How is his work a commentary on the mores, religious temperament, and society in which he lived in late eighteenth century England? What aspects of this commentary are still relevant today?
Throughout his poems, William Blake was able to comment on English customs and society and how they were dominated by religion in late eighteenth century England. Blake compares those that ruled to Satan because they were corrupt and cunning. For this reason, he says that “…dost not know the Garment of the Man” meaning that rulers did not know their people. Blake further says that these rulers are even able to get others that are good like Jesus or Jehovah to worship them, albeit wary. William Blake also comments on the fact that the church is used to justify bad behaviors or illicit acts. In “The Chimney Sweeper,” a child, dressed in “clothes of death,” was left alone or abandoned in a heath because he seemed happy to be there. “Clothes of death” is meant to describe the dirty black clothing that the child is wearing because they are a sweeper. However, the child is singing “notes of woe,” which shows their discontent with their situation. The church accepts what the parents do (possibly abandoning their child or letting them work at a young age in a dangerous job) since they are allowed to go back to “praise God and his priest and king.” Blake’s line of “who make up a heaven of our misery” is meant to reflect that the church functions as a result of the suffering of others.
One aspect that is still relevant today is that there are still people in charge who should not be. These people are corrupt, to some extent, and still have people who follow them blindly. In regard to religion I’d say that the church still dominates the lives of many and dictates the actions of those devotees. Some of these people in following their religious morals and teachings may go against what society has set as a norm. Although they may go against, they have their church to fall back on.
I agree with you when you describe how in the late 18th century, England was dominated by the church, who held itself higher than the citizens that made up the population. While society still maintains some corruption, I think that much of it is no longer as transparent. Rather than that corruption being through religion, its hidden through lobbies and corporations. With our government, if there is an issue serious enough, we can bring it up to our government and elect officials which we believe will work towards fixing them, which was not possible in 18th century England.