Similarly, in terms of sexual perspective, the impact of religion on those suffering from love and desire can be seen in John Donne's early works, particularly 'The Flea,' where, like Blake, Donne portrays himself as a flea (common animal/insect) that jumps from one place to another, mimicking the action of infamous casanova just Blake’s concubine. This can be seen in a pun in the poem, "it suckd me first and now sucks thee," in which the poet cleverly exploits the fact that 'S's were widely scribed as F's in previous years in order to change the meaning of the verbs' suckd' and 'sucks' to fit his own lustful emotions of manic obsession for sexual intercourse. The most important contrast aspect to examine here is that of a 21st-century reader; the term used by Donne (F**ks) may have had a different meaning - the term has numerous meanings and uses in this century, one of which being ‘meddling' or 'to mess with'. Perhaps Dogne is attempting to make an oblique comment on the influence of religious elements on his desires, and how this has impacted his mental stability over time as a result of religious views interfering with his actual lusty impulses. This may also be seen in the quotation 'our marriage bed, our marriage temple is,' where the poet juxtaposes the two nouns and ideas of bed and temple in order to produce the sense of religious exertion even on married couples. The arrangement of the nouns 'temple' and 'bed' within Donne's sentence indicates the physical depiction of the idea that religion always casts a shadow over all ideas, even sex between couples. The fact that Donne's poem was written in the 1500s, as opposed to Blake's poetry in the 1800s, demonstrates the long-term relationship between religious hierarchy and the pressure it exerted on men.
Many may claim that, similarly, Thomas Hardy portrays his major male antagonist as being highly affected by religion around the beginning of the phrase "Maiden no more." Many critics may interpret this phrase as having an atheist viewpoint due to the verb 'die,' as many people in Britain at the time were Christians, and death and non-faith in the church would be considered as blasphemous and wicked. Due to Hardy's use of the verbs 'born,' 'lived,' and 'die,' some may argue that Alec D'urberville was influenced by religion due to the original sin Christian's believe all humans are born with due to Adam and Eve, as scribed in the biblical book of Genesis - perhaps the main antagonist has been bound by this sin since birth and is suffering as a result of it. This viewpoint /argument can be further examined and supported by the events that occur at the start of Phase Six. The Convert. To depict the effect of religion exerting itself on repressed desire, Hardy quotes the quote "a reformed man who was suffering for his past indiscretions." The use of the verbs 'converted' and suffering' to emphasize that a religious conversion occurred and that the notorious womaniser had now become 'half-clerical due to suffering and agony - further allowing readers to understand the powerful effect religion had on even making such a determined womaniser come to the point of repentance - just as John Donne went through a transubstantiation. Hardy may have taken inspiration from these books in order to convey his own confusion about Christianity and how big of an impact it had on his writing. Many parts of Tess of the D'Urbervilles had to be rewritten and republished because the book was rejected by society because of its controversial viewpoints. Many of society's beliefs were instilled in minds through the church's teachings, revealing a broader view of how religion constraints many men.
Another way to look at the effects of religion is to look at them through the lens of reference. Blake's poem, Thou Shalt not, may indicate how religion has erected numerous obstacles to biblical texts and references in his daily life and work. The quotation 'And 'Thou must not write over the door...so many sweet flowers bore' is an example of this. Many argue that Blake uses the command (imperative) to express how religious oppression continues to haunt him due to the constraints he felt as a child, while others argue that Blake is attempting to question his sexuality on a deeper level - perhaps this is why he feels religion is no longer able to accept him, resulting in non-acceptance expressed on the doors of The Church. This illustrates how society at the time would have been unwelcoming of non-heterosexual partnerships. The usage of the commandment starting 'Thou shall not' alludes to the Christian laws and 10 commandments that many Christians follow, demonstrating how the religious community's views of 'free will' but stern outlawed unacceptance of Blake were probably represented. Personally, I believe Blake is attempting to portray his uncertainty with God; perhaps this is a reflection discussion he has with God - a monologue for himself given in the shape of three stanzas - demonstrating how religion places pressure on self-reflection and lack of desire.
It's also worth noting that the adjective 'sweet' in 'sweet flowers' and the verb 'bore' could be a reference to Blake's Garden of Eden, which I believe he used as a metaphor for a world of sex and pleasure. Instead of Eden, Blake wishes to enter a utopia of sex and women, where he can express himself among the beautiful blossoms' (women) - this demonstrates how religious oppression causes the poet to become cruel since he is unable to realize the full potential of his obsessions. It's also possible that the verb 'bore' echoes the idea of blooming flowers, which connotes the loss of virginity and maidenhead. or even sexuality that is delightful. The usage of brothels for sex was common at the period, and Blake may be referring to the'sweet flowers bore' at brothels, where many maidens lose their virginity and become women. This Sadistic viewpoint demonstrates how many church beliefs were formed in secret by men in order to avoid social judgment, which explains Blake's presence of concubine. Blake also penned "A Poison Tree" to express his belief that restraining anger based on Church doctrine would only serve to increase the person's animosity.
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