The Divine Image

By William Blake

William Blake (1757-1827) was an English poet, painter, and visionary, whose work combines profound spiritual themes with intense, often mystical imagery. Blake’s unique style blends poetry and visual art, making him a pioneer figure in Romantic literature and art. His work, though underappreciated in his lifetime, is now celebrated for its originality and depth. The poem is part of William Blake’s collection of poems “Songs of Innocence” first published in 1789. It portrays an ideal world and presents four traditional Christian virtues; Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love. They exist in the human heart and connect it with God. The poet proclaims that God’s “Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love appear on Earth in “the human form”. Since God’s gentleness and kindness express themselves through humankind, every person has a bit of God in him. In this connection, the poem explores themes of human virtue, the nature of divinity, and the interconnectedness of all beings through shared divine qualities.

To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love,

All pray in their distress:

And to these virtues of delight

Return their thankfulness.

For Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love,

Is God, our father dear:

And Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love,

Is Man, his child and care.

For Mercy has a human heart,

Pity, a human face:

And Love, the human form divine,

And Peace, the human dress.

Then every man of every clime,

That prays in his distress,

Prays to the human form divine,

Love, Mercy, Pity, Peace.

And all must love the human form,

In heathen, Turk, or Jew.

Where Mercy, Love, & Pity dwell,

There God is dwelling too.

First Stanza

In the first stanza, the poet introduces the four virtues: Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love. These virtues are personified and depicted as objects of prayer and sources of comfort during times of distress. These lines suggest that people not only seek these qualities in times of need but also express gratitude for them when they experience relief.

Second Stanza

Blake makes a direct connection between the divine and human qualities. He asserts that these virtues are embodiments of God, who is seen as a nurturing and caring father. Furthermore, he emphasizes that humans, as God’s children, also embody these divine virtues. This stanza highlights the idea that human goodness reflects divine nature.

Third Stanza

The third stanza focuses on describing each of the virtues and how they are related to mankind. Mercy is associated with a human heart, Pity with a human face, Love with the divine-human form, and Peace with human clothing. Here for the first time in the poem, the virtues are discussed separately. This change emphasizes the characteristics of each virtue and their relation to man. The imagery further strengthens the idea that these virtues are inherently human and divine, bridging the gap between the human and the divine.

Fourth Stanza

Blake extends the universality of these virtues to all of humanity, regardless of geographical or cultural differences. He suggests that when people pray, regardless of where they are from, they are praying to the human embodiment of these divine qualities. This stanza emphasizes the unity of humanity through shared virtues.

Fifth Stanza

In the final stanza, Blake calls for the recognition and love of the human form in all its diversity, mentioning “heathen, Turk or Jew to represent various religious and cultural groups. He concludes that wherever these virtues are present, God is also present. This stanza reinforces the poem’s central theme: the divine is found within human virtues, and these virtues transcend all boundaries.

This poem by William Blake is a profound exploration of the divine qualities inherent in humanity. Through personification, repetition, and imagery, Blake conveys the message that virtues such as Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love are not only human traits but also reflections of the divine. The poem calls for a recognition of the divine in every person, promoting universal love, tolerance, and unity.