The Crystal Cabinet
The Crystal Cabinet - meaning Summary
Enclosed Visions and Doubled Selves
Blake’s poem describes an encounter with a Maiden who locks the speaker inside a luminous crystal cabinet that reveals an alternate, doubled world. Inside he experiences mirrored cities and a threefold female presence that intensifies desire and wonder. His attempt to grasp the innermost form shatters the cabinet, and he is cast back into ordinary reality as a weeping child and a grieving woman, mourning the loss of visionary unity.
Read Complete AnalysesThe Maiden caught me in the wild, Where I was dancing merrily; She put me into her Cabinet, And lock'd me up with a golden key. This cabinet is form'd of gold And pearl and crystal shining bright, And within it opens into a world And a little lovely moony night. Another England there I saw Another London with its Tower, Another Thames and other hills, And another pleasant Surrey bower. Another Maiden like herself, Translucent, lovely, shining clear, Threefold each in the other clos'd O, what a pleasant trembling fear! O, what a smile! a threefold smile Fill'd me, that like a flame I burn'd; I bent to kiss the lovely Maid, And found a threefold kiss return'd. I strove to seize the inmost form With ardor fierce and hands of flame, But burst the Crystal Cabinet, And like a weeping Babe became-- A weeping Babe upon the wild, And weeping Woman pale reclin'd, And in the outward air again, I fill'd with woes the passing wind. .
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