Jerusalem, the longest of Blake’s illuminated epic poems, aims to sum up his entire religious and artistic philosophy. Blake’s own mythological characters, including Jerusalem and Albion (female and male manifestations of the human spirit who long to be united again) and Los (a manifestation of artistic imagination), join a cast that includes, Jesus, John Newton and others. Blake expounds on matters scientific, spiritual and sexual in a poem that is divided into four chapters addressed in turn to the public, Jews, Deists and Christians. The work concludes with a post-apocalyptic vision. Blake’s characteristic drawing style is on full display throughout the poem in one hundred relief-etched plates, many of which display Blake’s mastery of white-line etching.
