Visions of the Daughters of Albion

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Visions of the Daughters of Albion is a 1793 poem by William Blake, produced as a book with his own illustrations. It is a short and early example of his prophetic books, and a sequel of sorts to The Book of Thel.

The central narrative is of the female character Oothoon, and of her sexual experience. S. Foster Damon (A Blake Dictionary) suggested that Blake had been influenced by Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Women, published in 1792.

Oothoon is torn between two men Theotormon and Bromion. Theotormon represents the chaste man, filled with a false sense of righteousness. Oothoon desires Theotormon but is suddenly, violently raped by Bromion. After Oothoon is raped neither Bromion nor Theotormon want anything to do with her. No one ends up happy. They are all chained by the expectations of society. If Theotormon had realized that sex is not illicit, he may have had a heathy relationship with Oothoon. Bromion is enslaved by his violent act.

As is usual in Blake, the names of the characters are represent their symbolic roles. Theotormon's name may be derived from Theos and Torah, implying legalistic religiosity. The name of his rival Bromion is Greek meaning "roarer". Oothoon's own name is either intended to represent an African or Native American form. Bromion represents the passionate man, filled with lustful fire. Oothoon is the representation of a woman in Blake's society, who had no charge over her own sexuality. Blake has the Daughters of Albion look to the west, to America, because he believed that there was a promise in America that would one day end all forms of discrimination. It was to be in America, that races would live in harmony, and women would be able to claim their own sexuality.

Blake used Plato's Allegory of the cave in VDA as a theme for the three characters not being able to understand the true nature of reality, without being hindered by convention. It has been argued that Theotormon is a mythicised version of John Stedman, whose book about his experience of slavery and brutality in the Americas was being illustrated by Blake at the time.^[1]