William Blake’s five-stanza poem “The fly” tries to see humanity in a fly. It narrates the poet’s act of thoughtlessness in brushing away a fly which leads to the contemplation of the act and its implications, which further reveals the essence of life as “thought is life” and the lack of it, death. As the stanzas proceed from observation，contemplation, and conclusion to revelation and liberation, I get an understanding of Blake’s philosophical system. In my essay, I will argue that Blake uses a simile between the fate of a fly and the fate of a human to show that humans and animals are fundamentally akin to each other. Although thoughts, or consciousness, has distinguished the human from other life forms. That does not change man’s predestined
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Here, I will argue that two inferences can be made from the lines. First, does Blake mean that the capability for thought, or consciousness, is the main distinguisher between man and the fly? Or, to put it in another way, do flies, or other animals, have the ability to think? I think Blake’s answer is positive. First, flies have the physical organs, that is the brain, for thought. Therefore, at least they have the potential for the capability of thought. This can be shown in Blake’s other poems “Seest thou the little winged fly, / smaller than a grain of sand? / It has a heart like thee: a brain open to heaven and hell.” Since both man and the animals are made by the same Creator, they should both have the ability to think. Second, I would like to use a small logical trick to support my view, although it might seem sophism to some people. Since Blake maintains that “thought is life /... / And the want/ of thought is death” , I conclude that he draws the equation thought = life and thoughtless = death. Then because the fly is a living creature, it must have thoughts, otherwise, it would die. Therefore, in Blake’s eyes, flies have the ability to …show more content…
Yet, on the contrary, it is because of this revelation that makes Blake truly love life and try to enjoy every moment of it. Since there exists a higher power that can have control on man’s fate yet being indifferent, and this cannot be changed. And being conscious of the situation does not change the situation at all or sometimes even make you feel more unhappy. Is it better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a pig satisfied? In Blake’s view, they are all the same. Blake’s only choice is to live each moment fully. Here, the lightness of being controlled by invisible hands is substituted by the heaviness of living in the moment. Although “I dance, / And drink, & sing” is insignificant to the “blind hand”, the “dance, drink and sing” is significant to the happy me, just as it is significant to the happy
Here, I will argue that two inferences can be made from the lines. First, does Blake mean that the capability for thought, or consciousness, is the main distinguisher between man and the fly? Or, to put it in another way, do flies, or other animals, have the ability to think? I think Blake’s answer is positive. First, flies have the physical organs, that is the brain, for thought. Therefore, at least they have the potential for the capability of thought. This can be shown in Blake’s other poems “Seest thou the little winged fly, / smaller than a grain of sand? / It has a heart like thee: a brain open to heaven and hell.” Since both man and the animals are made by the same Creator, they should both have the ability to think. Second, I would like to use a small logical trick to support my view, although it might seem sophism to some people. Since Blake maintains that “thought is life /... / And the want/ of thought is death” , I conclude that he draws the equation thought = life and thoughtless = death. Then because the fly is a living creature, it must have thoughts, otherwise, it would die. Therefore, in Blake’s eyes, flies have the ability to …show more content…
Yet, on the contrary, it is because of this revelation that makes Blake truly love life and try to enjoy every moment of it. Since there exists a higher power that can have control on man’s fate yet being indifferent, and this cannot be changed. And being conscious of the situation does not change the situation at all or sometimes even make you feel more unhappy. Is it better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a pig satisfied? In Blake’s view, they are all the same. Blake’s only choice is to live each moment fully. Here, the lightness of being controlled by invisible hands is substituted by the heaviness of living in the moment. Although “I dance, / And drink, & sing” is insignificant to the “blind hand”, the “dance, drink and sing” is significant to the happy me, just as it is significant to the happy