“The Human Abstract” Summary

“The Human Abstract” Themes

• 

  Organized Religion and Suffering

  • See where this theme is active in the poem.
• 

  Humanity and the Power of Ideas

  • See where this theme is active in the poem.

Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “The Human Abstract”

• Lines 1-4

  Pity would be no more
  If we did not make somebody poor;
  And Mercy no more could be
  If all were as happy as we.

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺

• Lines 5-8

  And mutual fear brings peace,
  Till the selfish loves increase;
  Then Cruelty knits a snare,
  And spreads his baits with care.

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺

• Lines 9-12

  He sits down with holy fears,
  And waters the ground with tears;
  Then Humility takes its root
  Underneath his foot.

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺

• Lines 13-16

  Soon spreads the dismal shade
  Of Mystery over his head;
  And the caterpillar and fly
  Feed on the Mystery.

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺

• Lines 17-20

  And it bears the fruit of Deceit,
  Ruddy and sweet to eat;
  And the raven his nest has made
  In its thickest shade.

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺

• Lines 21-24

  The Gods of the earth and sea
  Sought thro' Nature to find this tree;
  But their search was all in vain:
  There grows one in the Human brain.

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺

“The Human Abstract” Symbols

• 

  The Raven

  • See where this symbol appears in the poem.

“The Human Abstract” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language

• Extended Metaphor

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺
  • See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

• Personification

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺
  • See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

• Allusion

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺
  • See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

• Repetition

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺
  • See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

• Alliteration

  

  

  

  

  Unlock with LitCharts A⁺
  • See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

“The Human Abstract” Vocabulary

Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

• Abstract
• Mutual
• Snare
• Baits
• Humility
• Dismal
• Deceit
• Ruddy
• Thro'

• • See where this vocabulary word appears in the poem.

Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “The Human Abstract”

• Form

• Meter

• Rhyme Scheme

“The Human Abstract” Speaker

“The Human Abstract” Setting

Literary and Historical Context of “The Human Abstract”

More “The Human Abstract” Resources

• External Resources

  • An Overview of British Romanticism — Read the British Library's introduction to and articles about the literary movement Blake helped set in motion.  

  • Songs of Innocence and Experience — Look through Project Gutenberg's e-book version of Blake's literary and artistic masterpiece, including "The Human Abstract." 

  • A Biography of William Blake — A Poetry Foundation article on the poet's life and career.  

  • The Radicalism of Blake's Printing Process — A video and article discussing Blake's innovative printing technique and why it is emblematic of his artistry.

  • William Blake and Religion — An article examining Blake's unorthodox relationship to Christianity and organized religion in general.

• LitCharts on Other Poems by William Blake

  • A Dream

  • Ah! Sun-flower

  • A Poison Tree

  • Earth's Answer

  • Holy Thursday (Songs of Experience)

  • Holy Thursday (Songs of Innocence)

  • Infant Joy

  • Infant Sorrow

  • Introduction (Songs of Innocence)

  • London

  • Nurse's Song (Songs of Experience)

  • Nurse's Song (Songs of Innocence)

  • The Chimney Sweeper (Songs of Experience)

  • The Chimney Sweeper (Songs of Innocence)

  • The Clod and the Pebble

  • The Divine Image

  • The Ecchoing Green

  • The Fly

  • The Garden of Love

  • The Lamb

  • The Little Black Boy

  • The Little Vagabond

  • The School Boy

  • The Sick Rose

  • The Tyger

  • To Autumn

  • To the Evening Star