As William Blake wittily comments, "those who restrain desire, do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained," The Marriage of Heaven and Hell sneers at restrictions and advocates appeasing sensuous desires that are condemned by orthodox Christian belief. Blake masterfully makes an argument that promotes the gratification of the senses by literally using textual imagery and visual illustrations that appeal to the reader's senses. Hence, as Blake makes an argument for the goodness of satisfying and even overindulging the senses, he stimulates them simultaneously with his constant reformulation and reproduction of sensual images. Blake's forceful use of imagery involves a combination of fiery scenes and heavenly descriptions, the use of allusion to evoke memory in the Proverbs of Hell, and illustrative plates that combine heavenly and apocalyptic images in his attempt to reconcile the notions of good and evil, and to a greater extent, recreate the Christian notions of "evil," into good. Therefore, imagery is not only used to convey his argument, but becomes the embodiment.
             In Blake's "Argument," ostensibly, not much is really established pertaining to a definite claim, what is established however, is a mental image of the Garden of Eden, the beginning for the immense use of imagery throughout the text. The images of roses, red clay, and the sneaking serpent allude to the traditional biblical description of the Garden of Eden. And yet, the etching illustrated in plate 2 depicts a distinct and strange representation of Eden. Blake adds, "A new heaven is begun," suggesting that he is the creator of this new heaven, or Eden (73). The latter reaffirms plate 2, as one would agree that the etching is not representative of the conventional portrayal of Eden, but a novel perception. What is most remarkable, in my opinion, about the etching is that the man on the tree, whom...