Question

Read the extract given below and answer the questions which follow:

To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love All pray in their distress; And to these virtues of delight Return their thankfulness. For Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love Is God, our Father dear, And Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love Is man, His child and care. For Mercy has a human heart, Pity a human face, And Love, the human form divine, And Peace, the human dress. Then every man, of every clime, That prays in his distress Prays to the human form divine, Love, Mercy, Pity, Peace.

1. What is the central message of the poem?
2. What is the significance of the repetition of "Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love" throughout the poem?
3. What is the meaning of the phrase "the human form divine" in the poem?
4. In what ways does the poem reflect Blake's religious beliefs and philosophy?
5. How does the poem address the themes of compassion and unity across cultures and religions?
6. Pick out the word from the stanza which is an antonym of ‘earthly’.

Answer 1

1. The central message of the poem is that the qualities of Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love are divine and should be revered in all people, regardless of race or religion. The poem suggests that these virtues are the essence of God and that they exist in every human being.
2. The repetition of "Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love" throughout the poem emphasizes the importance of these virtues and reinforces the idea that they are divine. The repetition also creates a sense of unity and continuity throughout the poem.
3. "The human form divine" refers to the idea that the qualities of Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love are not only divine, but also inherent in human beings. Blake believed that God was present in every person and that we all have the potential to embody these virtues.
4. The poem reflects Blake's religious beliefs and philosophy in several ways. Blake was a Christian mystic who believed that God was present in every person and that the qualities of Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love were divine. He also believed in the importance of compassion and unity across cultures and religions, as reflected in the poem.
5. The poem addresses the themes of compassion and unity across cultures and religions by suggesting that the qualities of Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love are universal and that they exist in every human being.
6. divine