The Norton Anthology of English literature. Volume 2

Blake's poem reflects some prominent happenings of the years of its composition, 1791-93. This was not only the time when the revolutionary spirit had moved from America to France and effected reverberations in England, but also the time of rebellions by black slaves in the Western Hemisphere and of widespread debate in England about the abolition of the slave trade. Blake, while composing the Visions, had illustrated the sadistic punishments inflicted on rebellious slaves in his engravings for

J. G. Stedman's A Narrative, of a Five Years' Expedition, against the Revolted Negroes of Surinam (see David Erdman, Blake: Prophet against Empire, chap. 10). Blake's championing of women's liberation parallels some of the views expressed in the Vindication of the Rights of Woman published in 1792 by Mary Wollstonecraft, whom Blake knew and admired, and for whom he had illustrated a book the year before. Visions of the Daughters of Albion

The Eye sees more than the Heart knows.

PLATE iii

The Argument

I loved Theotormon And I was not ashamed I trembled in my virgin fears And I hid in Leutha's1 vale!

5 I plucked Leutha's flower, And I rose up from the vale; But the terrible thunders tore My virgin mantle in twain.

PLATE 1

Visions

ENSLAVED, the Daughters of Albion weep: a trembling lamentation Upon their mountains; in their valleys, sighs toward America.

For the soft soul of America, Oothoon2 wandered in woe,

Along the vales of Leutha seeking flowers to comfort her; And thus she spoke to the bright Marygold of Leutha's vale:

1. In some poems by Blake, Leutha is represented the 1760s, from the ancient British bard Ossian. as a female figure who is beautiful and seductive After her husband goes off to war, Macpherson's but treacherous. Oithona is abducted, raped, and imprisoned by a 2. The name is adapted by Blake from a character rejected suitor. in James Macpherson's pretended translations, in

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104 / WILLIAM BLAKE

Frontispiece, Visions of the Daughters of Alhion (1793), plate i. Copy P, ca. 1815

"Art thou a flower! art thou a nymph! I see thee now a flower, Now a nymph! I dare not pluck thee from thy dewy bed!"

The Golden nymph replied: "Pluck thou my flower Oothoon the mild. Another flower shall spring, because the soul of sweet delight Can never pass away." She ceas'd & closd her golden shrine.

Then Oothoon pluck'd the flower saying, "I pluck thee from thy bed, Sweet flower, and put thee here to glow between my breasts, And thus I turn my face to where my whole soul seeks."

Over the waves she went in wing'd exulting swift delight; And over Theotormon's reign took her impetuous course.

Bromion rent her with his thunders. On his stormy bed Lay the faint maid, and soon her woes appalld his thunders hoarse.

Bromion spoke: "Behold this harlot here on Bromion's bed, And let the jealous dolphins sport around the lovely maid; Thy soft American plains are mine, and mine thy north & south: Stampt with my signet3 are the swarthy children of the sun: They are obedient, they resist not, they obey the scourge: Their daughters worship terrors and obey the violent.

PLATE 2

Now thou maist marry Bromion's harlot, and protect the child Of Bromion's rage, that Oothoon shall put forth in nine moons' time."4

3. A small seal or stamp. The allusion is to the 4. Pregnancy enhanced the market value of a branding of black slaves by their owners. female slave in America.

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VISIONS OF THE DAUGHTERS OF ALBION / 105

Then storms rent Theotqrmon's limbs; he rolld his waves around, And folded his black jealous waters round the adulterate pair; 5 Bound back to back in Bromion's caves terror & meekness dwell.

At entrance Theotormon sits wearing the threshold hard With secret tears; beneath him sound like waves on a desart shore The voice of slaves beneath the sun, and children bought with money, That shiver in religious caves beneath the burning fires

10 Of lust, that belch incessant from the summits of the earth.

Oothoon weeps not: she cannot weep! her tears are locked up; But she can howl incessant, writhing her soft snowy limbs, And calling Theotormon's Eagles to prey upon her flesh.5

"I call with holy voice! kings of the sounding air, 15 Rend away this defiled bosom that I may reflect The image of Theotormon on my pure transparent breast."

The Eagles at her call descend & rend their bleeding prey; Theotormon severely smiles; her soul reflects the smile, As the clear spring mudded with feet of beasts grows pure & smiles.

20 The Daughters of Albion hear her woes, & eccho back her sighs.

"Why does my Theotormon sit weeping upon the threshold, And Oothoon hovers by his side, perswading him in vain? I cry, 'Arise O Theotormon, for the village dog Barks at the breaking day, the nightingale has done lamenting,