QuoteProject
A robin redbreast in a cage Puts all heaven in a rage.
William Blake
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote highlights the suffering and injustice experienced by a caged bird, symbolizing a deeper frustration with confinement and loss of freedom.

William Blake's quote, 'A robin redbreast in a cage puts all heaven in a rage,' expresses the idea that the captivity of a once free and vibrant creature evokes a profound sense of anger and sorrow in the natural world. The robin, a symbol of joy and freedom, when confined, reveals the inherent injustices and emotional turmoil that arise from the suppression of life and nature. The imagery Blake invokes emphasizes the interconnectedness of all living things and suggests that the suffering of one can resonate throughout the universe, challenging viewers to reflect on the moral implications of freedom and captivity.

Themes

FreedomNatureSufferingInjusticeCage

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a speech about the importance of animal rights and freedom.

More from William Blake

Thou art a man God is no more Thy own humanity Learn to adore
William BlakeRead
In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.
William BlakeRead
O thou who passest through our valleys in Thy strength, curb thy fierce steeds, allay the heat That flames from their large nostrils! Thou, O Summer, Oft pitchest here thy golden tent, and oft Beneath our oaks hast slept, while we beheld With joy thy ruddy limbs and flourishing hair.
William BlakeRead
Every Night and every Morn Some to Misery are born. Every Morn and every Night Some are born to Sweet Delight, Some are born to Endless Night.
William BlakeRead
As the caterpillar chooses the fairest leaves to lay her eggs on, so the priest lays his curse on the fairest joys.
William BlakeRead
He who would do good to another must do it in minute particulars.
William BlakeRead

Similar quotes

Beyond the fence the forest stood up spectrally in the moonlight, and through the dim stir, through the faint sounds of that lamentable courtyard, the silence of the land went home to one's very heart - its mystery, its greatness, the amazing reality of its concealed life.
Joseph ConradRead
The road made wet by the water of August shines like it was cut in full moonlight
Pablo NerudaRead
People are beginning to realize that we need to live in accordance with the law of ecology, the law of finite resources, and if we don't, we're going to go extinct.
Paul WatsonRead
Every day I walk out into the world / to be dazzled, then to be reflective.
Mary OliverRead
If we do not act to curb climate change immediately, we will leave our children and grandchildren an unrecognizable planetIt is the poor, those least responsible for climate change and least able to afford adaptation, who would suffer the most.
Jim Yong KimRead
It is impossible for Bangladesh alone to take action against the rising sea level, as it has been a cumulative effect of global emission in which Bangladesh does not have any role. It is the responsibility of global community to address this issue as urgently as possible.
Sheikh HasinaRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.