Literature Entry Week 9 - Visions of Daughters of Albion
This week I have decided that I would share some of my interpretations of the colour plates from
‘Visions of Daughters of Albion’
from our discussion this week. I have edited them a bit so that it makes more sense, enjoy…
COLOUR PLATE 6
The ideas that have been expressed through this colour plate are interesting. If we look on the Blake Archive, Blake has coloured the image in many different ways compared to the one in our book. The most dominant part of the colourings that are different in each plate is the colourings of the rainbow; I find it interesting that they are all varying degrees of saturation in the colours, the one in our book is one of the duller colourings for the rainbows. The image is interesting in itself because of the happenings in the image.
I think that Oothoon looks scared of what’s to come as it looks as though the god Urizen is chasing her and she doesn’t appear like she is going to get away from him. I also think that Urizen is bringing his wrath along with him on the right, it’s like he is somewhat angry with the terrible happenings to Oothoon. The contrast on the right side is I think the things that Oothoon represents which is light and happiness.
I think that the significance of the rainbow is that it signals hope to Oothoon that everything is going to be ok and is going to work out. I think that this is like in the bible with Noah after the rains have passed and the rainbow being that signal of hope and trust that god will make everything ok. I think that Blake has used the rainbow in the varying degrees of saturation in the many coloured plates to emphasis to us that no matter how light or how bright the rainbow is, it will all work out in the end we just need to have hope and faith that it will.
THE FRONT PLATE
I have also looked at this image on the Blake Archive and there are many differences in this plate as well as plate 5. The sun or moon in the background is varying degrees of colour from the yellow to an orange. The sun or eye as I think that it may be could be the eye of Urizen or even god looking over our 3 protagonists. It’s like he is watching to see what is going to happen to the 3 after the rape of Oothoon.
The simple act of chaining them together in the first place is interesting, though I have just noticed that Theotormon is not chained to Bromian or Oothoon. It could also mean that they each need to pay the price for ruining Oothoon and her status as a women, her being a pure, innocent, virginal and beautiful being. I agree with your suggestions that the chain could also link their stories together as well; that they now have to live with the fact that because of Bromian raping Oothoon it draws in Theotormon as well because he wasn’t able to protect Oothoon from her plight.
I think that Bromian as the rapist in the story, is looking fearful because he knows that he has done wrong and he has seen something to the left that isn’t very pleasant, perhaps he has seen his life is now ruined because of his actions he is going to be judged by them, which he should be for raping someone. Perhaps he has seen his judgment day and he knows now that it is not going to be favourable.
Theotormon is in the foetal position which suggests that he is scared or is in pain. We tend as people to use the foetal position when something happens that is unfavourable when we are scared or in pain to help us to feel better. I think that he also regrets what has happened to Oothoon and that he had no power to stop it from happening as well. I think that he seems like he is the type of person that may not be able to forgive himself for what has happened to his beloved Oothoon.