Demystifying Mysticism: A Comparative Study of the Poetry of William Blake and Rabindranath Tagore
June 25, 2013 S. Samantaray
Mysticism, often understood as a quest for hidden truth and union with a transcendent realm, shows marked similarities across mystics from different cultures and religions. This paper examines the concept and perception of mysticism in the works of the occidental poet William Blake and the oriental poet Rabindranath Tagore. Despite their different backgrounds, they share a spiritual affinity. Blake's works are apocalyptic and biblical in imagery, while Tagore synthesizes Indian mystical thought from the Bhagavad Gita, Vedas, Upanishads, Baul mysticism, Vaishnavism, and Sufism. An in-depth study reveals that their poetic visions coalesce around mysticism and transcendentalism, despite differences in depiction and symbolism.