Visions of the Daughters of Albion
Summary
Key Themes or Ideas include:
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Colonisation is like rape – the rape of Oothoon is compared to the rape of
the natural landscape.
The situation of women is compared to that of slaves
Theotormon represents a man caught up in the ideas of society – unable
to be free.
Bromion is the voice of the colonizer
Oothoon is the colonized; but also a woman who is free and does not
ascribe to the attitudes of society towards women. She is in touch with
her feelings and her sexuality.
Summary
The Argument
This is the summary of what happens in the poem. It is told from the first-person
perspective of Oothoon. She talks about leaving Leutha’s Vale (where the
characters live – a Garden-of-Eden style of place) and lets the reader know that
she has been raped.
Visions
The narrator talks about the plight of women in England – who sigh towards
America – representing the opportunity for freedom. Although this is an
idealistic view of America, it seen by many as a progressive place whereby the
political and social changes Blake is after might take place.
Oothoon plucks a flower and the flower reassures her that another will grow in
its place, teaching Oothoon not to fear death.
There is a sense of travel, and of being caught by Bromion who “rends her with
his thunders on his stormy bed”. Stormy gives us images of violence.
Afterwards he calls her a harlot, and makes a long speech referring to his
“colonization” of her. She is directly spoken of as if she were the America that he
has made his.
Theotormon is angry and jealous. He chains Bromion and Oothoon together,
symbolizing enforced marriage, which Blake is clearly against.
Oothoon wants to make herself pure again and begs Theotormon’s eagles to
“prey upon her flesh”. After she does this she declares herself to be pure but he
doesn’t seem to agree.
Here the poet places a line of refrain that is repeated throughout the poem, to
show that the sufferings of Oothoon represent the sufferings of all women – “The
Daughters of Albion hear her woes and eccho back her sighs”.
Again, Oothoon tries to convince Theotormon of her inner purity, but he cannot
or will not hear her. He is so caught up with the voice of society.
Oothoon gives a long speech about animals, and how they are in touch with their
primal, basic natures. She regrets that the “thoughts of man” have been “hid of
old”.
Theotormon finally breaks his silence – but not to forgive Oothoon. He selfishly
revels in his own despair.
Bromion now speaks – he discusses the joys of travelling to new lands and taking
the bounty for himself. This is again the voice of the colonizer, discussing his
desire and indeed his right to take these things for himself.
Oothoon is struck silent until the next day – she continues to lament, calling out
to Urizen (a character from Blake’s mythology who directly relates to teaching
man to give in to the strictures of society) in sorrow. She denounces the
attitudes just expounded by Bromion. She longs for a return to infancy and
innocence. She states that she is open to joy in whatever form and regrets that
Theotormon cannot join her in this state. She promises to him that she would
never be jealous were he to join her in this state.
The poem ends by relating that Oothoon continues every day to convince
Theotormon to join her outside of his own darkness – but he never does. And
the Daughters of Albion hear her woes and eccho back her sighs.