Malesic 1

Meagan Malesic

Professor McCully

English 345, Romantic and Victorian Literature

4 May 2017

The Separation of Heaven and Hell

The concept of gender relations and the purpose of women within western patriarchal

societies were issues that began to take a prominent role within the Romantic era. Following the

recent advancements made during the Age of Enlightenment, members of the Romantic society

began to consider the humanistic right of women to acquire knowledge and dispute their set

position within the male-dominant society. It was this atmosphere under which William Blake

lived and was influenced, and during which he began to formulate his ideas into poetry. The

prophetic philosophy of Blake and how he understood both the natural world and human nature

are complex issues that scholars have debated since the original publications of his works.

Blakes opinions toward the role of females, as well as his outlook on stereotypical patriarchal

ideals of femininity and masculinity, are not easily deciphered. In fact, Blakes philosophy for

the world and depiction of women within his works can be argued as being fundamentally

flawed and problematic, as well as inherently contradictory. However, upon a closer analysis in

which the philosophy described within The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is viewed in contrast to

The Book of Urizen, Jerusalem, and Visions of the Daughters of Albion, it is apparent that

Blakes depiction of women as the obvious term of alterity within the binary relationship acts as

a call to society to drastically reform its dualistic perspective on gender, and a means through

which Blake himself could attempt to understand the dualisms dominating the world in which he

existed.
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In order to decipher and comprehend Blakes stance toward gender relations, it is crucial

to first understand Blakes overall philosophy of the natural world and the dualisms which exist

within nearly all aspects of it. A major aspect of Blakes philosophy reoccurs throughout much

of his poetry. The prominent root theme specifically present within his work The Marriage of

Heaven and Hell explores the formation and relationship between the terms within any given

pair of binary oppositions. Within this work, Blake himself affirms, Without Contraries is no

progression. Attraction and Repulsion, Reason and Energy, Love and Hate, are necessary to

Human existence (1.2-3). Blake admits that binaries are an unavoidable aspect of human

comprehension of the natural world, and that no understanding of the universe could progress

without the existence of dualisms from which comparisons and dichotomies could be created.

Blakes reasoning attributes the inevitability of a world fundamentally grounded in binary

oppositions as being a direct result of The Fall from Heaven and the original state of purity and

grace. Blake believed that humanitys decision to view the world in terms of hierarchical

oppositions in order to gain understanding was the primary factor behind its descent from

Heaven, as contrariety remains both the truth of Human existence and the cause of its fall

(Miller 506). It was through original sin that dualisms were formed, creating the allusion that the

Body is segregated from the Soul; however, in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, Blake affirms

the truth that Man has no Body distinct from his Soul; for that called Body is a portion of Soul

discerned by the five Senses (1.7), asserting his desire to marry the dualisms that were formed

following The Fall, such as the Body/Soul dichotomy. Blakes primary concern with contraries

was not the mere fact that they existed, but rather than they existed in a hierarchical sense.

Blakes philosophical approach towards contraries centered on humanitys decision after The

Fall to deal with binaries by establishing oppressive relationships among them. This observation
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of domination within dualism resulted in Blakes belief that contraries were meant to coexist

harmoniously, rather than exist in a dominant/submissive relation to one another.

However, Blakes outlook on binary oppositions as consisting of two terms functioning

without either term being oppressed is not a universally accepted truth. According to

philosopher Jacques Derrida within his book Positions, in a classical philosophical opposition

we are not dealing with the peaceful co-existence of a vis--vis, but rather with a violent

hierarchy. One of the two terms governs the other (axiologically, logically, etc.), or has the

upper hand (41). By this reasoning, within any binary relationship, there is a violent hierarchy;

that is, there is a dominant term, called the radical, and a lesser term, known as the term of

alterity, which can only exist as such through its submissive relationship with the radical.

However, Derridas stance is in vehement opposition to Blakes beliefs, which instead endorse

an alternative philosophy completely void of this hierarchical relationship. Blake admits that

while binaries exist everywhere within the natural world, and that there can be no progression or

understanding without contraries, it is adverse for one term within any contrasting pair to have

dominance over the other. Although Blake recognizes that dualities are present throughout the

entirety of the natural world, he suggests that the hierarchical nature between the two terms of a

binary relationship is unnecessary and detrimental to humanitys understanding of existence.

In contrast to Derridas philosophy of binaries, Blake proposes a concept in which both

terms within a binary relationship coexist harmoniously together in order to create Energy, and

reach a state of transcendence. The relationship of the true contraries of Reason and Energy is

mutually necessary in just the way that outline and interior are; neither is possible without the

other. Hence contraries cannot be two real existing principles. As the existence of one requires

and logically entails the existence of the other, each is real only in relation to the other (Miller
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498). This dynamic between Reason and Energy further establishes Blakes belief in balance

and symmetry within binary relationships. In The First Book of Urizen, Blake establishes that

this original state of transcendence, equivalent to Heaven, is known as Imagination, which is

personified through the character of Los. On the contrary, existing as the reflective term in the

binary, a state of oppression in equivalence to Hell is depicted through Urizen, the

personification of misguided Reason. Blake affirms within The Marriage of Heaven and Hell

that Energy is Eternal Delight (1.7), and presents that Energy can be generated through a

return to Imagination and artistic vision. Additionally, his philosophy explains that in order to

create Energy and therefore return to a state of heavenly bliss there must be harmony

between the binaries, such as the Body and the Soul, and Reason and Imagination.

Blakes belief system argues that it is only through this poetic deconstruction of

conventional, hierarchically based binaries that human beings can truly deal with dualisms and

no longer remained confined by them. His philosophy of the world appears to center around a

belief that the oppression of one term within a binary relationship leads to the fall of

Imagination, and must be avoided at all costs. He believed that Dualism is a state of mind. It

seems true only when our mind is dual, and our Soul divided against itself (Ferber 107).

Therefore, if dualism is but a state of mine, Blake believed in the possibility of liberation from

dualistic thoughts in which one term dominated over another. Through this rejection of an

oppressive system of binaries, an individual could be restored to a state of Imagination and bliss.

With Blakes self-proclaimed philosophy in mind, it is essential to comment on the

society in which he lived and by which he was influenced. During the Romantic era, the arrival

of The Woman Question began to inquire into the role of females within the patriarchal

society. Though the end of the Romantic era left much unresolved within the issue of gender
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politics, the greater inquiry into the concept of female isolation to the home away from public

society and increased debate over the overall role of gender began to pave the way for increased

conversation about the role of women and the fundamental flaws existing within the patriarchy

(Yildirim 14). Set aside from these proto-feminist considerations, the general Romantic

patriarchal ideal for women was that of a domesticated and motherly figure, kept away from the

outside public world and confined to the home. This stereotypical figure, later identified as the

Angel of the House during the Victorian era, was idealized by the patriarchy, urging women to

act as objects designed for male pleasure and consumption (Langlinais 5). However, though the

Angel of the House ideal was largely promoted throughout Romantic England, some

challenging views began to raise questions as to the true role and value of females underneath the

male-dominant hierarchy that oppressed them.

Therefore, within Romantic England, it is evident that gender was composed of a set of

binary oppositions man and woman. Just like any other binary system under Derridas

philosophy, this pair of contraries contained both a radical term and a term of alterity. Under the

Romantic patriarchal society dominated by the male hierarchy, man was the radical term and

woman was the term of alterity. Keeping in mind that this was the era under which Blake was

influenced, and upon considering his philosophy on oppressive binary oppositions, it should be

expected that he would be outraged by the blatantly hierarchical terms within the gender

relationship and the evident sexism of his society. Robert Essick points out that Blake's habit of

constructing his thought through bipolar contraries-innocence/experience, heaven/hell, prolific/

devourer finds a ready-made pair in the male/female division (615). Romantic society should

have been a perfect opportunity for Blake to present his philosophical ideals in terms of gender.

If Blake were truly opposed to a system of hierarchal dualisms, his work should, in theory,
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display a utopian concept in which neither men nor women are the dominant term within a

dichotomy. It should be anticipated that Blakes literature would demonstrate the binaries within

the concept of gender as being equal and cohesive, with neither term being either dominant or

oppressed. Interestingly, though, this is not the case. Scholars have pointed out that Blake's

dualism is an inevitable consequence of his philosophical position, but it is a consequence that he

does his best to avoid. The many passages in which he denies it are far from irrelevant; they

show us what he wanted to believe... Although Blake is constantly tempted to reject one half of

any contrary pair, he is aware that to do so would be to falsify the truth as he perceives it

(Damrosch 177). Despite Blakes acclamation within The Marriage of Heaven and Hell for a

desire to perfectly marry opposing terms within a binary set, the reality found within the

presentation of gender within his later works presents evidence of his belief in the complete

opposite of his supposed philosophy. In order to truly understand Blakes outlook on gender and

female role within society, it is essential to study the ways in which his representation of women

within his poetry diverges from and rejects his own personal philosophy of duality.

This task, however, is not a simple one. Blakes representation of women is such a

complex and multi-faceted issue that his true intentions are extraordinarily difficult to decipher.

Susan Fox states that in the poetry of William Blake, images of females are not merely cultural

phenomena but artistic and philosophical principles, and they have been so little defined A

study of Blake's use of females as metaphors should not only identify his complicated attitudes

towards women but also reveal a serious self-contradiction in his vision of the universe (507).

Blakes presentation of female figures within his poetry does not align with his own self-

proclaimed philosophy of the natural world. His depiction of women has been criticized by

many modern feminist scholars as being blatantly misogynistic and in glaring contrast with his
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own personal acclamation of equality between terms of a dualistic pair. It is evident that a closer

analysis of Blakes unfavorable portrayal of his female characters reveals a much deeper and

more complicated aspect to his interpretation of the natural world and society than what The

Marriage of Heaven and Hell originally presented.

As Blake incorporates his philosophy within his prophetic works, he always reiterates his

belief that the binary system of human understanding of the universe is a result of The Fall. It is

apparent that in Jerusalem, Blake states that contraries are made by the Sons of Albion, and that

From them they make an Abstract, which is a Negation (J 10:10, E151/K629). Contraries and

negations alike are expressions of fallen existence, and call for radical redefinition in Eden or

Eternity (Damrosch 180). Blake does not seem to deviate from the basic principle of his

philosophy, yet his description of The Fall within The Book of Urizen clearly contradicts his

belief in a system of mutually coexisting binaries. Blake describes of the creation of the female

character of Enitharmon that All Eternity shuttered at the sight / Of the first female now

separate (CPP, 78). This depiction obviously shows Blakes anxiety at the concept of an

independent female being, liberated from complete male dominance. Perhaps this anxiety

resides at the root of the underlying misogyny present within his works. It is noted that Blake's

hostility to the female has come in for considerable attention lately, after a long period during

which it was excused as a mere metaphor Blake is anxious about the domination of the female

over the male (Damrosch 182). Blake clearly expressed his concerns about women existing

separately from men, despite his affirmation in contraries being capable of peaceful coexistence.

His fears of the separation of women from men appear to be the result of his uneasiness at the

idea of females gaining control or power over males, which has been interpreted by many

scholars as clear evidence of his misogynistic tendencies and fear of powerful women.
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However, there are still aspects of Blakes view of women that remain unclear and up for

debate. One of Blakes most controversial perspectives in regards to gender relationships is his

concept of the Female Will, described as, The refusal of the beloved object to surrender this

independence, which of course is really man's inability to make it do so, is the "female will," or

belief in an ultimate externality, which blocks our final vision (Frye 263). In other words, Blake

believed that the Female Will was a concept that hindered an individuals ability to reach a state

of divine understanding. One major example of this is found within The Book of Urizen, in

which the primary female character of Enitharmon, a possessor of the Female Will, is constantly

in dissonance with the male character of Los, as a direct result of her refusal to abandon her

independence. However, it is only though this lack of harmony that Los is attracted to

Enitharmon, resulting in his mating and procreation with her (Frye 264). This result of

procreation as a result of male and female discord is an interesting aspect of Blakian poetry, and

suggests that he may not have been as anxious about female independence as what it originally

seems. It can therefore be argued that Blakes philosophy was not a direct attack on women,

but rather the oppositions within all humans between male and female principles that resulted

from the fall The Female Will is created by the fallen Albion; thus, it represents only the

reification of erroneous masculine perceptions. Females in Blake's allegorical poetry must be

understood metaphorically. They are the representatives of otherness within the human psyche

(Essick 616). The Female Will that Blake so feared was a result of the original fall from a

state of grace; therefore, the females who embody it cannot be understood as much in a literal

sense than in a figurative one.

Although it can be said that Blakes representation of women must be understood

metaphorically, there are still many inconsistencies in his portrayal of females and his outlook on
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gender relations that make his stance difficult to interpret. Blakes depiction of his female

figures and the Female Will within The Book of Urizen and Jerusalem hold an overwhelmingly

negative connotation. His depictions of these active female characters are highly associated with

evil and a stifling of male independence and artistic freedom. It can be observed that, Figures

such as Enitharmon and Vala take on the traditional trappings of nature goddesses whose

independent existence is a lamentable alterity blocking the realization of vision. In Blake's later

worksthe "Female Will" [is] an aggressive force in Jerusalem thwarting Los, the artist-hero,

and perverting the proper hegemony of masculine over feminine principles (Essick 615).

Blakes association of his female characters as powerful goddesses of nature depicts these

females as harmful to the creative development of their male counterparts. Additionally, these

female characters are also incapable of ever reaching the same creative insight, due to their

obsession with maintaining their independence from the male figures. It has been stated that,

For all Blake's insight into the reciprocity of domination, analysis, externality, and so on, it

remains true that, being female, nature, even in resurrection, never quite achieves equality with

the creative and procreative male spirit (Ferber 110). Blakes depiction of the nature of the

female, as well as the limiting power of the Female Will, simply never allows for female creative

development or an obtainment of divine insight. The male spirit constantly prevails about the

female, revealing a major disconnect between the two terms of the binary set.

Returning to Blakes original philosophy on contraries, then, it is evident that his writings

involving gender relations simply do not fit within his own value system. Blakes own

philosophy relies upon a vision of mutuality and harmonious coexistence, which would suggest a

desire to represent male and female beings as also coexisting mutually and harmoniously.

However, In his prophetic poems Blake conceives a perfection of humanity defined in part by
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the complete mutuality of its interdependent genders. Yet throughout the same poems he

represents one of those mutual, contrary, equal genders as inferior and dependent (or, in the case

of Jerusalem, superior and dependent), or as unnaturally and disastrously dominant (Fox 507).

This disconnect and abandonment of his own philosophy in regards to gender clearly suggests

that the issue was one with which Blake himself struggled to comprehend and understand within

idyllic terms of his belief system. Blakes metaphorical use of the female is one that clearly

defines female figures as negative and threats to masculinity, destabilizing the basic principle of

his views toward duality. Susan Fox again points out that females are not only represented as

weak or power-hungry; they come to represent weakness and power-hunger ("Female Will," the

corrupting lust for dominance identified with women). Blake's philosophical principle of

mutuality is thus undermined by stereotypical metaphors of femaleness which [he] found

himself trapped by in his late works (Fox 508). The decision by Blake to represent his females

in such stereotypical terms automatically places his female characters with the position of alterity

within the binary set, with males as the radical term. This direct inconsistency with Blakes

original stance on dualism found within The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is a highly perplexing

one, as his representation of females seemingly contradicts his entire belief system, therefore

masking his personal perspective towards gender with an air of ambivalence and uncertainty.

Therefore, the question then becomes why Blake would decide to so blatantly contradict

his own philosophy through his depiction of female alterity. The answer, however, is not so

obvious. It is only when the context of the societal implications of the Romantic era are

examined that Blakes contradictive nature begins to gain clarity. Blake lived in a time period in

which the role of the female was an extremely oppressive one, during which women and men

alike fell victim to the stereotypes of the patriarchy. It is only expected that Blakes writings
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would therefore somehow be influenced by and reflect this confining societal atmosphere,

regardless of how strong his personal philosophy may have been. Therefore, Blakes decision to

represent his female characters of Jerusalem and Enitharmon as epitomes of the negatively

associated Female Will was because the code of heterosexual masculinity aligns women with

nature and men with culture. The fact that Blake saw this does not mean he believed it was

desirable. Similarly, the reason Jerusalem is primarily defined through her sexuality is not

because Blake thought that was the way women ought to define themselves but because he knew

patriarchal society coerces women into doing so (Hayes 159). Blakes decision to depict his

female characters in such a hostile and oppressive fashion likely was a direct commentary on the

patriarchal society of which he resided and observed throughout his lifetime. Blake recognized

the inequities of gender within his society, and desired to reform them so that they may fit within

his own personal philosophy of coexistence of duality yet he himself was not entirely sure how

to break free from the society that so highly influenced him. It is evident, then:

That Blake's metaphor contradicts his doctrine of necessary equality between contraries is

perhaps more a comment on the society in which he was educated and which he

addressed than it is upon his faculties as thinker and poet. Blake more than any other

male writer of his time recognized the destructive effect of received attitudes towards

women, but who was nevertheless to some extent a victim of those attitudes. (Fox 519)

Blake certainly was well aware that his depiction of women as terms of alterity did not coincide

with his previously self-proclaimed belief system. It was through this intentional disconnect

with his own philosophy that he attempted to examine the society in which he resided, and

comprehend the effects of patriarchal expectations on gender relations though he himself found
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that a complete rejection of the gender differences within the society in which he was surrounded

proved itself to be a monumentally difficult task.

From this perspective, it is crucial to discuss Blakes presentation of the female gender

specifically found within Visions of the Daughters of Albion. Blakes Visions, written shortly

after the finalization of The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, appears at first to yet again starkly

contradict Blakes desire for a unification of binary terms. The plot of the poem revolves around

the female character of Oothoon, who is in love with the idealized and chaste male character of

Theotormon. However, the dilemma of the poem centralizes around the rape of Oothoon by the

male slave master Bromion, after which Theotormon no longer desires Oothoon, and she is left

a solitary shadow wailing on the margin of nonentity (Blake 10.8). Despite this seemingly

apparent portrayal of Oothoon as the stereotypical female figure without any control over her

own sexuality, there are deeper metaphorical elements within the poem that suggest Blake

himself did not actually agree with this stereotypical presentation. In actuality, Oothoon, the

young woman at the center of the poem, is both active and heroic, a victim of male tyrannies.

Her struggle for self-expression and freedom from repression would seem a precursor to modern

feminism. Blake's later criticism of the feminine must be understood in light of this ideal of

female liberation, a necessary companion to his calls for male liberation (Essick 616). This

argument suggests yet again that Blakes ambivalence and contradictory nature towards female

sexuality and gender relations as a whole was simply a means through which he attempted to

liberate himself and his society from the confines of binary oppression. Therefore, the

fundamental aim of Visions is to present a strenuous voice of resistance against tyranny even if

that voice may not succeed (Welch 109). Oothoons wailing and lack of resolution at the end

of a poem does not suggest that Blake interpreted her resistance as being in vain or a sign of
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weakness; rather, it acts as a commentary on Blakes observations of his society, and a call for a

reform of the oppressive dichotomies present within Romantic England.

However, this does not entirely justify or explain Blakes reasoning behind the portrayal

of Oothoon, as the character is still surrounded by an air of absolute contradiction and

ambivalence. Oothoon has been described as the most remarkable woman Blake ever

conceived. She is also one of the most complicated, disturbing, and least readily assimilable

figures to appear in his poetry. She has so far frustrated all attempts to categorize her. Though

she is generally taken as the voice of prophetic liberation, her message is anything but

unambiguously liberating (Heffernan 3). Oothoon is the definition of a paradox. It is

impossible to define or label her. Therefore, the presentation of Oothoon reflects how Blake

himself may have viewed all women, as beings impossible to be categorized or stereotyped

simply because of their gender. It can be pointed out that, Straddling the line between defiant

assertion and helpless submission, Oothoon challenges all binary oppositions. She reenacts what

Blake does in the radically antinomian Marriage of Heaven and Hell. Oothoon questions the

values traditionally used to define gender: oppositions such as terror and meekness

(Heffernan 6). Blakes portrayal of Oothoon certainly raises questions as to what it means to be

female, and the true value behind of assigning characteristics to the binary terms of male and

female within the dichotic set of gender. Oothoons ambiguous presentation allows her to defy

the confines of her position of alterity, and suggests that Blake believed in a vision in which

stereotypical values would not be assigned as a direct result of the gender binary.

However, despite this argument that presents Oothoon as a binary-defying figure, it

cannot be overlooked that the ending of Visions is far from liberating for the young heroine. In

the end, Oothoon neither wins nor loses. She challenges the assumption that love means
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exclusive possession; she challenges the oppositions between fidelity and promiscuity, holiness

and sensuality, the intellect and the senses, punishment and self-gratification, submission and

transgression, defeat and victory. But she neither converts the men who oppress her nor liberates

herself from them (Heffernan 18). Despite Oothoons progressive outlook on femininity and

sexuality, she is still regarded as undesirable by the male characters who consume her. The male

dominance is always present, regardless of Oothoons actions to liberate herself from her

position of alterity as the Other. Therefore, Even Oothoon, the single female character in all

Blake's poetry who is both active and good, fails to achieve what she desires because her

feminine will is not powerful enough to free her from the impositions of male

authority.Women, it would seem from these early poems, are trapped in a reality which

recognizes no female power but evil female power (Fox 512). This confinement of Oothoon

because of her femaleness is yet another example of Blake attempting to comprehend and

reconcile the role of gender within his Romantic society. Blake seemingly was well aware of the

inequality and contradictory nature of gender presentation within his poetry, which acted as a

direct reflection of the attitudes within western patriarchal societies as a whole.

However, one final problematic element exists within Visions that reveals valuable

insight into Blakes true opinions toward oppression and binary relationships. Blakes decision to

portray his main character the victim of oppression as a female, immediately succumbs her to

the gender stereotypes of weakness and victimization the very stereotypes that he so claimed to

despise. Upon analysis, it is apparent that [Blake] needed a chief character who could be raped

and tied down and suppressed without recourse.Oothoon was chosen for her part not just

because she was wise and brave, but also because she was female and thus powerless. unlike

Orc or Los or Milton or any other positive male figure in Blake's poetry, Oothoon is helplessly
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victimized by powers completely outside her control. (Fox 513). Therefore, Oothoon falls

completely victim to the dominant term within her binary set, leaving her as the weak and

oppressed term of alterity simply based upon her stereotypical gender-specific traits. Now, this

is not to say that Blake truly did not believe in his philosophy of coexistence and a rejection of

dominant/submissive contraries. Blake certainly held great disdain for oppression and the lack

of harmony which he observed within the society around him, but it is one thing to despise

oppression, and another to envision the means of the oppressed to end it. No woman in any

Blake poem has both the will and the power to initiate her own salvation not even the strongest

and most independent of his women, Oothoon (Fox 513). Blakes inability within his own

poetry to portray a female figure non-dominated by the male, radical terms around her suggests

that he and society as a whole simply did not yet have the means to embrace true societal

upheaval and a total rejection of traditional gender roles. However, although Blake may not

have been able to fully rise above the attitudes of his society himself, he seemed to be reassured

by his belief in a utopia that would one day exist, free from the oppressive contraries that he so

wished to reject. Dennis Welch points out that if Oothoon's future in Blake's canon indicates

any further progress for her, it is worth noting that she does not remain enslaved Regarding the

conditions of Oothoon and of racial and female enslavement overall, Blake appears to have

believed that the status quo would eventually change (131). Blakes optimistic outlook to the

future for a world not defined by gender roles or any other system of oppression certainly reflects

his ultimate belief in his philosophy, and his progressive desire to envision a universe capable of

existing in complete harmony.

The entirety of William Blakes prophetic philosophy is one that has intrigued and

perplexed scholars for centuries. Blakes self-proclaimed desire for a rejection of the oppressive
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nature of binary oppositions within political, religious, and social systems is present even within

his earliest works, suggesting his longing for a return to the pure state of Imagination via a

harmonious coexistence, free from oppression. However, when female figures are analyzed

within Blakes works, questions immediately arise as to why Blake, a poet so obsessed with the

eradication of oppressive contraries, would so clearly portray females as the obvious terms of

alterity, defined by weakness. These questions can only begin to gain answers when the overall

context of Blakes society is further analyzed, revealing a systematic application of gender roles

implemented and enforced by the patriarchy. Blakes attempts to make sense of the unequal and

oppressive society in which he resided, as well as his inability to reach a state of total

independence from the patriarchal confines, result in his ambiguous presentation of female

figures, struggling against the tyrannical supremacy of the male dominant.

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Works Cited

Blake, William. "The Complete Poetry & Prose of William Blake." The William Blake Archive.

The William Blake Archive. Web.

Damrosch, Leopold. The Problem of Dualism. Symbol and Truth in Blake's Myth, Princeton

University Press, 1980, pp. 165243.

Essick, Robert N. William Blake's Female Will and Its Biographical Context. Studies in

English Literature, 1500-1900, vol. 31, no. 4, 1991, pp. 615630.

Ferber, Michael. The Social Vision of William Blake. Princeton University Press, 1985.

Fox, Susan. The Female as Metaphor in William Blake's Poetry. Critical Inquiry, vol. 3, 1977,

pp. 507519.

Frye, Northrop. Fearful Symmetry. Boston: Beacon, 1947. Print.

Hayes, Tom. William Blake's Androgynous Ego-Ideal. ELH, vol. 71, no. 1, 2004, pp. 141

165.

Heffernan, James A. W. Blake's Oothoon: The Dilemmas of Marginality. Studies in

Romanticism, vol. 30, no. 1, 1991, pp. 318.

Langlinais, Chantel. "Framing the Victorian Heroine: Representations of the Ideal Woman in Art

and Fiction." Interdisciplinary Humanities 22.2 (2005): 73-93. Humanities Source. Web.

Miller, Dan. Contrary Revelation: The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. Studies in

Romanticism, vol. 24, no. 4, 1985, pp. 491509.

Welch, Dennis M. Essence, Gender, Race: William Blake's Visions of the Daughters of

Albion. Studies in Romanticism, vol. 49, no. 1, 2010, pp. 105131.

Yildirim, Akn Haluk. "The Woman Question and the Victorian Literature on Gender." Ekev

Academic Review 16.52 (2012): 45-54. Academic Search Complete. Web.

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Annotated Bibliography

Damrosch, Leopold. The Problem of Dualism. Symbol and Truth in Blake's Myth, Princeton

University Press, 1980, pp. 165243.

Leopold Damrosch explores the very multifaceted and indistinct issue of whether

William Blake identified as either a dualist, a monist, or somehow a combination of the two.

Damrosch points out that in the case of the Body versus the Soul, Blake vehemently opposes

dualism, and affirms the monist view that the Body and Soul cannot be separated or discerned

from one another. However, though Blake states a desire to escape from a world confined by

dualisms, he, too, recognizes that no progression can occur without contraries. Though Blake

imagined a utopian world in which contraries could coexist harmoniously without a radical term

or a term of alterity be it within Paradise or within Albion he ultimately recognized that this

philosophy was simply unattainable. Damrosch argues that although Blake was unable to ever

ultimately trust contraries or eliminate dualisms from his thought process, he was able to

eventually perceive that these same dualisms are essential for human advancement and are a

fundamental element within basic human understanding and perception.

Essick, Robert N. William Blake's Female Will and Its Biographical Context. Studies in

English Literature, 1500-1900, vol. 31, no. 4, 1991, pp. 615630.

Robert Essick explores William Blakes relationship with women in order to understand

his extremely complex, ambiguous, and inconsistent attitude toward females and traditional

gender roles within his poetry. He points out that many scholars believe that Blakes

fundamental understanding of the world through the relationship of non-oppressive binary

oppositions fails within his own poetry, during which he is unable to avoid the representation of

women as lesser in comparison to men within the patriarchal system. However, Essick also
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points out that this is a claim that is widely debated, as Blakes outlook toward female sexuality

and traditional gender roles is highly ambiguous. Essick eventually concludes that it may have

been Blakes fears about his own masculinity being threatened that led him to depict women as

objects of weakness. Regardless of Blakes own personal opinions towards women, though,

Essick stresses that the Romantic era was a time of great social change and gender discussion,

which influenced the literature of the era monumentally.

Ferber, Michael. The Social Vision of William Blake. Princeton University Press, 1985.

Michael Ferbers book, The Social Vision of William Blake, is divided into chapters

which extensively explore the different facets within Blakes belief system and understanding of

the world. The book includes chapters on Blakes ideology, the concept of brotherhood, liberty,

and the relationship between nature and the female figure. Ferber focuses intensely on Blakes

representation of the Body and the Soul, as well as his decision to equate the vicious and

unattractive concept of nature with femaleness. However, Ferber suggests that this disdain for

nature as a feminine being is more of a reflection on Blakes times than Blakes own personal

perception of femininity and womanhood. Ferber also argues that while Blake does have

moments of dualism within his philosophy, the majority of his outlook on the world is a

predominantly monist one, eager to view oppositions within the world as mere illusions.

Fox, Susan. The Female as Metaphor in William Blake's Poetry. Critical Inquiry, vol. 3, 1977,

pp. 507519.

Susan Fox points out that though William Blake desired a relationship within binary

oppositions in which one term did not dominate over the other, his own depiction of the

relationship between women and men within his poetry portrays this very same instability of

power and dominance. She argues that the women within Blakes poetry are not only depicted
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as weak, but come to represent weakness in comparison to the male figures with whom they

interact. Fox points out that Blakes opinion toward women and gender relations as a whole is a

rather ambivalent one that has enticed scholars for decades. The stereotypical gender roles of the

Romantic era are clearly portrayed within the Songs of Innocence, and his heroine within Visions

of the Daughters of Albion is depicted as having no control over her own body, and helpless

within the context of her own sexuality. This depiction of women as the term of alterity (or

lesser term) and men as the radical term within the binary relationship of gender contradicts

Blakes very own vision of an ideal universe existing through non-oppressive dualities.

Frye, Northrop. Fearful Symmetry. Boston: Beacon, 1947. Print.

Northrop Fryes Fearful Symmetry is a comprehensive study of the works and overall

philosophy of William Blake. The book focuses primarily on interpreting Blakes prophetic

works and explicating his philosophy throughout these said works. Frye emphasizes that Blakes

poetry is primarily meant to be understood within the context of the societal era in which he

resided, rather than directly or literally deciphered. Overall, the book focuses on providing an

extensive and systematic overview into Blakes extremely mysterious and ambiguous

mythology.

Hayes, Tom. William Blake's Androgynous Ego-Ideal. ELH, vol. 71, no. 1, 2004, pp. 141

165.

Tom Hayes deals with the interesting perspective that Blakes idea of his own ego-ideal

(or ideal self-concept) is one dominated and defined by androgyny rather than by overt

heterosexual masculinity. Hayes adopted this perspective upon viewing one of Blakes

Visionary Heads sketches which holds an extremely androgynous and unique appearance. Hayes

cites this as evidence that Blake imaged a utopian world free from set gender roles, and set in
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androgyny. A male figure that does not embrace the patriarchal ideal of masculinity therefore

undermines the entirety of the patriarchy. Furthermore, Hayes argues Blakes treatment of the

female figure of Jerusalem within his prophetic book Jerusalem as a sexualized being is not

actually how Blake himself viewed women, but rather an observation of how patriarchal

societies confine women and limit them as purely sexual beings. Hayes suggests that it is

Blakes androgynous Visionary Head that affirms Blakes belief that there is no universal ideal

for femininity or masculinity, and that there should be no separation or contrast between male

and female figures.

Heffernan, James A. W. Blake's Oothoon: The Dilemmas of Marginality. Studies in

Romanticism, vol. 30, no. 1, 1991, pp. 318.

James Heffernan studies the Blakian figure of Oothoon, the heroine of Visions of the

Daughters of Albion, and analyzes what this feminine figure reveals about Blakes feelings

toward women and gender identity. Heffernan affirms that Oothoon is a paradoxical and

fundamentally flawed character, and is certainly the most complex of the female figures Blake

ever depicted within his works. She is neither the embodiment of the Romantic ideal submissive

woman, nor a feminist creation of liberation and gender dismantlement. Rather, she is a

strangely compromised character, unable to fit into any set category or mold. Her message about

femininity and gender is unclear; she does not embody either the patriarchal or the feminist ideal.

Additionally, by the end of the poem, she is neither wholly liberated nor enslaved. She exists in

some strange middle realm that challenges the binary relationship between the ideals of

masculinity and femininity, challenging the societal gender expectations and wailing for

humanity that cannot understand her unique and limitless perspective.

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Langlinais, Chantel. "Framing the Victorian Heroine: Representations of the Ideal Woman in Art

and Fiction." Interdisciplinary Humanities 22.2 (2005): 73-93. Humanities Source. Web.

Chantel Langlinais argues that women were represented within Victorian art and

literature in order to enforce the patriarchal belief that women were commodities, depicted for

male objectification and consumption. She states that this ideal depiction of a female within a

physical frame confines her, and allows for the male viewer or reader to observe her for his own

pleasure. This ideal representation of women, such as within the stereotypical Angel of the

House description, singularizes all women into one, idealized concept of a beautiful wife,

mother, and angel, which confines her to the home and establishes unrealistic expectations.

The patriarchal ideals of the Victorian era demanded that women exist solely for the pleasure and

gratification of men as a perfect angel-esque figure, both physically, mentally, and morally.

Therefore, the art and literature of the Victorian era was transformed into a symbolic

representation of the struggle of females to attain the impossible patriarchal standard of the ideal

woman.

Miller, Dan. Contrary Revelation: The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. Studies in

Romanticism, vol. 24, no. 4, 1985, pp. 491509.

Dan Miller views The Marriage of Heaven and Hell as Blakes affirmation of his

prophetic philosophy and new truth for humankind. Miller explains that Blake holds a desire to

reject all hierarchy within dualisms within the world, and explain the central flaws within binary

opposition. Literally speaking, Blake desires to form a marriage between the apparently

opposing concepts of Heaven and Hell, as well as all other seemingly contrasting elements

within the universe. However, Miller argues that contrariety is unquestionable and acts as a

fundamental base to how the world is constructed and understood. He proposes that Blake
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intended his work to be taken more at symbolic value than as a literal philosophy, as Blake

himself often contradicts his own point of view and affirms that contraries are a central force for

progression.

Welch, Dennis M. Essence, Gender, Race: William Blake's Visions of the Daughters of

Albion. Studies in Romanticism, vol. 49, no. 1, 2010, pp. 105131.

Dennis Welch explores the supposed heroine of Oothoon within Blakes Visions of the

Daughters of Albion, and attempts to uncover whether she succeeds or fails at overcoming the

oppression forced upon her by the male hierarchy. Welch points out that this issue is not clear or

easily decipherable, as many feminists widely disagree on whether Blakes presenatation of

Oothoon should be praised or rejected. Welch affirms that Oothoon embraces the intertwined

concepts of Body and Soul that Blake defines within The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, though

her self is still capable of being oppressed by the forces of the outside world. He also suggests

that Oothoon fits into no set mold or category because of Blake desire to reject any stereotype or

ideal for human beings, both male and female. Welch notes that Blake realized that the

patriarchal desire to control the female body and its sexuality was a direct result of the patriarchy

also viewing female sexuality as equivalent with the concept of sin. Additionally, Oothoons

definitions of terms such as love, purity, and humanity are far different from those of the male

figures surrounding her, and, although she fails in converting the male figures to her perspective,

she refuses to remain oppressed by their beliefs any longer.

Yildirim, Akn Haluk. "The Woman Question and the Victorian Literature on Gender." Ekev

Academic Review 16.52 (2012): 45-54. Academic Search Complete. Web.

Askin Yildirim explains the importance of The Woman Question an exploration into

the roles of women within society as it developed during the Victorian era, which was a time
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period dominated by concrete gender roles and a strictly patriarchal structure. He begins by

explaining the Victorian belief that women were in all ways inferior to men, and existed simply

as commodities for male exchange and enjoyment. However, Yildirim also expresses that the

19th century was a time of monumental reform and great progress, during which the stereotypical

Angel of the House depiction of women was challenged by progressive writers through their

questioning of stereotypical gender roles and discrimination against women. He lists Charlotte

Brontes Jane Eyre, Elizabeth Barrett Brownings Aurora Leigh, and Alfred Lord Tennysons

The Princess as examples of this proto-feminist literature through which the authors attempted

to dismantle the patriarchal ideals which dominated the Victorian era.