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Vala, or The Four Zoas is one of the uncompleted prophetic books by the English poet William Blake, begun in 1797. The eponymous main characters of the book are the Four Zoas (Urthona, Urizen, Luvah and Tharmas), who were created by the fall of Albion in Blake's mythology. It consists of nine books, referred to as "nights".
The long, unfinished poem properly called Vala, or The Four Zoas expands the significance of the Zoas, but they are integral to all of Blake's prophetic books.. Blake's painting of a naked figure raising his arms, loosely based on Vitruvian Man, is now identified as a portrayal of Albion, following the discovery of a printed version with an inscription identifying the figure. [2]
The prophetic books of the 18th-century English poet and artist William Blake are a series of lengthy, interrelated poetic works drawing upon Blake's own personal mythology. They have been described by 20th-century critic Northrop Frye as forming "what is in proportion to its merits the least read body of poetry in the English language". [ 1 ]
The relationship of the four Zoas, as depicted by Blake in Milton a Poem. The longest elaboration of this private myth-cycle was also his longest poem, The Four Zoas: The Death and Judgment of Albion The Ancient Man, written in the late 1790s but left in manuscript form at the time of his death.
In the mythological writings of William Blake, Vala is an Emanation and the mate of Luvah, one of the four Zoas, who were created when Albion, the primordial man, was divided fourfold. She represents nature while Luvah represents emotions. Originally with Luvah, she joins with Albion and begets the Zoa Urizen
Tharmas is both the last Zoas described but also the first in the number. His aspect as a Zoas is Sensation. As connected to the Trinity, Tharmas is seen as God the Father. As a body part, he is the loins with his Emanation/mate Enion representing sexual urges. He is also represented as a shepherd.
The first appearance of Luvah is in The Book of Thel, but he is not mentioned again until Vala, or The Four Zoas.The history of Luvah's origins, war on Albion, and his involvement as Orc are described in Vala along with descriptions of his return to his Luvah state after the Final Judgment.
In Europe a Prophecy, Los describes that Urthona is resting while Urizen is free from his chains. During most of the poem, Los is not present while Enitharmon dominates the world. [5] Urthona's background and origins are described in Vala, or The Four Zoas. The work describes the relationship between Los and Urthona and how the Emanations of ...