The Visions of the Daughters of Albion and The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
William Blake tackled serious issues with his poetry. Many criticsconsider him to be a revolutionary thinker with the ideas he presented at atime when social, religious, and political oppression ran rampant inEngland. When we explore gender structures and social customs thatcontributed to ideology in the eighteenth century, we find a rigid systemof relations between women and men. Often we discover power is distributedunevenly and unfairly. Blake's writings reveal a visionary concerned withthe value of humanity and, on a deeper level, the sexual emancipation ofwomen. This paper will examine issues of gender and sexual difference inBlake's two poems, "The Visions of the Daughters of Albion" and "The When analyzing these poems, we discover a recurring ideology that eachindividual has the responsibility of reaching his or her own potential.However, when examined within the feminist scope, social and religioustenets prevented this from occurring. Blake often viewed such customs,which led to strict moral codes, as restrictive. In addition, theserestrictions were often a direct result of strict political and religiousideology. As a result, Blake expressed compass
Before conforming to these standards, weare to ask if they allow us to reach our full potential. She finds that much of theoppression in the world comes from religion and momentarily struggles withthe issue. We are toldhe sheds "secret tears" (II. Sexual energy must remain confined within marriage,which is an institution devised by society. Essickmaintains that contrary to what some believe, Blake is not attacking womenin his works. Instead, she realizes her own identity and self worth from the tragicordeal. It would be a mistake to overlook the fact that her character alsorepresents innocent love. Blake's women are metaphors thatrepresent the "otherness within the human psyche and its projection into analienated nature" (Essick). These oppositions remain in tact as a direct result of the social codesthat were dominant during Blake's era. But how she is treated is greatly disturbing to Blake. Again, we are reminded of Oothoon andher tragedy as she realizes that Theotormon is cursed by the "father ofjealousy" (VII. Thisis a stinging commentary on society and the treatment of women. Blake'sviews are just as revolutionary as seen in The Daughters of Albion,intended to cause men to ponder their customs and welcome change andfreedom.
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Acceptance Essays
