Those Who Restrain Desire

Title:

Those Who Restrain Desire

Description:

In this image from The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (1960 facsimile), a nude male falls head-first into a dark cavernous abyss. Alongside him, in a similar falling position, are his belongings - a horse, chariot, sword, and light blue cape. With arms stretched in front of his head, the man is inches from the flames that line the bottom of the illustration on this plate. Blake scholars theorize that this image likely refers to the falling of the Messiah from Heaven, in which he “fell & formed a heaven with what he stole from the Abyss”. This formation of a new heaven likely refers to the creation of Hell by Satan.

Relation:

Detailed View of Image at the William Blake Archive

About this Book

Source:

William Blake@Union Digital Collection