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| Wikimedia Commons IIllustration to Stedman's Five Years Expedition Europe Supported By Africa and America |
Stedman's comments on Europe Supported By Africa and America:
"Going now to take my leave of Surinam, after all the horrors and
cruelties with which I have hurt both the eye and heart of the
feeling reader, I will close the scene with an emblematical picture
of Europe supported by Africa and America, accompanied by an ardent
wish that the friendly manner as they are represented, they may
henceforth and to all eternity be the props of each other. I might
have included Asia, but this I omitted, as having no connection with
the present narrative: we only differ in colour but are certainly
all created by the same Hand. Thus, if it has not pleased fortune to
make us equal in rank, let us at least use the superiority we
possess with moderation, and not only proffer that happiness which
we have to bestow on our equals, but let us extend it with
cheerfulness to our deserving dependents."
The final picture in Stedman's book, created by Stedman and
engraved by Blake, is of three lovely young women. In spite of the
requirements of his profession that he quell a slave rebellion and
brutally punish disobedience, Stedman married a slave woman
himself and with her had a child whom he later took to Europe.
Although he realized that he had participated in injustices, he
recognized the essential human value of all races. His hope was
that the three races may learn that their differences were assets
which might be shared with one another to increase the happiness
of all. Blake did not try to reconcile Stedman's ideas with his own. As I read Blake's poetic statements, I see this as something of what he was saying in his illustrations to The Narrative of a Five Years Expedition against the Revolted Negroes of Surinam and his own poem Vision of the Daughters of Albion :
The African bears the burden of slavehood, of loss of liberty and of cruel punishment.
The European is under the hegemony of marriage laws which rob women of autonomy.
The American is suffering the destruction of the land and culture.
Africa loses her population and labor.
Europe loses the contribution which her women could make to life and liberty.
America loses the diversity and creativity of her native people.
Erdman in Prophet against Empire drew together the complexities of Blake's insights into the issues of diverse human beings living together for mutual benefit. Oothoon from Visions of Daughters of Albion, Europe Supported By Africa and America, from Blake's illustrations to Stedman's book, and the lessons learned in Little Black Boy, all contributed to understanding the difficulties of pursuing brotherhood.
Exerts from Page 239-40 - read the section :
"The argument of Oothoon is triplex, as she herself is. Stedman's emblematic picture treats Europe, Africa and America as three separate women: Blake treats them as one. He can do this because Oothoon is not a person but a 'soul.' Pictured in chains she is the female slave, but she does not have the black skin and tight ringlets of the emblem...Oothoon is the American Indian of the emblem wirh the same loose black hair, sad mouth and angular limbs.
...
To avoid a chauvinistic interpretation Blake explained that any skin color is a cloud that cannot obscure the essential brotherhood of man in a fully enlightened society, such as Heaven.
...
If the Negro is to be free of his black cloud, the little English boy must be free of his 'white cloud' which is equally opaque.
...
As Africa she is urging the London citizens to ignore color differences. As America she is urging British law-makers to rescue her from the muddy feet of the slaver. As a woman enslaved by the Marriage Act morality, she is imploring her lover to rise above accusations of adultery"
Marriage of Heaven and Hell, Plate 25, (E 44)
A song of Liberty
"12. Look up! look up! O citizen of London. enlarge thy
countenance; O Jew, leave counting gold! return to thy oil and
wine; O African! black African! (go. winged thought widen his forehead.)"
Marriage of Heaven and Hell, Plate 13, (E 39)
"I then asked Ezekiel. why he eat dung, & lay so long on his
right & left side? he answerd. the desire of raising other men
into a perception of the infinite this the North American tribes
practise."
Jerusalem, Plate 72, (E 227)
"All these Center in London & in Golgonooza. from whence
They are Created continually East & West & North & South
And from them are Created all the Nations of the Earth
Europe & Asia & Africa & America, in fury Fourfold!
And Thirty-two the Nations: to dwell in Jerusalems Gates
O Come ye Nations Come ye People Come up to Jerusalem
Return Jerusalem & dwell together as of old! Return
Return! O Albion let Jerusalem overspread all Nations
As in the times of old! O Albion awake! Reuben wanders
The Nations wait for Jerusalem. they look up for the Bride
France Spain Italy Germany Poland Russia Sweden Turkey
Arabia Palestine Persia Hindostan China Tartary Siberia
Egypt Lybia Ethiopia Guinea Caffraria Negroland Morocco
Congo Zaara Canada Greenland Carolina Mexico
Peru Patagonia Amazonia Brazil. Thirty-two Nations
And under these Thirty-two Classes of Islands in the Ocean
All the Nations Peoples & Tongues throughout all the Earth"
Jerusalem, Plate 97, (E 256)
"Awake! Awake Jerusalem! O lovely Emanation of Albion
Awake and overspread all Nations as in Ancient Time
For lo! the Night of Death is past and the Eternal Day
Appears upon our Hills: Awake Jerusalem, and come away
So spake the Vision of Albion & in him so spake in my hearing
The Universal Father."
Vision of Last Judgment, (E 556)
"it ought to be understood that the Persons
Moses & Abraham are not here meant but the States Signified by
those Names the Individuals being representatives or Visions of
those States as they were reveald to Mortal Man in the Series of
Divine Revelations. as they are written in the Bible these
various States I have seen in my Imagination when distant they
appear as One Man but as you approach they appear
Multitudes of Nations."
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