| And did those feet in ancient time | |
|---|---|
| byWilliam Blake | |
 The preface toMilton, as it appeared in Blake's ownilluminated version | |
| Written | 1804 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Form | Epic poetry |
| Publication date | 1808 |
| Lines | 16 |
| Full text | |
 And did those feet in ancient time atWikisource | |
"And did those feet in ancient time" is a poem byWilliam Blake from the preface to his epicMilton: A Poem in Two Books, one of a collection of writings known as theProphetic Books. The date of 1804 on the title page is probably when the plates were begun, but the poem was printedc. 1808.[1] Today it is best known as the hymn "Jerusalem", with music written by SirHubert Parry in 1916. The famous orchestration was written by SirEdward Elgar. It is not to be confused with another poem, much longer and larger in scope and also by Blake, calledJerusalem: The Emanation of the Giant Albion.
It is often assumed that the poem was inspired by theapocryphal story thatJesus, inthe unknown years beforehis ministry, visited what is now England, accompanied byJoseph of Arimathea.[2] However, according to British folklore scholar A. W. Smith, "there was little reason to believe that an oral tradition concerning a visit made by Jesus to Britain existed before the early part of the twentieth century".[3] Instead, the poem draws on an older story, repeated inMilton'sHistory of Britain, that Joseph of Arimathea travelled alone, after theascension of Jesus, to preach to theancient Britons.[4] The poem's theme is linked to theBook of Revelation (3:12 and21:2) describing aSecond Coming, wherein Jesus establishes aNew Jerusalem. Churches in general, and theChurch of England in particular, have long used Jerusalem as a metaphor forHeaven, a place of universal love and peace.[a]
In the most common interpretation of the poem, Blake asks whether a visit by Jesus briefly created heaven in England, in contrast to the "dark Satanic Mills" of theIndustrial Revolution. Blake's poem asks four questions rather than asserting the historical truth of Christ's visit.[5][6] The second verse is interpreted as an exhortation to create an ideal society in England, whether or not there was a divine visit.[7][8]
The original text is found in the preface Blake wrote for inclusion withMilton, a Poem, following the lines beginning "The Stolen and Perverted Writings of Homer & Ovid: of Plato & Cicero, which all Men ought to contemn: ..."[9]
Blake's poem
And did those feet in ancient time,
Walk upon Englands[b] mountains green:
And was the holyLamb of God,
On Englands[b] pleasant pastures seen!
And did theCountenance Divine,
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And wasJerusalem builded here,
Among these[c] dark Satanic Mills?
Bring me my Bow of burning gold:
Bring me my Arrows of desire:
Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold:
Bring me myChariot of fire!
I will not cease from Mental Fight,
Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand:
Till we have built Jerusalem,
In Englands[b] green & pleasant Land.
Beneath the poem Blake inscribed a quotation from the Bible:[10]
The phrase "dark Satanic Mills", which entered the English language from this poem, is often interpreted as referring to the earlyIndustrial Revolution and its destruction of nature and human relationships.[11] That view has been linked to the fate of theAlbion Flour Mills inSouthwark, the first major factory in London. The rotary steam-powered flour mill, built by the firm ofBoulton and Watt, could produce 6,000bushels of flour per week. The factory could have driven independent traditional millers out of business, but it was destroyed in 1791 by fire. There were rumours of arson, but the most likely cause was a bearing that overheated due to poor maintenance[12] with flour dust being highly explosive.[13]
London's independent millers celebrated, with placards reading, "Success to the mills ofAlbion but no Albion Mills."[14] Opponents referred to the factory assatanic, and accused its owners of adulterating flour and using cheap imports at the expense of British producers. A contemporary illustration of the fire shows adevil squatting on the building.[15] The mill was a short distance from Blake's home.
Blake's phrase resonates with a broader theme in his works; what he envisioned as a physically and spirituallyrepressive ideology based on a quantified reality. Blake saw thecotton mills andcollieries of the period as a mechanism for the enslavement of millions, but the concepts underpinning the works had a wider application:[16][17]
And all the Arts of Life they changed into the Arts of Death in Albion./...[d]
— Jerusalem Chapter 3.William Blake
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Another interpretation is that the phrase refers to the establishedChurch of England, which, in contrast to Blake, preached a doctrine of conformity to the established social order and class system.Stonehenge and other megaliths are featured inMilton, suggesting they may relate to the supposedly oppressive power of priestcraft in general.Peter Porter observed that many scholars argue that the "[mills] are churches and not the factories of the Industrial Revolution everyone else takes them for".[18] In 2007, theBishop of Durham,N. T. Wright, explicitly recognised that element of English subculture when he acknowledged the view that "dark satanic mills" could refer to the "great churches".[19] In similar vein, in 1967 the criticF. W. Bateson stated "the adoption by the Churches and women's organizations of this anti-clerical paean of free love is amusing evidence of the carelessness with which poetry is read".[20]
An alternative theory is that Blake is referring to a mystical concept within his own mythology, related to the ancient history of England. Satan's "mills" are referred to repeatedly in the main poem, and are first described in words which suggest neither industrialism nor ancient megaliths, but rather something more abstract: "the starry Mills of Satan/ Are built beneath the earth and waters of the Mundane Shell...To Mortals thy Mills seem everything, and the Harrow ofShaddai / A scheme of human conduct invisible and incomprehensible".[21]
The line from the poem "Bring me my Chariot of fire!" draws on the story of2 Kings 2:11, where theOld Testament prophetElijah is taken directly to heaven: "And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven." The phrase has become a byword for divine energy, and inspired the title of the 1981 filmChariots of Fire, in which the hymn "Jerusalem" is sung during the final scenes. The plural phrase "chariots of fire" refers to2 Kings 6:17.
Blake lived in London for most of his life, but wrote much ofMilton while living in a cottage, nowBlake's Cottage, in the village ofFelpham in Sussex. Amanda Gilroy argues that the poem is informed by Blake's "evident pleasure" in the Felpham countryside.[22] However, local people say that records fromLavant, near Chichester, state that Blake wrote "And did those feet in ancient time" in an east-facing alcove of the Earl of March public house.[23][24]
The phrase "green and pleasant land" has become a common term for an identifiably English landscape or society. It appears as a headline, title or sub-title in numerous articles and books. Sometimes it refers, whether with appreciation, nostalgia or critical analysis, to idyllic or enigmatic aspects of the English countryside.[25] In other contexts it can suggest the perceived habits and aspirations of rural middle-class life.[26] Sometimes it is used ironically,[27] e.g. in theDire Straits song "Iron Hand".
Several of Blake's poems and paintings express a notion of universal humanity: "As all men are alike (tho' infinitely various)". He retained an active interest in social and political events for all his life, but was often forced to resort to cloaking social idealism and political statements in Protestant mysticalallegory. Even though the poem was written during theNapoleonic Wars, Blake was an outspoken supporter of theFrench Revolution, andNapoleon claimed to be continuing this revolution.[28] The poem expressed his desire for radical change without overt sedition. In 1803 Blake was charged atChichester with high treason for having "uttered seditious and treasonable expressions", but was acquitted. The trial was not a direct result of anything he had written, but comments he had made in conversation, including "Damn the King!".[29]
The poem is followed in the preface by a quotation fromNumbers 11:29: "Would to God that all the Lords people were prophets."Christopher Rowland has argued that this includes
everyone in the task of speaking out about what they saw. Prophecy for Blake, however, was not a prediction of the end of the world, but telling the truth as best a person can about what he or she sees, fortified by insight and an "honest persuasion" that with personal struggle, things could be improved. A human being observes, is indignant and speaks out: it's a basic political maxim which is necessary for any age. Blake wanted to stir people from their intellectual slumbers, and the daily grind of their toil, to see that they were captivated in the grip of a culture which kept them thinking in ways which served the interests of the powerful.[8]
The words of the poem "stress the importance of people taking responsibility for change and building a better society 'in Englands green and pleasant land.'"[8]
The poem, which was little known during the century which followed its writing,[30] was included in the patriotic anthology of verseThe Spirit of Man, edited by thePoet Laureate of the United Kingdom,Robert Bridges, and published in 1916, at a time when morale had begun to decline because of the high number of casualties in World War I and the perception that there was no end in sight.[31]
Under these circumstances, Bridges, finding the poem an appropriate hymn text to "brace the spirit of the nation [to] accept with cheerfulness all the sacrifices necessary,"[32] askedSir Hubert Parry to put it to music for aFight for Right campaign meeting in London'sQueen's Hall. Bridges asked Parry to supply "suitable, simple music to Blake's stanzas – music that an audience could take up and join in", and added that, if Parry could not do it himself, he might delegate the task toGeorge Butterworth.[33]
The poem's idealistictheme orsubtext accounts for its popularity across much of the political spectrum. It was used as a campaign slogan by theLabour Party in the1945 general election;Clement Attlee said they would build "a new Jerusalem".[34] It has been sung at conferences of theConservative Party, at theGlee Club of the BritishLiberal Assembly, theLabour Party and by theLiberal Democrats.[35]
| "Jerusalem" | |
|---|---|
| Anthem byHubert Parry | |
 The composer, c. 1916 | |
| Key | D major |
| Text | "And did those feet in ancient time" byWilliam Blake (1804) |
| Language | English |
| Composed | 10 March 1916 (1916-03-10) |
| Duration | 2:45 |
| Scoring | |
| Premiere | |
| Date | 28 March 1916 (1916-03-28) |
| Location | Queen's Hall,Langham Place, London |
| Conductor | Hubert Parry |
| Audio sample | |
Parry's arrangement rendered electronically | |
In adapting Blake's poem as aunison song, Parry deployed a two-stanza format, each taking up eight lines of Blake's original poem. He added a four-bar musical introduction to each verse and acoda, echoing melodicmotifs of the song. The word "these" was substituted by "those" before "dark satanic mills".
Parry was initially reluctant to supply music for the campaign meeting, as he had doubts about the ultra-patriotism of Fight for Right; but knowing that his former student Walford Davies was to conduct the performance, and not wanting to disappoint either Robert Bridges or Davies, he agreed, writing it on 10 March 1916, and handing the manuscript to Davies with the comment, "Here's a tune for you, old chap. Do what you like with it."[36] Davies later recalled,
We looked at [the manuscript] together in his room at theRoyal College of Music, and I recall vividly his unwonted happiness over it ... He ceased to speak, and put his finger on the note D in the second stanza where the words 'O clouds unfold' break his rhythm. I do not think any word passed about it, yet he made it perfectly clear that this was the one note and one moment of the song which he treasured ...[37]
Davies arranged for the vocal score to be published byCurwen in time for the concert at theQueen's Hall on 28 March and began rehearsing it.[38] It was a success and was taken up generally.
But Parry began to have misgivings again about Fight for Right, and in May 1917 wrote to the organisation's founder SirFrancis Younghusband withdrawing his support entirely. There was even concern that the composer might withdraw the song from all public use, but the situation was saved byMillicent Fawcett of theNational Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS). The song had been taken up by the Suffragists in 1917 and Fawcett asked Parry if it might be used at a Suffrage Demonstration Concert on 13 March 1918. Parry was delighted and orchestrated the piece for the concert (it had originally been for voices and organ). After the concert, Fawcett asked the composer if it might become the Women Voters' Hymn. Parry wrote back, "I wish indeed it might become the Women Voters' hymn, as you suggest. People seem to enjoy singing it. And having the vote ought to diffuse a good deal of joy too. So they would combine happily".[37]
Accordingly, he assigned the copyright to the NUWSS. When that organisation was wound up in 1928, Parry's executors reassigned the copyright to theWomen's Institutes, where it remained until it entered the public domain in 1968.[37]
The song was first called "And Did Those Feet in Ancient Time" and the early scores have this title. The change to "Jerusalem" seems to have been made about the time of the 1918 Suffrage Demonstration Concert, perhaps when the orchestral score was published (Parry's manuscript of the orchestral score has the old title crossed out and "Jerusalem" inserted in a different hand).[39] However, Parry always referred to it by its first title. He had originally intended the first verse to be sung by a solo female voice (this is marked in the score), but this is rare in contemporary performances. SirEdward Elgar re-scored the work for very large orchestra in 1922 for use at theLeeds Festival.[40] Elgar's orchestration has overshadowed Parry's own, primarily because it is the version usually used now for theLast Night of the Proms (though SirMalcolm Sargent, who introduced it to that event in the 1950s, always used Parry's version).
In 2020 a new musical arrangement of the poem byErrollyn Wallen, a British composer born in Belize, was sung by South African sopranoGolda Schultz at the Last Night of the Proms. Parry's version was traditionally sung at the Last Night, with Elgar's orchestration; the new version, with different rhythms,dissonance, and reference to theblues, caused much controversy.[4]
Although Parry composed the music as a unison song, many churches have adopted "Jerusalem" as a four-part hymn; a number of English entities, including the BBC, the Crown, cathedrals, churches, and chapels regularly use it as an office or recessional hymn onSaint George's Day.[41][42]
However, some clergy in the Church of England, according to theBBC TV programmeJerusalem: An Anthem for England, have said that the song is not technically ahymn as it is not a prayer to God;[43] consequently, it is not sung in some churches in England.[44][42] It was sung as a hymn during thewedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton inWestminster Abbey.[45]
Many schools use the song, especiallypublic schools in Great Britain (it was used as the title music for theBBC's 1979 seriesPublic School aboutRadley College), and several private schools in Australia, New Zealand, New England and Canada. In Hong Kong, diverted version of "Jerusalem" is also used as the school hymn of St. Catherine's School for Girls, Kwun Tong and Bishop Hall Jubilee School. "Jerusalem" was chosen as the opening hymn for theLondon Olympics 2012, although "God Save the Queen" was the anthem sung during the raising of the flag in salute to the Queen.
It has been sung on BBC'sSongs Of Praise for many years; in a countrywide poll to find the UK's favourite hymn in 2019, it was voted top, relegating previous favourite "How Great Thou Art" into second place.[46][47]
Upon hearing the orchestral version for the first time, KingGeorge V said that he preferred "Jerusalem" over the British national anthem "God Save the King". "Jerusalem" is considered to be England's most popular patriotic song;The New York Times said it was "fast becoming an alternative national anthem,"[48] and there have been calls to give it official status.[49] England has no official anthem and uses the British national anthem "God Save the King", also unofficial, for some national occasions, such as before English international football matches. However, some sports, includingrugby league, use "Jerusalem" as the English anthem. "Jerusalem" is the official hymn of theEngland and Wales Cricket Board,[50] although "God Save the Queen" has been sung before England's games on several occasions, including the2010 ICC World Twenty20, the2010–11 Ashes series and the2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. Questions inParliament have not clarified the situation, as answers from the relevant minister say that since there is no official national anthem, each sport must make its own decision.
As Parliament has not clarified the situation, Team England, the English Commonwealth team, held a public poll in 2010 to decide which anthem should be played at medal ceremonies to celebrate an English win at the Commonwealth Games. "Jerusalem" was selected by 52% of voters over "Land of Hope and Glory" (used since 1930) and "God Save the Queen".[51]
In 2005BBC Four producedJerusalem: An Anthem For England highlighting the usages of the song/poem and a case was made for its adoption as thenational anthem of England. Varied contributions come fromHoward Goodall,Billy Bragg,Garry Bushell,Lord Hattersley,Ann Widdecombe andDavid Mellor,war proponents,war opponents,suffragettes,trade unionists,public schoolboys, theConservatives, theLabour Party,football supporters, theBritish National Party, theWomen's Institute,London Gay Men's Chorus,London Community Gospel Choir,Fat Les andnaturists.[52][53]
The popularity of Parry's setting has resulted in many hundreds of recordings being made, too numerous to list, of both traditional choral performances and new interpretations by popular music artists. The song has also had a large cultural impact in Great Britain. It is sung every year by an audience of thousands at the end of theLast Night of the Proms in theRoyal Albert Hall and simultaneously in theProms in the Park venues throughout the country. Similarly, along with "The Red Flag", it is sung each year at the closing of the annualLabour Party conference. It is also often sung at the service at theDurham Miners' Gala.
The song was used by theNational Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (indeed Parry transferred the copyright to the NUWSS in 1918; the Union was wound up in 1928 after women won the right to vote).[54] During the 1920s manyWomen's Institutes (WI) started closing meetings by singing it, and this caught on nationally. Although it was never adopted as the WI's official anthem, in practice it holds that position, and is an enduring element of the public image of the WI.[55]
A rendition of "Jerusalem" was included in the 1973 albumBrain Salad Surgery by theprogressive rock groupEmerson, Lake & Palmer. The arrangement of the hymn is notable for its use of the first polyphonic synthesizer, theMoog Apollo. It was released as a single, but failed to chart in the United Kingdom.[56][57]
An instrumental rendition of the hymn was included in the 1989 album "The Amsterdam EP" by Scottish rock bandSimple Minds.[58]
Iron Maiden singerBruce Dickinson incorporated the full text of the poem into his 6:42 trackJerusalem (co-written withRoy Z), a part of hisWilliam Blake inspired 1998 solo albumThe Chemical Wedding. Dickinson performed the track live in 2023 as part of theJon LordConcerto for Group and Orchestra tour.[59]
"Jerusalem" is traditionally sung beforerugby league'sChallenge Cup Final, along with "Abide with Me", and before theSuper League Grand Final, where it is introduced as "the rugby league anthem". Before 2008, it was the anthem used by thenational side, as "God Save the Queen" was used bythe Great Britain team: since the Lions were superseded by England, "God Save the Queen" has replaced "Jerusalem". Since 2004, it has been the anthem of theEnglandcricket team, being played before each day of their hometest matches.
It was also used in theopening ceremony of the2012 Summer Olympics held in London and inspired several of the opening show segments directed byDanny Boyle.[60] It was included in the ceremony's soundtrack album,Isles of Wonder.
"Bring me my Chariot of fire" inspired the title of the filmChariots of Fire.[61]
The hymn has featured in many other films and television programmes includingFour Weddings and a Funeral,How to Get Ahead in Advertising,The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner,Saint Jack,Calendar Girls, Season 3: Episode 22 ofStar Trek: Deep Space Nine,Goodnight Mister Tom,Women in Love,The Man Who Fell to Earth,Shameless,Jackboots on Whitehall,Quatermass and the Pit,Monty Python's Flying Circus,Spud 2: The Madness Continues, andCollateral (UK TV series).
An extract was heard in the 2013Doctor Who episode "The Crimson Horror" although that story was set in 1893, i.e., before Parry's arrangement. A bawdy version of the first verse is sung by Mr Partridge in the third episode of Series 1 ofHi-de-Hi!. A punk version is heard inDerek Jarman's 1977 filmJubilee. In an episode ofPeep Show, Jez (Robert Webb) records a track titled "This Is Outrageous" which uses the first and a version of the second line in a verse.[62] A modified version of the hymn, replacing the word "England" with "Neo", is used inNeo Yokio as the national anthem of the eponymous city state.[63]
In the theatre it appears inJerusalem,[48]Calendar Girls and inTime and the Conways.[48]
British bandThe Verve reworks lines from "Jerusalem" in their song "Love Is Noise", asking, "Will those feet in modern times/Walk on soles that are made in China?", and alludes to "bright prosaic malls". Another version of "Jerusalem" was produced by the British post-punk bandThe Fall in 1988.[64]
"And all the Arts of Life they changed into the Arts of Death in Albion.
The hour-glass contemned because its simple workmanship
Was like the workmanship of the Plowman and the water-wheel
That raises water into cisterns, broken and burned with fire
Because its workmanship was like the workmanship of the shepherd;
And in their stead intricate wheels invented, wheel without wheel
To perplex youth in their outgoings and to bind to labours in
Albion."
Neo Yokio's national anthem is William Blake's 'Jerusalem,' and fight scenes are underpinned by tunes by the likes of Mingus.
Jerusalem public domain audiobook atLibriVox (Multiple versions)