Dialectic of Vision, The

Fred Dortort

This meticulous, close reading of the entire of William Blake's great prophetic poem, "Jerusalem," challenges almost every extant critical assumption about this poem, from the function of the figures Los and Entitharmon to the belief that in Jerusalem Blake is finally reconciled with Christianity. In the face of decades of continuing efforts to domesticate and normalize Blake's poetry, The Dialectic of Vision seeks to reaffirm, in the strongest possible terms -- its spirit, as well as its uniquely organized coherence and astonishing relevance for our time.