The Book of Urizen is a poem written by the English poet and artist William Blake. It is part of his larger work, The Prophetic Books, which were published in 1794. In this poem, Blake explores the character of Urizen, who is a symbol for the rational and intellectual side of human nature.
According to Blake, Urizen represents the limitations that reason and intellect place on the human spirit. He is described as a cold, calculating, and distant figure, who is responsible for the divisions and conflicts that plague humanity. Blake believed that Urizen represented the forces of oppression and conformity that stifled human creativity and potential.
The Book of Urizen begins with the creation of Urizen, who is depicted as a being of pure light and reason. However, as he becomes more self-aware, Urizen begins to see himself as separate from the rest of the universe. He becomes obsessed with creating laws and systems that he believes will bring order to the world. However, these laws and systems only serve to create divisions and conflict, as they are imposed on the world from the outside rather than arising from within.
As the poem progresses, Urizen becomes more and more isolated and disconnected from the world. He becomes trapped in his own thoughts and ideas, unable to experience the fullness of life. This ultimately leads to his fall, as he becomes consumed by his own ego and power.
In contrast to Urizen, Blake presents the character of Los, who represents the creative and intuitive side of human nature. Los is depicted as a passionate and emotional figure, who is able to connect with the world in a way that Urizen cannot. He is able to see beyond the limitations of reason and intellect, and is able to embrace the fullness of life.
Overall, the Book of Urizen is a powerful and thought-provoking work that explores the tension between reason and intuition, and the dangers of allowing one to dominate the other. It serves as a reminder to embrace both sides of our nature, and to find a balance between them in order to live a fulfilling and meaningful life.
Book of Urizen
Color on the illuminated plates is a bit washed-out the Blake Trust volumes do this a lot better, and the editorial Commentary makes some weird stretches in its interpretation. And now his eternal life Like a dream was obliterated 4. Delving earth in his resistless way; Howling, the Child with fierce flames Issu'd from Enitharmon. For Blake, this is the sign of a tyrant. At the same time nets, gather things. Why live in unquenchable burnings? And a fourth Age passed And a state of dismal woe. From what I gathered, it tells of a rift between the Eternals and the demon Urizen, who is tragically "doomed to life".
To me, mind-blowing Amazing Epic, completely hermetic and difficult if not read in the light of the Book of Genesis, Paradise Lost by Milton and I would dare add Jakob Böhme's Work. . The poem uses circular imagery to better illustrate the death of eternity as well as to articulate the pervasive paradox of how connecting things together, also limits our interpretation of them. However the darkness in the first stanza connotes universality. They chain'd his young limbs to the rock With the Chain of Jealousy Beneath Urizens deathful shadow 5. . .
The last date is today's date — the date you are citing the material. If you enjoy that black and white shirt film on Netflix with David Lynch in lengthy dialogue arguing with a monkey, you will appreciate the poetry of William Blake. Here humans only perceive the fright behind darkness because their senses cannot see eternity in darkness. Take for example the common application of nets in the sport of fishing. Laws of peace, of love, of unity: Of pity, compassion, forgiveness.
They both capture fish and gather as many of them as possible. I obviously loved this. O how Enitharmon wept! For example, apple and tomatoes link together because they are both red. If you did not care for that or are appalled by the prospect, this is almost assuredly not going to be your cup of tea or for you. And a sixth Age passed over: And a state of dismal woe. Densely allusive, and furthermore intensely interested in challenging the very notion of the book, according to the commentary, this account of the birth and struggles of various godlike figures--invoking classical mythology, the bible, and Milton's Paradise Lost--is more suggestive than assertive. The first half of the poem is a poetic lucubration on Urizen's gestation in a bloody womb, the second half follows a Genesis-like retelling of the beginning of the material world.
Recall the first stanza: read it. Two Ears in close volutions. Blake's images are beautifully disturbing, and his words would not feel out of place alongside the first chapter of Ezekiel in the Old Testament, or the Revelation in the New. However, the difference between apples and oranges lays in their two different colors. A grandiose, confident fantasy version of the creation of the world. And a seventh Age passed over: And a state of dismal woe.
An object needs to be round in order to roll. The line foreshadows nets will be used in the construction of Urizen, reason. Just like breaking down eternity- dividing, it ceases to hold onto infinity. These falling down on the rock Into an iron Chain In each other link by link lock'd 4. And of course the illuminations are beautiful The Book of Urizen takes a very different tone to his other volumes of poetry.
Thus, absent of form and therefore unable to adhere to it, This last line, which contains infinite images, breaks the preconceived syllable count of nine to ten hence breaking the structure of the stanza. Darkness now devours humans instead of covering them. The reactionary chained to his syllogisms which obscure as much as they reveal. It is, however, a great source of beautifully written scripture. It requires study, and I expect to have to return to it more than once to hope to grasp what Blake was trying to say. This was a helpful resource: The book was absolute brilliance.
It's William Blake after all. Death was not, but eternal life sprung 2. Once again, the speaker of the poem uses circular imagery to illustrate this paradox. And the thirty cities remaind Surrounded by salt floods, now call'd Africa: its name was then Egypt. The voice ended, they saw his pale visage Emerge from the darkness; his hand On the rock of eternity unclasping The Book of brass. I've read the editors' useful accompanying commentary, and I think I know what's going on, but I'm not gonna lie: the real attraction here is Blake's artwork.
I have a hard time criticizing this. In fact, he is sort of subjugated by his own Wills. He sees the ever-changing Eternals as dying, because to him life is stability and The Discrete of course the Eternals feel the reverse about him: life is spontaneity and change and therefore Urizen is death While I identify with his impulses, they are futile. Infinity will not give up but it lacks endurance. In the next chapter, Urizen explores his grim new world, trying to understand it by dividing and measuring, which is all that the rational intellect, cut off from the unifying power of the imagination, can do. I unfold my darkness: and on This rock, place with strong hand the Book Of eternal brass, written in my solitude. His awareness of eternal life vanishes.
Earth was not: nor globes of attraction The will of the Immortal expanded Or contracted his all flexible senses. I admire Urizen because he reflects what I admire about myself. As a product solely of the unenlightened rational intellect, his world is incomplete. As far as origin stories go, this one is pretty intriguing, but probably only because it's Blake. Amazing Epic, completely hermetic and difficult if not read in the light of the Book of Genesis, Paradise Lost by Milton and I would dare add Jakob Böhme's Work.
