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I
have studied English Language and Linguistics at the Eötvös Lóránd
University Faculty of Arts (ELTE BTK), Department of English Literature and
Linguistics (DELL) in Budapest. Due to my deep involvement in philosophy I was more
attracted to literature and especially mysticism and mystic poetry. Therefore I
have specialized on the British mystics, such as John Milton and William Blake.
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In my thesis I carry out a close-reading of
William Blake’s The Book of Urizen. My analysis observes the
accordance between Blake’s work and the hermetic traditions, especially
on the philosophical side. In my analyses I draw immediate parallels
between Blake’s visionary work and the teachings of various mystic and
hermetic traditions and outline the obvious correspondences of the two. My
aim is not to find immediate historical or referential links between the
poem and the mystic teachings, but to reveal the possible meaning
of the visionary epic. I wish to show the connections between Blake's
visionary poetry as art and formulated philosophies both depicting the
same universal truths. My point is to show the universality of the ideas
expressed. |
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Therefore I draw immediate analogies from
the traditions and teachings of Gnosticism, Neoplatonism and Greek
mythology, the Sumerian and Persian mythology, Hermetic philosophy,
Alchemy and Occultism, the Kabbalah and Jewish mysticism, and some Eastern
examples from Hindu, Buddhist and Chinese philosophy. I also draw
parallels with the Bible and John Milton's Paradise Lost.
Furthermore, I don't only give a complex
analyses of Blake's The Book of Urizen, but also William Blake the
visionary mystic. That is why chapters I & II are included. Altogether
my work is a tribute to the great master of poetry, William Blake himself
– the seer of universal truths. |
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The
Book of Urizen is
Blake's Genesis, and the core of his Bible of Hell, re-shaping the Fall
and the Creation of the physical universe. It is also the locus for his
mythology in 'A Song of Liberty', America, Europe, The
Song of Los, The Book of Ahania and The Book of Los, all
of which rest on the ideas presented in this poem. Urizen, like Milton's
Satan, was an angel enjoying the immoral life, though among democracy of
immortals. He is not cast out for rebellion against law, but separates
himself by demanding that Law be established. Los, the immortal artist,
emerges to define, clarify and make sense of the disaster, by the power of
imagination. Blake works in many more allusions. Los becomes Adam, and
Enitharmon his Eve. Orc is born to her, like Cain, but also the Serpent. |
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The
storyline of the poem is as follows: Urizen
– a god of Reason who separates himself from other Eternals, demands
obedience to his self-proclaimed principles, and falls into Chaos – is
an abstract, vain and punitive deity. A body is created for him by Los,
'the eternal prophet' or Divine Imagination. But Los, exhausted, divides
into male (Los) and female (Enitharmon).
Their child Orc
– who represents Rebellious Energy – is born but immediately chained
to a rock. Urizen then explores his deadly world, and mankind shrinks up
from Eternity. Finally, some of Urizen's children begin an exodus. |
Back
Here is the content of my thesis-paper (available
in English in the » Library):
William
Blake - The Book of Urizen
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I. Introducing William Blake |
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II. Major Influences |
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The Romantic period |
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Protestant
mysticism |
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Political
Radicalism |
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Neoplatonism |
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Freemasonry
and Secret Societies |
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The New Church |
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III. The Book of Urizen |
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The Chapters |
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Preludium |
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Chapter I. -
Urizen |
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Chapter II. -
Prior to Existence |
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Chapter III. -
Grasping Subsistence |
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Chapter IV. -
Taking form |
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Chapter V. -
Foundations of Life |
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Chapter VI. -
Generation |
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Chapter VII. -
Chains of Being |
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Chapter VIII. -
The Material World |
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Chapter IX. - The
Human Race |
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Appendix: William Blake - The Book of
Urizen |
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Bibliography |
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List of Plates |
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Back
Interested? Write and I will send you a
copy.
MA
equivalent course in English Literature and Linguistics
(Autumn 1993 – Autumn
1996 (Degree in 2000))
Introductory courses
(10 courses. 19 hours)
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Code
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Name
of Course
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Teacher
|
Grade
|
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AN-102/c
|
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Language
Practice I.
|
Márta Pellérdi
|
A level (5)
|
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AN-104/c
|
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Professional
Language Use I.
|
Martin Baker
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-106/i
|
|
Language
Practice II.
|
Pellérdi Márta
|
A
level (5)
|
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AN-108/a
|
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Professional
Language Use II.
|
Dr. Walanne Steele
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-111/a
|
|
Introduction
to British-American Literature
|
Prof. Aladár Sarbu
|
C
level (3)
|
|
AN-112/g
|
|
Intro to
British-American Literature seminar
|
Dóra Csikós
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-121
|
|
Intro to
British-American Culture & History
|
Tamás
Magyarits
|
C
level (3)
|
|
AN-141
|
|
Introduction
to English Linguistics
|
Péter Lázár
|
B
level (4)
|
|
AN-142/j
|
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Introduction
to English Linguistics seminar
|
Péter Szigetvári
|
B
level (4)
|
|
AN-199
|
|
Intermediate
English Language Exam
|
|
B
level (4)
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Main courses
(24 courses 38 hours)
|
Code
|
Name
of Course
|
Teacher
|
Grade
|
|
AN-204/e
|
|
Language
development 1. (Film
and Culture)
|
Julie Gray
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-206/f
|
|
Language
development 2. (Journalism)
|
Edit Kontra
|
B
level (4)
|
|
AN-208/b
|
|
Language
development 3. (Media Studies)
|
Antonia Burrow
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-211
|
|
English
poetry
|
Dr. Győző Ferencz
|
B
level (4)
|
|
AN-212/i
|
|
English
poetry seminar
|
Krisztina Szalay
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-213
|
|
English
novel and fiction
|
Gizella Kocztur
|
D
level (2)
|
|
AN-214/g
|
|
English
novel and fiction seminar
|
Judit Friedrich
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-215
|
|
English
drama
|
Erzsébet Zombory.
|
B
level (4)
|
|
AN-216/c
|
|
English
drama seminar
|
Dóra Csikós
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-221
|
|
History
of England I.
|
Miklós Lojkó
|
C
level (3)
|
|
AN-223
|
|
History
of England II.
|
Andrea Velich
|
C
level (3)
|
|
AN-231
|
|
American
Literature
|
Michael Blumenthal
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-232/i
|
|
American
Literature seminar
|
Zsófia Bán
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-233
|
|
History
of the USA
|
Tamás Magyarits.
|
D
level (2)
|
|
AN-241
|
|
English
Phonetics and Phonology
|
Törkenczy / Nádasdy
|
D
level (2)
|
|
AN-242/e
|
|
English
Phonetics and Phonology seminar
|
Péter Siptár
|
C
level (3)
|
|
AN-243
|
|
English
Phrasal Syntax
|
László Varga
|
D
level (2)
|
|
AN-244/g
|
|
English
Phrasal Syntax seminar
|
Lajos Marosán
|
B
level (4)
|
|
AN-245
|
|
English
Clausal Syntax
|
Éva Stephanides
|
D
level (2)
|
|
AN-246/d
|
|
English
Clausal Syntax seminar
|
Péter Lázár
|
C
level (3)
|
|
AN-251
|
|
History
of the English Language and Dialects
|
Veronika Kniezsa
|
D
level (2)
|
|
AN-252/g
|
|
History of
English Lang. and Dialects seminar
|
Ádám Nádasdy
|
D
level (2)
|
|
AN-261
|
|
English
Applied Linguistics
|
Judit Zerkowitz
|
D
level (2)
|
|
AN-299
|
|
English
Language Comprehensive Exam
|
|
D
level (2)
|
Specialized courses
(13 courses. 22 hours)
|
Code
|
Name
of Course
|
Teacher
|
Grade
|
|
AN-312.05
|
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Literature
spec. sem. (Guilt and Suffering…)
|
Ildikó Lányi
|
A+
level (5)
|
|
AN-322.03
|
|
Literature
spec. sem. (Multicultural Mosaic)
|
John Drew
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-332.14
|
|
American spec.
sem. (The Vietnam Syndrome)
|
Tamás Magyarits
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-351.01
|
|
Linguistics
spec. sem. (History of Spelling.)
|
Veronika Kniezsa
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-352.07
|
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Linguistics
spec. sem. (Middle English)
|
Veronika Kniezsa.
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-366.12
|
|
Spec.sem.1.
(19th century Australian Literature)
|
Carl Whitehouse
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-374.13
|
|
Spec.sem.2.
(Patrick White)
|
Carl Whitehouse
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-322.09
|
|
Spec.sem.3.
(Cambridge poetry loft)
|
John Drew
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-322.14
|
|
Spec.sem.4.
(Pre-Raphaelites – English painting)
|
Éva Péteri
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-312.23
|
|
Spec.sem.5.
(William Blake)
|
Ágnes Péter
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-312.48
|
|
Spec.sem.6.
(John Milton - Paradise Lost)
|
Mark Thomas
|
C
level (3)
|
|
AN-322.19
|
|
Spec.sem.7.
(The Death of Poetry)
|
Drew & Ferencz
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-500
|
|
Dissertation: "William
Blake – The Book of Urizen" |
|
A
level (5)
|
|
AN-501
|
|
Comprehensive
Final Exam
|
|
B
level (4)
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Index
No.: XLVI-0884/93
Back
Literature
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William
Blake – The Book of Urizen (MA Thesis)
[March 2000] |
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Milton’s
Pradise Lost - The Fall of Man [Autumn 1996] |
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The
Psychology of Crime in Edgar Alan Poe’s writings [Autumn 1995]
|
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The
new era of America : Walt Whitman [Autumn 1994] |
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W.B.
Yeats - Purgatory [Spring 1994] |
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H.P.
Lovecraft - The Cthulhu Myth [Spring 1994] |
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William
Shakespeare - Sonnet XCIV [Spring 1994] |
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Percy
Bysshe Shelley - Ode to the West Wind [Autumn 1993]
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Linguistics
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Text
analyses of “Intended Lease for Life” 1420 [Spring 1996]
|
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The
etymology of paradise, dough, and fiction [Autumn
1994] |
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Heads
(Linguistic difficulties of Percolation) [Spring 1995]
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Parts
of Speech [Spring 1995] |
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Stress
in the English language [Autumn 1994] |
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English
affixes [Autumn 1993] |
British-American
Culture
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Contemporary
British Mosaic (5 short essays) : Kazuo Ishiguro - The Remains of
the Day ; Timothy Mo - Sour Sweet ; John Agard - English Girl Eats
Her First Mango ; Stephen Poliakoff - Coming into Land ; Salman
Rushdie - The Satanic Verses [Autumn 1995] |
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‘Nam
on the Net [Spring 1996] |
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William
Holman Hunt - The Lady of Shalott [Spring 1996] |
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Bias
in the Media [Autumn 1994] |
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Personal
Relationships in the U.S. - based on the films Manhattan
and When
Harry met Sally [Autumn 1994]
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4
Short Essays : Bright and Beautiful - Environmental Problems ; Freedom
of Speech ; Religion or Faith? ; Capital Punishment
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Nationalism
and National Minorities [Spring 1994] |
Interested? Write and I will send you a
copy.
Back
Want to know more?
Check out my Education
and Studies and References
too.
Last updated: 21-09-2002
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