Allen’s analysis of Willam Blake’s “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell” – continues from here
He begins by setting some homework
AG: The homework you have to do is to write a prophetic book, right? And not a foolish one. Not one about me. Not one playing silly about America or something, Beatnik-like, but a serious one involving some psychological death or life or rebirth or whatever experience you have as your central experience presently. But don’t cloak your meanness of spirit, or knavery, by writing something full of folly and silliness. Don’t bring me down with some kind of a … because I’ve got to read these things. Don’t bring me down with some kind of off-hand silly jokey thing which is just to piss off or get rid of the homework assignment by writing a prophetic book about your little tabby cat or something. Or not something about how you don’t want to do your homework or something. In other words, don’t cloak your knavery in folly. Okay. (“Folly is the cloak of knavery”)
“Shame is Prides cloke.” – (You may be ashamed to write your own prophetic book, because it’s too proud to commit yourself to pen and paper and expose yourself or to lay it all out, or confront yourself.)
Student: (So) …in light, in light of Blake’s portrayal of royalty as accusers.. and these people who have shame and pride.. at the same time. And (carrying) their own….
AG: Right. FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, “Shame is pride’s cloak”. And so (on) – (Well, I know in relation to almost any kind of nakedness and unveiling, (that) whenever I’ve felt shame it’s always been because I’m too proud to take off my clothes, or to expose myself, or to experiment sort of. So I feel ashamed and I withdraw, rather than bare myself. Mentally or physically).
“Prisons are built with stones of Law, Brothels with bricks of Religion.” – (Well, that goes back to The French Revolution, that’s obvious.)
to be continued