If we would consider Blake's concept of the function of the poet in relation to that of the prophet, we would be able to make a subtle but importan differentiation. Blake's Poetic Genius, as equated with God, carries with it a sense of indentification with the unconscious or some aspect of it. He does not admit the possibility of confrontation by the conscious, thinking side of man. The poet's symbolic language is largely the language of projection upon an object. It appears as uncriticized datum of subjective experience. Only later is it recognized for what it is by the prophet, who is able to apply the insight to a living situation. The task of the prophet, then, is to withdraw the projections of the poet, and to see beyond the poet's symbol into its intrinsic meaning.
Jung comments on the psychological implications of this process, from his own point of view. He says that projections can be withdrawn only when they come within the scope of the conciousness. That is, first they have to be objectified - the poet must compose the poem. Without that nothing can be corrected. In parallel terms, the limitation of the poet was also that of the alchemist. Jung tells us that the adept, Gerjard Dorn was unable to recognize what for us is clearly a projection of psychic contents into chemical substances. Evidently his understanding in this respect still moved within the confines of the contemporary consciousness, even though in the other respects it plumbed greater depths than idd the collective consciousness of that age. Thus it is that the psychic sphere representing the body appeared to the alchemist to be identical with the chemical preparation in the retort. And correspondingly the firm persuasion of the poet appears to Blake to be identical with the "truth".
For both poet and alchemist there is not a dualism, but an identity. But for Jung, who stands on the side of the man who is once removed from the projection as a result of his insight there is an apparent dualism. Truth and the chemical process or truth and the firm persuasion are incommensurables that cannot be reconciled. Today, owing to our increasing knowledge of physiology we are able to differentiate neuro-factos in behavior. And likewise owing to our knowledge of the creative process, we are able to distinguish imagination from scientific objectivity. When an increase in conciousness enables us to withdraw our projections, we may be said to take the prophetic (insightful) rather than the poetic (imaginative) view of reality.
Jung comments on the psychological implications of this process, from his own point of view. He says that projections can be withdrawn only when they come within the scope of the conciousness. That is, first they have to be objectified - the poet must compose the poem. Without that nothing can be corrected. In parallel terms, the limitation of the poet was also that of the alchemist. Jung tells us that the adept, Gerjard Dorn was unable to recognize what for us is clearly a projection of psychic contents into chemical substances. Evidently his understanding in this respect still moved within the confines of the contemporary consciousness, even though in the other respects it plumbed greater depths than idd the collective consciousness of that age. Thus it is that the psychic sphere representing the body appeared to the alchemist to be identical with the chemical preparation in the retort. And correspondingly the firm persuasion of the poet appears to Blake to be identical with the "truth".
For both poet and alchemist there is not a dualism, but an identity. But for Jung, who stands on the side of the man who is once removed from the projection as a result of his insight there is an apparent dualism. Truth and the chemical process or truth and the firm persuasion are incommensurables that cannot be reconciled. Today, owing to our increasing knowledge of physiology we are able to differentiate neuro-factos in behavior. And likewise owing to our knowledge of the creative process, we are able to distinguish imagination from scientific objectivity. When an increase in conciousness enables us to withdraw our projections, we may be said to take the prophetic (insightful) rather than the poetic (imaginative) view of reality.
"Prophets, in the modern scense of the word have never existed. Jonah was no prophet; for his prophecy of Nineveh failed. Every honest man is a Prophet. He utters his opinion of both provate and public matters. Thus: If you go on So, the result is So. He never says such a thing shall happen let you do what you will. A Prophet is a Seer, not an Arbitrary Dictator. Every genius, every hero, is a prophet". W.B.
