ABSTRACT
An enduring aspect of the biblical story of Job is the constant temptation on the part of the reader to redefine and reinterpret it in the light of personal experience and belief. Its timeless themes of the nature of good and evil and the problem of human suffering were natural material for William Blake, whose own life was marked by an alternation of suffering and spiritual rebirth. Job occupies a pivotal position in Vaughan Williams's works and belongs to a period of transition. This is illustrated by a concern shared by Vaughan Williams and Holst that they were drifting apart musically as their acceptance of each other's work became less immediate. There is overwhelming evidence that Wicksteed's analysis of Blake was the guiding principle behind much of the project.
