The Gagging of William Blake

The image depicts William Blake strung upside down, a gag forced into his throat. In the background, Union Jacks are being waved—it is the last night of the Proms.

The picture illustrates how Blake’s call for a cultural revolution against militarism has been distorted into further absurdities. One example is the feel-good, self-congratulatory atmosphere of the Proms. Another is English nationalists attempting to claim his song as their own. A third is its use in an advertisement to sell dog food.