22:
127:
her every need, seems to get nothing but contempt and jealousy from her. Not only is the rose tree trapped underneath the possessiveness of the man, but another "trap" could be implied according to Antal with "The rose-tree, as a rose bush, hints at the possibility of childbearing." Durant furthers the point of possessiveness when he says, "The keyword is 'I've'. What he affirms is not that he is hers, but that she is his. He is not thinking of his responsibility to her, but of his rights over her, and of her obligations towards him." This interpretation makes it sound as if the man is expecting the woman to bear him children. In a time where women were considered men's property anyway, not only would the woman be possessed by her husband, but her children as well. If the rose tree, or rather the woman, fears that her husband is unfaithful to her, she wouldn't want to trap her children within that environment.
115:
rose tree like royalty. This echoes the idea of "Human Love" as we often want things we can't have, and become infatuated with things, or idealizing them instead of actually loving them. The rose tree showing her thorns of jealousy only entices the man more, much like it would any other human. The jealousy is also an acknowledgement (of sorts) of the tree's love for the man. Jealousy is perhaps the last remaining obvious proof of the tree's reciprocal desire for him; proof which simultaneously bestows upon him the power to provoke her and to 'delight' in the pain he causes by so doing.
114:
lover; but his devotion is a sickness nourished by his perverse or ironic 'delight' in the thorns of jealousy. His love object...both attracts and repels..." In this, the man in the poem is trying to show his love to his rose tree, but only seems to have the love unrequited, even though he treats the
96:
According to Antal, Blake's Flower Plate is composed of three flower poems on the same plate for a reason: to illustrate three types of love; Poetic Love, Earthly Love, and Human Love. In the "threefold vision of love" idea, this poem represents "Human Love". This is considered to be "Human Love" due
126:
Antal states that "The man actually imprisons his partner who reacts accordingly - to ownership with distrust." Antal also goes further to mention the frequent use of the word "my" in the poem, especially when in reference to rose tree. The man lays claim over the rose tree, and though he tends to
105:
This poem seems to echo that of a story of a married couple. The man is surrounded by beauty, and at least one beautiful woman, but he declines them all to return to his wife. He is very possessive with his constant use of the word "my", and thus "imprisons" his Rose Tree. She, however, turns away
87:
A man is offered a flower far surpassing the beauty of an ordinary flower, but he turns it down because he already has a pretty rose tree. He then returns to his tree and tends to her every need both day and night, but she only turns away from him in jealousy and shows him the thorns of her own.
109:
Johnson describes "My Pretty Rose Tree" as "...an ironic reconsideration of the emblem convention. Blake's speaker, having rejected the lovely flower offered him, tries to tend his pretty rose tree with all the single-minded ardor of a
1090:
1033:
244:
1243:
1099:
1172:
21:
1105:
1039:
1326:
740:
1024:
228:
Durant, G. H. "Blake's 'My Pretty Rose Tree'--An
Interpretation." Theoria: A Journal of Social and Political Theory (1965): 33–37. Web.
197:
Antal, Eva. ""Labour of Love"—Ovidian Flower-Figures in
William Blake's Songs." Eger Journal of English Studies (2008): 23-40. Web.
275:
989:
973:
1211:
347:
1227:
485:
698:
615:
422:
1016:
1261:
996:
231:
Durrant, G. H. "Blake's 'My Pretty Rose-Tree'." Theoria: A Journal of Social and
Political Theory (1968): 1–5. Web.
684:
520:
1061:
1048:
219:
1186:
595:
968:
1055:
810:
691:
335:
1084:
788:
733:
555:
268:
470:
1193:
781:
560:
545:
234:
Johnson, Mary Lynn. "Emblem and Symbol in Blake." Huntington
Library Quarterly (1974): 151–170. Web.
1179:
480:
1010:
726:
627:
452:
261:
1266:
1165:
762:
495:
328:
321:
248:
1292:
1070:
769:
490:
447:
402:
382:
367:
209:
8:
1321:
1077:
982:
550:
500:
397:
392:
48:
27:
245:
A Full
Comparison of Extant Copies of Blake's hand colored original prints are available
1235:
911:
712:
705:
638:
580:
32:
1280:
1272:
645:
575:
475:
372:
314:
215:
677:
540:
417:
1287:
1219:
1124:
896:
719:
652:
505:
437:
377:
205:
1003:
861:
831:
826:
600:
590:
535:
515:
1315:
851:
670:
570:
565:
510:
432:
427:
412:
407:
284:
201:
43:
118:
One theme continuously echoes through the minds of critics: possessiveness.
931:
886:
876:
866:
387:
1034:
The Four and Twenty Elders
Casting their Crowns before the Divine Throne
891:
856:
846:
442:
111:
585:
525:
921:
906:
901:
836:
97:
to the possessiveness and temptation echoed throughout the poem.
253:
916:
871:
821:
1147:
881:
841:
1100:
The Wood of the Self-Murderers: The
Harpies and the Suicides
1244:
Themes from
William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
926:
106:
with jealousy and in turn only reveals her thorns to him.
1173:
The Works of
William Blake: Poetic, Symbolic and Critical
169:
178:
155:
146:
1313:
269:
100:
46:. It was published as part of his collection
741:Jerusalem: The Emanation of the Giant Albion
25:Copy AA of Blake's engraving of the poem in
276:
262:
31:printed in 1826 and currently held by the
1148:Scholarship, in popular culture, and more
214:(Newly revised ed.). Anchor Books.
162:
160:
158:
42:" is a poem written by the English poet
20:
1314:
990:Europe Supported by Africa and America
1146:
948:
808:
295:
257:
200:
77:And her thorns were my only delight.
75:But my Rose turnd away with jealousy:
1327:Songs of Innocence and of Experience
1212:Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings
1228:Songs and Proverbs of William Blake
1093:On the Morning of Christ's Nativity
71:Then I went to my Pretty Rose-tree;
68:And I passed the sweet flower o'er.
66:But I said I've a Pretty Rose-tree:
13:
699:Visions of the Daughters of Albion
296:
14:
1338:
283:
238:
121:
91:
1262:William Blake in popular culture
1107:Illustrations of the Book of Job
73:To tend her by day and by night.
64:Such a flower as May never bore.
976:Original Stories from Real Life
685:The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
1049:A Vision of the Last Judgement
137:
1:
1187:Blake: Prophet Against Empire
997:The Night of Enitharmon's Joy
809:
596:The Voice of the Ancient Bard
211:The Complete Poetry and Prose
130:
336:There is No Natural Religion
7:
789:Never pain to tell thy love
62:A flower was offered to me;
10:
1343:
191:
101:Themes and interpretations
82:
1254:
1203:
1194:Witness Against the Beast
1157:
1153:
1142:
1116:
959:
955:
944:
817:
804:
779:
754:
662:
625:
614:
461:
358:
345:
306:
302:
291:
755:The Pickering Manuscript
949:
603:(found only in Copy BB)
481:The Clod and the Pebble
55:
1288:Catherine Blake (wife)
80:
35:
1267:William Blake Archive
1166:Life of William Blake
1056:Descriptive Catalogue
763:Auguries of Innocence
692:The French Revolution
496:The Little Girl Found
329:All Religions are One
322:An Island in the Moon
249:William Blake Archive
59:
24:
16:Poem by William Blake
1063:The Great Red Dragon
770:The Mental Traveller
491:The Little Girl Lost
403:The Little Boy Found
383:The Little Black Boy
1085:Agony in the Garden
1078:The Ghost of a Flea
983:The Ancient of Days
782:Rossetti Manuscript
551:The Little Vagabond
531:My Pretty Rose Tree
501:The Chimney Sweeper
463:Songs of Experience
453:On Another's Sorrow
398:The Little Boy Lost
393:The Chimney Sweeper
49:Songs of Experience
40:My Pretty Rose Tree
28:Songs of Experience
1017:Illustrations for
713:The Book of Ahania
706:The Book of Urizen
639:America a Prophecy
581:A Little Girl Lost
561:The Human Abstract
546:The Garden of Love
373:The Ecchoing Green
360:Songs of Innocence
348:Songs of Innocence
36:
33:Fitzwilliam Museum
1309:
1308:
1305:
1304:
1301:
1300:
1138:
1137:
1134:
1133:
1091:Illustrations of
1040:Illustrations of
1025:Illustrations of
940:
939:
800:
799:
796:
795:
750:
749:
646:Europe a Prophecy
610:
609:
576:A Little Boy Lost
350:and of Experience
315:Poetical Sketches
1334:
1276:(1983 monologue)
1180:Fearful Symmetry
1155:
1154:
1144:
1143:
957:
956:
946:
945:
806:
805:
678:The Book of Thel
623:
622:
418:The Divine Image
356:
355:
304:
303:
293:
292:
278:
271:
264:
255:
254:
225:
206:Erdman, David V.
185:
182:
176:
173:
167:
164:
153:
150:
144:
141:
1342:
1341:
1337:
1336:
1335:
1333:
1332:
1331:
1312:
1311:
1310:
1297:
1250:
1220:Ten Blake Songs
1199:
1158:Scholarly works
1149:
1130:
1125:Visionary Heads
1112:
974:Engravings for
961:
951:
936:
813:
792:
775:
746:
720:The Book of Los
658:
653:The Song of Los
629:
617:
606:
457:
349:
341:
298:
287:
282:
241:
222:
194:
189:
188:
183:
179:
174:
170:
165:
156:
151:
147:
142:
138:
133:
124:
103:
94:
85:
79:
76:
74:
72:
70:
69:
67:
65:
63:
58:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1340:
1330:
1329:
1324:
1307:
1306:
1303:
1302:
1299:
1298:
1296:
1295:
1290:
1285:
1277:
1269:
1264:
1258:
1256:
1252:
1251:
1249:
1248:
1240:
1232:
1224:
1216:
1207:
1205:
1201:
1200:
1198:
1197:
1190:
1183:
1176:
1169:
1161:
1159:
1151:
1150:
1140:
1139:
1136:
1135:
1132:
1131:
1129:
1128:
1120:
1118:
1114:
1113:
1111:
1110:
1103:
1096:
1088:
1081:
1074:
1067:
1059:
1052:
1045:
1037:
1030:
1022:
1019:Night-Thoughts
1014:
1011:Nebuchadnezzar
1007:
1000:
993:
986:
979:
971:
969:Relief etching
965:
963:
953:
952:
942:
941:
938:
937:
935:
934:
929:
924:
919:
914:
909:
904:
899:
894:
889:
884:
879:
874:
869:
864:
859:
854:
849:
844:
839:
834:
829:
824:
818:
815:
814:
802:
801:
798:
797:
794:
793:
786:
784:
777:
776:
774:
773:
766:
758:
756:
752:
751:
748:
747:
745:
744:
737:
730:
723:
716:
709:
702:
695:
688:
681:
674:
666:
664:
660:
659:
657:
656:
649:
642:
634:
632:
620:
612:
611:
608:
607:
605:
604:
601:A Divine Image
598:
593:
591:The School Boy
588:
583:
578:
573:
568:
563:
558:
553:
548:
543:
538:
536:Ah! Sun-flower
533:
528:
523:
518:
513:
508:
503:
498:
493:
488:
483:
478:
476:Earth's Answer
473:
467:
465:
459:
458:
456:
455:
450:
445:
440:
435:
430:
425:
420:
415:
410:
405:
400:
395:
390:
385:
380:
375:
370:
364:
362:
353:
343:
342:
340:
339:
332:
325:
318:
310:
308:
307:Early writings
300:
299:
297:Literary works
289:
288:
281:
280:
273:
266:
258:
252:
251:
240:
239:External links
237:
236:
235:
232:
229:
226:
220:
202:Blake, William
198:
193:
190:
187:
186:
177:
168:
154:
145:
135:
134:
132:
129:
123:
122:Possessiveness
120:
102:
99:
93:
92:Vision of love
90:
84:
81:
60:
57:
54:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1339:
1328:
1325:
1323:
1320:
1319:
1317:
1294:
1291:
1289:
1286:
1283:
1282:
1278:
1275:
1274:
1270:
1268:
1265:
1263:
1260:
1259:
1257:
1253:
1246:
1245:
1241:
1238:
1237:
1233:
1230:
1229:
1225:
1222:
1221:
1217:
1214:
1213:
1209:
1208:
1206:
1202:
1196:
1195:
1191:
1189:
1188:
1184:
1182:
1181:
1177:
1175:
1174:
1170:
1168:
1167:
1163:
1162:
1160:
1156:
1152:
1145:
1141:
1127:
1126:
1122:
1121:
1119:
1115:
1109:
1108:
1104:
1102:
1101:
1097:
1095:
1094:
1089:
1087:
1086:
1082:
1080:
1079:
1075:
1073:
1072:
1068:
1066:
1064:
1060:
1058:
1057:
1053:
1051:
1050:
1046:
1044:
1043:
1042:Paradise Lost
1038:
1036:
1035:
1031:
1029:
1028:
1023:
1021:
1020:
1015:
1013:
1012:
1008:
1006:
1005:
1001:
999:
998:
994:
992:
991:
987:
985:
984:
980:
978:
977:
972:
970:
967:
966:
964:
958:
954:
947:
943:
933:
930:
928:
925:
923:
920:
918:
915:
913:
910:
908:
905:
903:
900:
898:
895:
893:
890:
888:
885:
883:
880:
878:
875:
873:
870:
868:
865:
863:
860:
858:
855:
853:
850:
848:
845:
843:
840:
838:
835:
833:
830:
828:
825:
823:
820:
819:
816:
812:
807:
803:
790:
785:
783:
778:
771:
767:
764:
760:
759:
757:
753:
743:
742:
738:
736:
735:
731:
729:
728:
727:The Four Zoas
724:
722:
721:
717:
715:
714:
710:
708:
707:
703:
701:
700:
696:
694:
693:
689:
687:
686:
682:
680:
679:
675:
673:
672:
668:
667:
665:
661:
655:
654:
650:
648:
647:
643:
641:
640:
636:
635:
633:
631:
624:
621:
619:
613:
602:
599:
597:
594:
592:
589:
587:
584:
582:
579:
577:
574:
572:
571:A Poison Tree
569:
567:
566:Infant Sorrow
564:
562:
559:
557:
554:
552:
549:
547:
544:
542:
539:
537:
534:
532:
529:
527:
524:
522:
519:
517:
514:
512:
511:The Sick Rose
509:
507:
504:
502:
499:
497:
494:
492:
489:
487:
486:Holy Thursday
484:
482:
479:
477:
474:
472:
469:
468:
466:
464:
460:
454:
451:
449:
446:
444:
441:
439:
436:
434:
431:
429:
426:
424:
423:Holy Thursday
421:
419:
416:
414:
413:A Cradle Song
411:
409:
408:Laughing Song
406:
404:
401:
399:
396:
394:
391:
389:
386:
384:
381:
379:
376:
374:
371:
369:
366:
365:
363:
361:
357:
354:
352:
351:
344:
338:
337:
333:
331:
330:
326:
324:
323:
319:
317:
316:
312:
311:
309:
305:
301:
294:
290:
286:
285:William Blake
279:
274:
272:
267:
265:
260:
259:
256:
250:
246:
243:
242:
233:
230:
227:
223:
217:
213:
212:
207:
203:
199:
196:
195:
181:
172:
163:
161:
159:
149:
140:
136:
128:
119:
116:
113:
107:
98:
89:
78:
53:
51:
50:
45:
44:William Blake
41:
34:
30:
29:
23:
19:
1279:
1271:
1242:
1234:
1226:
1218:
1210:
1192:
1185:
1178:
1171:
1164:
1123:
1106:
1098:
1092:
1083:
1076:
1069:
1062:
1054:
1047:
1041:
1032:
1026:
1018:
1009:
1002:
995:
988:
981:
975:
739:
732:
725:
718:
711:
704:
697:
690:
683:
676:
669:
651:
644:
637:
530:
506:Nurse's Song
471:Introduction
462:
438:Nurse's Song
368:The Shepherd
359:
346:
334:
327:
320:
313:
247:through the
210:
180:
171:
148:
139:
125:
117:
108:
104:
95:
86:
61:
47:
39:
37:
26:
18:
1284:(1989 play)
628:continental
388:The Blossom
1322:1794 poems
1316:Categories
1281:In Lambeth
962:and prints
892:Palamabron
857:Golgonooza
847:Enitharmon
630:prophecies
443:Infant Joy
221:0385152132
131:References
112:Petrarchan
1065:paintings
1027:The Grave
960:Paintings
811:Mythology
616:Prophetic
586:To Tirzah
541:The Lilly
526:The Tyger
521:The Angel
52:in 1794.
1293:Ancients
1236:The Lamb
1117:Sketches
378:The Lamb
204:(1988).
175:Johnson
1255:Related
1204:Musical
922:Urthona
907:Thiriel
902:Tharmas
897:Spectre
837:Bromion
516:The Fly
448:A Dream
208:(ed.).
192:Sources
184:Durant
83:Summary
1247:(1998)
1239:(1982)
1231:(1965)
1223:(1958)
1215:(1943)
1004:Newton
917:Urizen
912:Tiriel
872:Leutha
862:Grodna
832:Beulah
827:Albion
822:Ahania
734:Milton
671:Tiriel
556:London
433:Spring
218:
166:Antal
152:Antal
143:Blake
1273:Blake
882:Luvah
852:Fuzon
842:Enion
663:Other
618:books
428:Night
1071:Pity
932:Vala
927:Utha
780:The
626:The
216:ISBN
56:Poem
950:Art
887:Orc
877:Los
867:Har
1318::
157:^
791:"
787:"
772:"
768:"
765:"
761:"
277:e
270:t
263:v
224:.
38:"
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
_object_43_My_Pretty_Rose_Tree.jpg)