Knowledge

The Song of Los

Source 📝

196: 178: 151: 22: 205: 187: 169: 160: 142: 301:
within the poem is similar to the prophetic narrative. The prophetic image is also embodied within the work by Los, who, when he submits to the system created by Urizen, loses his prophetic ability. In addition to the prophetic aspects, the work deals with religion as a whole. The first section describes the origin of priestcraft and the origins of religion, which is established through a bardic form of poetry.
118:, and the work was occasionally bound together with the other two works. Only six copies of the work survived, and the work was not listed along with Blake's other works that he sold in either 1818 or 1827. There were no mentions of the work by either Blake's contemporaries or his early biographer Alexander Gilchrist. 212:
The work begins with a title page image of an empty, dead world with an old man looking at the title of the work. The story of the work begins in Africa with Los singing of Adam, Noah, and Moses and how they were granted laws by Urizen. This involve abstractions being granted to Pythagoras, Socrates,
300:
The work closely follows the idea of biblical prophecy in that it is brief and concentrated. The first section condenses the history of religion, but does so in a non-chronological manner. His history relies on Urizen to establish the various historical moments as incidents, and the type of order
279:
in that it describes Africa and Asia, which operate as a sort of frame to the other works. As such, the three works are united by the same historical and social themes. The "Africa" section of the poem summarizes Blake's historical cycles, which describes a three-part tyrannous power of Egypt,
54:. The poem consists of two sections, "Africa" and "Asia". In the first section Blake catalogues the decline of morality in Europe, which he blames on both the African slave trade and enlightenment philosophers. The book provides a historical context for 94:
in 1795. Like the others under the title, all aspects of the work, including the composition of the designs, the printing of them, the colouring of them, and the selling of them, happened at his home. Early sketches for
288:
and describes a worldwide revolution in an apocalyptic state. There are many similarities between the way Orc is described within the poem, a pillar of fire that burns oppression away, and how Fingal of Macpherson's
1386: 297:
work, is a good character that defends the oppressed against the Norse and the Romans. As Fingal fights imperialism, Orc fights against Urizen's rationality, and they both seek to free their people.
1329: 1539: 1395: 90:
During autumn 1790, Blake moved to Lambeth, Surrey. He had a studio at the new house that he used while writing what were later called his "Lambeth Books", which included
213:
and Plato, gospel being given to Jesus, a bible for Mahomet, and a book on war given to Odin. These caused the world to fail, as they were chains that bound the mind:
1468: 1401: 1335: 390: 280:
Babylon and Rome. Of this summary, the line "The Guardian Prince of Albion burns in his nightly tent" appears, which is also the first line of
1036: 237:
In the second half of the work, Asia, Orc creates fire in the mind that causes kings to be startled and an apocalypse of sorts to start:
132: 1320: 571: 195: 177: 150: 1285: 1269: 1627: 1507: 643: 1523: 781: 110:
The pages of the work and images were 23 cm × 17 cm (9.1 in × 6.7 in) in size, the size of
994: 911: 718: 51: 1312: 1617: 1557: 1292: 540: 980: 816: 107:
printing", one of his colour printed works with the coloured ink being placed on the copperplate before printed.
1357: 1344: 21: 1622: 1482: 891: 1264: 1351: 1106: 987: 631: 1380: 1084: 1029: 851: 564: 766: 1489: 1077: 856: 841: 544: 1475: 776: 1306: 1022: 923: 748: 557: 104: 74: 309:
Jon Mee claims that "Nowhere is Blake's interest in comparative religion more obvious than in
1562: 1461: 1058: 791: 624: 617: 394: 1588: 1366: 1065: 786: 743: 698: 678: 663: 8: 1632: 1373: 1278: 846: 826: 796: 693: 688: 391:"Index of " The Song of Los, copy E, 1795 (Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery)"" 99:
were included in a notebook that contained images were created between 1790 until 1793.
1531: 1207: 1008: 1001: 934: 876: 62: 56: 1576: 1568: 941: 871: 771: 668: 610: 26: 204: 186: 168: 159: 141: 973: 836: 713: 1583: 1515: 1420: 1192: 1015: 801: 733: 673: 68: 1299: 1157: 1127: 1122: 896: 886: 831: 811: 1611: 1147: 966: 866: 861: 806: 728: 723: 708: 703: 580: 47: 1227: 1182: 1172: 1162: 683: 79: 1330:
The Four and Twenty Elders Casting their Crowns before the Divine Throne
1187: 1152: 1142: 738: 388: 881: 821: 1217: 1202: 1197: 1132: 549: 1212: 1167: 1117: 226:
Urizen wept & gave it into the hands of Newton & Locke
34: 1443: 1177: 1137: 1396:
The Wood of the Self-Murderers: The Harpies and the Suicides
1540:
Themes from William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
1222: 1469:
The Works of William Blake: Poetic, Symbolic and Critical
220:
Laws & Religions to the sons of Har binding them more
78:, "Europe" and "America". The second section consists of 389:
Morris Eaves; Robert N. Essick; Joseph Viscomi (eds.).
218:
Thus the terrible race of Los & Enitharmon gave
103:was one of the few works that Blake describes as " 509:. Hanover: University Press of New England, 1988. 1609: 523:. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1990. 514:The Complete Poetry and Prose of William Blake 224:Till a Philosophy of Five Senses was complete 565: 244:Her hollow womb, & clasps the solid stem: 1037:Jerusalem: The Emanation of the Giant Albion 284:. The section "Asia" follows the actions in 242:The Grave shrieks with delight, & shakes 72:, and also ties those more obscure works to 222:And more to Earth: closing and restraining: 133:Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery 572: 558: 1444:Scholarship, in popular culture, and more 502:. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003. 248:And mild & blood & glandous wine 20: 250:In rivers rush & shout & dance, 37:presiding over the decline of morality. 1610: 1286:Europe Supported by Africa and America 1442: 1244: 1104: 591: 553: 328: 1508:Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings 304: 1524:Songs and Proverbs of William Blake 1389:On the Morning of Christ's Nativity 13: 995:Visions of the Daughters of Albion 592: 246:Her bosom swells with wild desire: 14: 1644: 579: 541:Scans of 5 of the 6 extant copies 534: 512:Erdman, David and Bloom, Harold. 1558:William Blake in popular culture 1403:Illustrations of the Book of Job 203: 194: 185: 176: 167: 158: 149: 140: 1272:Original Stories from Real Life 981:The Marriage of Heaven and Hell 516:. New York: Random House, 1988. 480: 471: 462: 453: 444: 435: 426: 1345:A Vision of the Last Judgement 417: 408: 382: 373: 364: 355: 346: 337: 322: 1: 1483:Blake: Prophet Against Empire 1293:The Night of Enitharmon's Joy 1105: 892:The Voice of the Ancient Bard 492: 293:is described. Fingal, in the 252:On mountain, dale and plain. 85: 632:There is No Natural Religion 7: 1085:Never pain to tell thy love 10: 1649: 530:. Oxford: Clarendon, 2002. 500:The Stranger From Paradise 75:The Continental Prophecies 16:Epic poem by William Blake 1628:William Blake's mythology 1550: 1499: 1490:Witness Against the Beast 1453: 1449: 1438: 1412: 1255: 1251: 1240: 1113: 1100: 1075: 1050: 958: 921: 910: 757: 654: 641: 602: 598: 587: 545:The William Blake Archive 477:Mee 2002 pp. 104, 122–123 263: 46:(written 1795) is one of 1051:The Pickering Manuscript 414:Bentley 2003 pp. 154–155 316: 50:'s epic poems, known as 1618:Poetry by William Blake 1245: 899:(found only in Copy BB) 777:The Clod and the Pebble 343:Bentley 2003 pp.122–124 121: 1584:Catherine Blake (wife) 261: 235: 131:currently held at the 38: 1563:William Blake Archive 1462:Life of William Blake 1352:Descriptive Catalogue 1059:Auguries of Innocence 988:The French Revolution 792:The Little Girl Found 625:All Religions are One 618:An Island in the Moon 498:Bentley, G. E. (Jr). 450:Frye 1990 pp. 215–216 432:Erdman 1988 pp. 69-70 395:William Blake Archive 271:is connected to both 239: 215: 24: 1623:Art by William Blake 1359:The Great Red Dragon 1066:The Mental Traveller 787:The Little Girl Lost 699:The Little Boy Found 679:The Little Black Boy 528:Dangerous Enthusiasm 361:Bentley 2003 pp. 149 258:Plate 7, lines 35-40 232:Plate 4, lines 13-17 1381:Agony in the Garden 1374:The Ghost of a Flea 1279:The Ancient of Days 1078:Rossetti Manuscript 847:The Little Vagabond 827:My Pretty Rose Tree 797:The Chimney Sweeper 759:Songs of Experience 749:On Another's Sorrow 694:The Little Boy Lost 689:The Chimney Sweeper 441:Bentley 2003 p. 154 379:Bentley 2003 p. 156 370:Bentley 2003 p. 154 352:Bentley 2003 p. 142 127:Scans of Copy E of 82:urging revolution. 1313:Illustrations for 1009:The Book of Ahania 1002:The Book of Urizen 935:America a Prophecy 877:A Little Girl Lost 857:The Human Abstract 842:The Garden of Love 669:The Ecchoing Green 656:Songs of Innocence 644:Songs of Innocence 507:A Blake Dictionary 505:Damon, S. Foster. 468:Mee 2002 pp. 24–25 459:Mee 2002 pp. 83–84 286:America a Prophecy 282:America a Prophecy 112:America a Prophecy 63:The Book of Ahania 57:The Book of Urizen 39: 1605: 1604: 1601: 1600: 1597: 1596: 1434: 1433: 1430: 1429: 1387:Illustrations of 1336:Illustrations of 1321:Illustrations of 1236: 1235: 1096: 1095: 1092: 1091: 1046: 1045: 942:Europe a Prophecy 906: 905: 872:A Little Boy Lost 646:and of Experience 611:Poetical Sketches 423:Erdman 1988 p. 68 305:Critical response 116:Europe a Prophecy 1640: 1572:(1983 monologue) 1476:Fearful Symmetry 1451: 1450: 1440: 1439: 1253: 1252: 1242: 1241: 1102: 1101: 974:The Book of Thel 919: 918: 714:The Divine Image 652: 651: 600: 599: 589: 588: 574: 567: 560: 551: 550: 521:Fearful Symmetry 519:Frye, Northrop. 487: 484: 478: 475: 469: 466: 460: 457: 451: 448: 442: 439: 433: 430: 424: 421: 415: 412: 406: 405: 403: 401: 386: 380: 377: 371: 368: 362: 359: 353: 350: 344: 341: 335: 334: 326: 259: 233: 207: 198: 189: 180: 171: 162: 153: 144: 1648: 1647: 1643: 1642: 1641: 1639: 1638: 1637: 1608: 1607: 1606: 1593: 1546: 1516:Ten Blake Songs 1495: 1454:Scholarly works 1445: 1426: 1421:Visionary Heads 1408: 1270:Engravings for 1257: 1247: 1232: 1109: 1088: 1071: 1042: 1016:The Book of Los 954: 949:The Song of Los 925: 913: 902: 753: 645: 637: 594: 583: 578: 537: 495: 490: 486:Mee 2002 p. 122 485: 481: 476: 472: 467: 463: 458: 454: 449: 445: 440: 436: 431: 427: 422: 418: 413: 409: 399: 397: 387: 383: 378: 374: 369: 365: 360: 356: 351: 347: 342: 338: 327: 323: 319: 311:The Song of Los 307: 269:The Song of Los 266: 260: 257: 254: 251: 249: 247: 245: 243: 234: 231: 228: 225: 223: 221: 219: 208: 199: 190: 181: 172: 163: 154: 145: 129:The Song of Los 124: 101:The Song of Los 97:The Song of Los 92:The Song of Los 88: 69:The Book of Los 52:prophetic books 43:The Song of Los 31:The Song of Los 17: 12: 11: 5: 1646: 1636: 1635: 1630: 1625: 1620: 1603: 1602: 1599: 1598: 1595: 1594: 1592: 1591: 1586: 1581: 1573: 1565: 1560: 1554: 1552: 1548: 1547: 1545: 1544: 1536: 1528: 1520: 1512: 1503: 1501: 1497: 1496: 1494: 1493: 1486: 1479: 1472: 1465: 1457: 1455: 1447: 1446: 1436: 1435: 1432: 1431: 1428: 1427: 1425: 1424: 1416: 1414: 1410: 1409: 1407: 1406: 1399: 1392: 1384: 1377: 1370: 1363: 1355: 1348: 1341: 1333: 1326: 1318: 1315:Night-Thoughts 1310: 1307:Nebuchadnezzar 1303: 1296: 1289: 1282: 1275: 1267: 1265:Relief etching 1261: 1259: 1249: 1248: 1238: 1237: 1234: 1233: 1231: 1230: 1225: 1220: 1215: 1210: 1205: 1200: 1195: 1190: 1185: 1180: 1175: 1170: 1165: 1160: 1155: 1150: 1145: 1140: 1135: 1130: 1125: 1120: 1114: 1111: 1110: 1098: 1097: 1094: 1093: 1090: 1089: 1082: 1080: 1073: 1072: 1070: 1069: 1062: 1054: 1052: 1048: 1047: 1044: 1043: 1041: 1040: 1033: 1026: 1019: 1012: 1005: 998: 991: 984: 977: 970: 962: 960: 956: 955: 953: 952: 945: 938: 930: 928: 916: 908: 907: 904: 903: 901: 900: 897:A Divine Image 894: 889: 887:The School Boy 884: 879: 874: 869: 864: 859: 854: 849: 844: 839: 834: 832:Ah! Sun-flower 829: 824: 819: 814: 809: 804: 799: 794: 789: 784: 779: 774: 772:Earth's Answer 769: 763: 761: 755: 754: 752: 751: 746: 741: 736: 731: 726: 721: 716: 711: 706: 701: 696: 691: 686: 681: 676: 671: 666: 660: 658: 649: 639: 638: 636: 635: 628: 621: 614: 606: 604: 603:Early writings 596: 595: 593:Literary works 585: 584: 577: 576: 569: 562: 554: 548: 547: 536: 535:External links 533: 532: 531: 524: 517: 510: 503: 494: 491: 489: 488: 479: 470: 461: 452: 443: 434: 425: 416: 407: 381: 372: 363: 354: 345: 336: 333:. p. 905. 329:Bloom (1988). 320: 318: 315: 306: 303: 265: 262: 255: 240: 229: 216: 210: 209: 202: 200: 193: 191: 184: 182: 175: 173: 166: 164: 157: 155: 148: 146: 139: 136: 135: 123: 120: 87: 84: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1645: 1634: 1631: 1629: 1626: 1624: 1621: 1619: 1616: 1615: 1613: 1590: 1587: 1585: 1582: 1579: 1578: 1574: 1571: 1570: 1566: 1564: 1561: 1559: 1556: 1555: 1553: 1549: 1542: 1541: 1537: 1534: 1533: 1529: 1526: 1525: 1521: 1518: 1517: 1513: 1510: 1509: 1505: 1504: 1502: 1498: 1492: 1491: 1487: 1485: 1484: 1480: 1478: 1477: 1473: 1471: 1470: 1466: 1464: 1463: 1459: 1458: 1456: 1452: 1448: 1441: 1437: 1423: 1422: 1418: 1417: 1415: 1411: 1405: 1404: 1400: 1398: 1397: 1393: 1391: 1390: 1385: 1383: 1382: 1378: 1376: 1375: 1371: 1369: 1368: 1364: 1362: 1360: 1356: 1354: 1353: 1349: 1347: 1346: 1342: 1340: 1339: 1338:Paradise Lost 1334: 1332: 1331: 1327: 1325: 1324: 1319: 1317: 1316: 1311: 1309: 1308: 1304: 1302: 1301: 1297: 1295: 1294: 1290: 1288: 1287: 1283: 1281: 1280: 1276: 1274: 1273: 1268: 1266: 1263: 1262: 1260: 1254: 1250: 1243: 1239: 1229: 1226: 1224: 1221: 1219: 1216: 1214: 1211: 1209: 1206: 1204: 1201: 1199: 1196: 1194: 1191: 1189: 1186: 1184: 1181: 1179: 1176: 1174: 1171: 1169: 1166: 1164: 1161: 1159: 1156: 1154: 1151: 1149: 1146: 1144: 1141: 1139: 1136: 1134: 1131: 1129: 1126: 1124: 1121: 1119: 1116: 1115: 1112: 1108: 1103: 1099: 1086: 1081: 1079: 1074: 1067: 1063: 1060: 1056: 1055: 1053: 1049: 1039: 1038: 1034: 1032: 1031: 1027: 1025: 1024: 1023:The Four Zoas 1020: 1018: 1017: 1013: 1011: 1010: 1006: 1004: 1003: 999: 997: 996: 992: 990: 989: 985: 983: 982: 978: 976: 975: 971: 969: 968: 964: 963: 961: 957: 951: 950: 946: 944: 943: 939: 937: 936: 932: 931: 929: 927: 920: 917: 915: 909: 898: 895: 893: 890: 888: 885: 883: 880: 878: 875: 873: 870: 868: 867:A Poison Tree 865: 863: 862:Infant Sorrow 860: 858: 855: 853: 850: 848: 845: 843: 840: 838: 835: 833: 830: 828: 825: 823: 820: 818: 815: 813: 810: 808: 807:The Sick Rose 805: 803: 800: 798: 795: 793: 790: 788: 785: 783: 782:Holy Thursday 780: 778: 775: 773: 770: 768: 765: 764: 762: 760: 756: 750: 747: 745: 742: 740: 737: 735: 732: 730: 727: 725: 722: 720: 719:Holy Thursday 717: 715: 712: 710: 709:A Cradle Song 707: 705: 704:Laughing Song 702: 700: 697: 695: 692: 690: 687: 685: 682: 680: 677: 675: 672: 670: 667: 665: 662: 661: 659: 657: 653: 650: 648: 647: 640: 634: 633: 629: 627: 626: 622: 620: 619: 615: 613: 612: 608: 607: 605: 601: 597: 590: 586: 582: 581:William Blake 575: 570: 568: 563: 561: 556: 555: 552: 546: 543:available at 542: 539: 538: 529: 525: 522: 518: 515: 511: 508: 504: 501: 497: 496: 483: 474: 465: 456: 447: 438: 429: 420: 411: 396: 392: 385: 376: 367: 358: 349: 340: 332: 325: 321: 314: 312: 302: 298: 296: 292: 287: 283: 278: 274: 270: 253: 238: 227: 214: 206: 201: 197: 192: 188: 183: 179: 174: 170: 165: 161: 156: 152: 147: 143: 138: 137: 134: 130: 126: 125: 119: 117: 113: 108: 106: 102: 98: 93: 83: 81: 77: 76: 71: 70: 65: 64: 59: 58: 53: 49: 48:William Blake 45: 44: 36: 32: 28: 23: 19: 1575: 1567: 1538: 1530: 1522: 1514: 1506: 1488: 1481: 1474: 1467: 1460: 1419: 1402: 1394: 1388: 1379: 1372: 1365: 1358: 1350: 1343: 1337: 1328: 1322: 1314: 1305: 1298: 1291: 1284: 1277: 1271: 1035: 1028: 1021: 1014: 1007: 1000: 993: 986: 979: 972: 965: 948: 947: 940: 933: 802:Nurse's Song 767:Introduction 758: 734:Nurse's Song 664:The Shepherd 655: 642: 630: 623: 616: 609: 527: 520: 513: 506: 499: 482: 473: 464: 455: 446: 437: 428: 419: 410: 398:. Retrieved 384: 375: 366: 357: 348: 339: 330: 324: 310: 308: 299: 294: 290: 285: 281: 276: 272: 268: 267: 241: 236: 217: 211: 128: 115: 111: 109: 100: 96: 91: 89: 73: 67: 61: 55: 42: 41: 40: 30: 27:frontispiece 18: 1580:(1989 play) 924:continental 684:The Blossom 105:illuminated 1633:1795 poems 1612:Categories 1577:In Lambeth 1258:and prints 1188:Palamabron 1153:Golgonooza 1143:Enitharmon 926:prophecies 739:Infant Joy 526:Mee, Jon. 493:References 400:27 January 86:Background 33:, showing 1361:paintings 1323:The Grave 1256:Paintings 1107:Mythology 912:Prophetic 882:To Tirzah 837:The Lilly 822:The Tyger 817:The Angel 1589:Ancients 1532:The Lamb 1413:Sketches 674:The Lamb 331:footnote 256:—  230:—  25:Blake's 1551:Related 1500:Musical 1218:Urthona 1203:Thiriel 1198:Tharmas 1193:Spectre 1133:Bromion 812:The Fly 744:A Dream 273:America 1543:(1998) 1535:(1982) 1527:(1965) 1519:(1958) 1511:(1943) 1300:Newton 1213:Urizen 1208:Tiriel 1168:Leutha 1158:Grodna 1128:Beulah 1123:Albion 1118:Ahania 1030:Milton 967:Tiriel 852:London 729:Spring 295:Ossian 291:Fingal 277:Europe 264:Themes 66:, and 35:Urizen 1569:Blake 1178:Luvah 1148:Fuzon 1138:Enion 959:Other 914:books 724:Night 317:Notes 1367:Pity 1228:Vala 1223:Utha 1076:The 922:The 402:2013 275:and 122:Poem 114:and 1246:Art 1183:Orc 1173:Los 1163:Har 313:". 80:Los 29:to 1614:: 393:. 60:, 1087:" 1083:" 1068:" 1064:" 1061:" 1057:" 573:e 566:t 559:v 404:.

Index


frontispiece
Urizen
William Blake
prophetic books
The Book of Urizen
The Book of Ahania
The Book of Los
The Continental Prophecies
Los
illuminated
Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery








"Index of " The Song of Los, copy E, 1795 (Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery)""
William Blake Archive
Scans of 5 of the 6 extant copies
The William Blake Archive
v
t
e
William Blake
Poetical Sketches
An Island in the Moon

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.