Doc Yoder's Notes
Jerusalem The Emantion of the Giant Albion by William Blake (c. 1820)

Direct link to this work in the Blake Archive

Chapter 1
  1. Albion/Savior at Judgment Day (4:6-5:15)
  2. Narrator at his "great task! / To open Eternal Worlds" (5:16-5:65)
  3. Los/Spectre/Emanation (5:66-12:24)
  4. Golgonooza (3 views) (12:25-16:69)
  5. Los's "soliloquy" which his Emanation "heard / In her darkness & was comforted" (17)
  6. The "dark Assembly" of Albion's Sons/Los (18:1-19:39)
  7. Jerusalem/Vala/Albion -- the judgment against Jerusalem and Vala, and Albion's curse (19:40-24:60)
  8. Beulah's Chorus and prayer for the "Creation of States & the deliverance of Individuals" (25)
Chapter 2 (Copies A and C as in Erdman)
  1. Albion and the Spectre's identification as "your Rational Power" (28:1-A29:24)
  2. Albion and the return of Vala (A29:25-A30:16)
  3. Los bends the organs of perception as the Savior creates States, with commentary from the Council of Eternals (A30:17-A32:56)
  4. Los/Albion/Savior/Narrator: the Savior asks Albion, "If we have offended, forgive us"(A33:1-A35:11)
  5. The Gate of Los, including the council of the Friends of Albion, the failure of force, the failure of rhetoric, and the confrontation between Los and Albion over "righteousness" (A35:12-42:81)
  6. The appearance of the Divine Vision, the testimony of the two witnesses, Los's prayer (A43:1-A45:1)
  7. Albion's interior in which Los searches for Albion's tempters; he hears Jerusalem and Vala discourse before Albion's interior is closed to him and the Sons of Albion build the Druid Temple around Albion's "golden couch"; the Savior counters with a direct address to the narrator and the building of the "Couch of repose" for Albion (A45:2-48:12)
  8. Jerusalem's escape from Albion's tomb, Erin's speech, the prayer of the Daughters of Beulah (48:13-50:30)
 Chapter 2 (Copies D and E as in Keynes and Blake Trust)
  1. Albion and the lament of Divine Vision (28:1-E29:27)
  2. The testimony of the two witnesses, Los's prayer (E29:28-E31:1)
  3. Albion's interior in which Los searches for Albion's tempters; he hears Jerusalem and Vala discourse before Albion's interior is closed to him and the Sons of Albion build the Druid Temple around Albion's "golden couch" (E31:2-E32:15)
  4. The triumphing of the Spectre and his identification as Albion's "Rational Power," with Albion's unmanning by the beauty and power of Vala (E33:1-E34:16)
  5. Los bends the organs of perception as the Savior creates States, with commentary from the Council of Eternals (E34:17-E36:56)
  6. Los/Albion/Savior/Narrator: the Savior asks Albion, "If we have offended, forgive us" (E37-E39:11)
  7. The Gate of Los, including the council of the Friends of Albion, the confrontation between Los and Albion over "righteousness," the failure of force, and the failure of rhetoric to turn Albion from his error; the narrator's terror at the tale being dictated to him, with the Savior's reassurance and the building of the "Couch of repose" for Albion (E39:12-48:12)
  8. Jerusalem's escape from Albion's tomb, Erin's speech, the prayer of the Daughters of Beulah (48:13-50:30)
For more information on the authority of the different sequences of Chapter 2, click here.

Chapter 3
  1. Los and the spread of Albion's disease in which the Spectre now identifies himself, saying, "I am God O Sons of Men" (53:1-54:32)
  2. Council of those who "disregard mortal things," ending with the question, "Who will go forth for us! & Who shall we send before our face?" (55:1-69)
  3. Los confronts the Daughters of Albion: the story of Albion falling under the Plow of Nations and taking his seat on the Rock of Ages; then the center opens into the blood orgy of British history in which even the Daughters of Los are forced into the service of the Daughters of Albion (56:1-59:55)
  4. Los's vision of Jerusalem and the Savior, including Jerusalem's vision of Mary and Joseph given to her (and so to Los) by the Savior for comfort (60:1-62:42)
  5. Return to the blood orgy of "Religion hid in War" (in 7 parts) (63:1-70:32)
  6. The exploration of States during which Los prayed for "aid Divine," but "spoke not to Albion" (71:1-73:1)
  7. Los and the four Sons of Jerusalem at work in Erin (73:2-74:13)
  8. Narrator's prayer, summary of the fallen world, and prophecy (74:14-75:27)
Chapter 4
  1. Los defending Albion from the Sons; the blockade of Erin, implying the capture of Los; the crowning of Vala as Rahab (78:1-20)
  2. Jerusalem/Vala (78:21-80:36)
  3. Los in the camp of the Daughters of Albion, his moment of triumph in the midst of captivity (in 6 parts) (80:37-83:74)
  4. Los on his watch, his song to Jerusalem (83:75-86:49)
  5. Los/Enitharmon/Spectre: their family squabble juxtaposed with Jerusalem's taking the "foaming cup" of Delusion from Vala (86:50-88:58)
  6. Covering Cherub revealed (89:1-90:27)
  7. Los/Enitharmon: the consolidation of Error (90:28-93:27)
  8. Awakening of Albion (in 5 parts) (94:1-99:5)


Return to Doc Yoder's Literature Notes
Doc Yoder's Home