The Book of Urizen is one of the major prophetic books of the English writer William Blake, illustrated by Blake’s own plates. It was originally published as The First Book of Urizen in 1794. Later editions dropped the “First”. The book takes its name from the character Urizen in Blake’s mythology, who represents alienated reason as the source of oppression. The book describes Urizen as the “primeaval priest” and tells how he became separated from the other Eternals to create his own alienated and enslaving realm of religious dogma. Los and Enitharmon create a space within Urizen’s fallen universe to give birth to their son Orc, the spirit of revolution and freedom.

In form the book is a parody of the Book of Genesis. Urizen’s first four sons are Thiriel, Utha, Grodna and Fuzon (respectively elemental Air, Water, Earth, Fire, according to Chapter VIII). The last of these plays a major role in The Book of Ahania, published in 1795.

Background

In autumn 1790 Blake moved to Lambeth, Surrey. In the studio of his new house he wrote what became known as his “Lambeth Books”, which included The Book of Urizen. In all these books, Blake completed their design composition, their printing and colouring, and their sales from that house. Blake included early sketches for The Book of Urizen in a notebook containing images created between 1790 and 1793. The Book of Urizen was one of the few works that Blake describes as “illuminated printing”, one of his colour printed works with the coloured ink being placed on the copperplate before the page was printed.

The Book of Urizen was printed from 1794 until 1818 and was larger than his America, A Prophecy. Only eight copies of the work survive, with many variations between them of the plate orders and the number of plates. All the surviving copies were colour-printed.

Poem

The story deals with a struggle within the divine mind to establish and define both itself and the universe. It is a creation myth that begins before creation:

Earth was not: nor globes of attraction

The will of the Immortal expanded

Or contracted his all flexible senses.

Death was not, but eternal life sprung. (36-39)

The creator is Urizen, a blind exile who was kept from eternity and who establishes a world that he could rule. As such, he creates laws:

Laws of peace, of love, of unity;

Of pity, compassion, forgiveness.

Let each chuse one habitation:

His ancient infinite mansion:

One command, one joy, one desire,

One curse, one weight, one measure

One King, one God, one Law. (78-84)

However, Urizen suffers a fall when he creates a barrier to protect himself from eternity:

And a roof, vast petrific around,

On all sides He fram’d: like a womb;

…Like a human heart strugling & beating

The vast world of Urizen appear’d.

He is chained by Los, the prophet, from whom Urizen had been rent:

In chains of the mind locked up,

Like fetters of ice shrinking together,

Disorganiz’d, rent from Eternity.

Los beat on his fetters of iron (190-193)

Los forges a human image for Urizen in the course of seven ages, but pities him and weeps. From these tears Enitharmon is created, who soon bears the child of Los, Orc. Orc’s infant cries awaken Urizen, who begins to survey and measure the world he has created. Urizen explores his world and witnesses the birth of his four sons, who represent the four classical elements. From these experiences Urizen’s hopes are crushed and his:

soul sicken’d! he curs’d

Both sons & daughters: for he saw

That no flesh nor spirit could keep

His iron laws one moment. (443-446)

In response, he creates a web of religion, which serve as chains to the mind.

More at:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_of_Urizen