There's a ton of injustice going on in "Auguries of Innocence": animal abuse, child abuse, unlawful empire building… the works. And what does Blake think about injustice? Well, he's against it, obviously. No surprise there. But Blake takes a unique tack against it—he refuses to accept poverty as an inevitable thing. He imagines a beggar's rags tearing the heavens into rags: it has dire consequences for the entire world. In Blake's eyes, no one can afford to ignore an injustice, no matter how small.
Questions About Injustice
- How does Blake think we should deal with injustice? Does he have a plan?
- Do you think that things like "a dog starving at his Master's Gate" really do herald the collapse of society? If so or if not, why?
- What does Blake think is the punishment for injustice? Is it in this life or after death?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Blake was on it—human cruelty is the main source of injustice.
Actually, it's human indifference to cruelty that's the main source of injustice.