In Milton: A Poem by William Blake, Kay Parkhurst Easson and Roger Easson refer to the Eternal spaces as archetypal. Eden is the archetype of 'the garden and the harvest'; Beulah of 'revitalization'; Golgonooza of the pattern for all creative works.
"Golgonooza is the only space that Blake considered to be both a created space and an eternal archetypal form. As a created space Golgonooza is any work of art - a book, a poem, a painting... As city and country of art, then it represents the active imagination creating individual eternal identity through works of art, and it represents the imagination - the prophetic, visionary perception, which is the 'Human Existence' itself." (Page 145)
John Middleton Murry in William Blake characterizes Golgonooza as "a symbol of the redemption of the universe of which the individual man is a member, into unity by the Imagination." (Page 199)
Yale Center for British Art
Paul Mellon Collection
Illustration for Night Thoughts
Text by Edward Young
So if Eden is a symbol for the unified condition of man in his active nature, and Beulah is a symbol for the division into a dual perception including passive repose for renewal, Golgonooza is a symbol for awakening; for the transition which accommodates the co-existence of Eden and Beulah.
Milton, PLATE 30 [33], (E 129)
"Beulah is evermore Created around Eternity; appearing
To the Inhabitants of Eden, around them on all sides.
But Beulah to its Inhabitants appears within each district
As the beloved infant in his mothers bosom round incircled
With arms of love & pity & sweet compassion. But to
The Sons of Eden the moony habitations of Beulah,
Are from Great Eternity a mild & pleasant Rest.
And it is thus Created. Lo the Eternal Great Humanity
To whom be Glory & Dominion Evermore Amen
Walks among all his awful Family seen in every face
As the breath of the Almighty. such are the words of man to man
In the great Wars of Eternity, in fury of Poetic Inspiration,
To build the Universe stupendous: Mental forms Creating
But the Emanations trembled exceedingly, nor could they
Live, because the life of Man was too exceeding unbounded
His joy became terrible to them they trembled & wept
Crying with one voice. Give us a habitation & a place
In which we may be hidden under the shadow of wings
For if we who are but for a time, & who pass away in winter
Behold these wonders of Eternity we shall consume
But you O our Fathers & Brothers, remain in Eternity"
Milton, PLATE 35 [39], (E 136)
"Just in this Moment when the morning odours rise abroad
And first from the Wild Thyme, stands a Fountain in a rock
Of crystal flowing into two Streams, one flows thro Golgonooza
And thro Beulah to Eden beneath Los's western Wall
The other flows thro the Aerial Void & all the Churches
Meeting again in Golgonooza beyond Satans Seat"
Milton, PLATE 34 [38], (E 179)
"Fires and clouds of rolling smoke! but mild the Saviour follow'd him,
Displaying the Eternal Vision! the Divine Similitude!
In loves and tears of brothers, sisters, sons, fathers, and
friends
Which if Man ceases to behold, he ceases to exist:
Saying. Albion! Our wars are wars of life, & wounds of love,
With intellectual spears, & long winged arrows of thought:
Mutual in one anothers love and wrath all renewing
We live as One Man; for contracting our infinite senses
We behold multitude; or expanding: we behold as one,
As One Man all the Universal Family; and that One Man
We call Jesus the Christ: and he in us, and we in him,
Live in perfect harmony in Eden the land of life,
Giving, recieving, and forgiving each others trespasses.
He is the Good shepherd, he is the Lord and master:
He is the Shepherd of Albion, he is all in all,
In Eden: in the garden of God: and in heavenly Jerusalem.
If we have offended, forgive us, take not vengeance against us."
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