In the Garden of Love Blake talks about how the green, the place of childhood play has been corrupted by a repressive religious morality. Blake describes the Garden as being filled with graves and tombstones', this confirms his criticism of restrictive conventional morality. Contrary to the view that pleasure leads to corruption, Blake believed that it was the suppression of desire, not the enactment of it that produced negative effects. Blake hated organised religion, and the Garden of Love explores some of the restrictions he saw and detested in the church. The chapel is not therefore the welcoming and opening place that we might expect, but is imposing and forbidding. The gates are shut to prevent approach and the chapel announces itself within the prohibition Thou shalt not'. Blake saw organised religion as being profoundly at odds with the spirit of freedom and life. The disturbing image of the priests in black gowns walking their rounds' makes them seem more like policemen of morality rather than priests of Christ. Blake emphasises his dislike of the priests by connecting
In the Garden of Love Blake talks about how the green, the place of childhood play has been corrupted by a repressive religious morality. Blake describes the Garden as being filled with graves and tombstones', this confirms his criticism of restrictive conventional morality. Contrary to the view that pleasure leads to corruption, Blake believed that it was the suppression of desire, not the enactment of it that produced negative effects. Blake hated organised religion, and the Garden of Love explores some of the restrictions he saw and detested in the church. The chapel is not therefore the welcoming and opening place that we might expect, but is imposing and forbidding. The gates are shut to prevent approach and the chapel announces itself within the prohibition Thou shalt not'. Blake saw organised religion as being profoundly at odds with the spirit of freedom and life. The disturbing image of the priests in black gowns walking their rounds' makes them seem more like policemen of morality rather than priests of Christ. Blake emphasises his dislike of the priests by connecting