temple |
Paradise RegainedBy John Milton
"Cast thy self down; safely if Son of God:
For it is written, He will give command
Concerning thee to his Angels, in thir hands
They shall up lift thee, lest at any time
Thou chance to dash thy foot against a stone.
To whom thus Jesus: also it is written,
Tempt not the Lord thy God; he said and stood.
But Satan smitten with amazement fell"
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