타락과 섹슈얼리티: 블레이크의 『네 조아들』 (The Fall and Sexuality in Blake’s The Four Zoas)

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초록

This essay starts off with the question of why sexuality in particular lies at the core of emanations’ fall narratives in The Four Zoas. This question would be a starting point for elucidating the importance of sexuality to the Fall. Blake represents the Fall as severe sexual divisions and sexual conflicts between zoas and emanations. As a result, sexuality has come into focus as an essential mode of existence in the fallen world. The Fall is re-examined through the narratives varied by the perceptiveness, desire, and intention of narrators. For instance, the Messengers from Beulah and zoas describe the Fall mainly as the conspiracy of Luvah and Urizen and ensuing warfare. However, emanations such as Ahania and the Shadow of Enitharmon emphasize Albion’s dalliance with Vala as the momentum of the overall Fall. To arouse the love and jealousy of Los, Enitharmon even pretends to be Vala delusively tempting Albion. To begin with, this essay focuses on both the context in which the fall narratives of emanations are constructed and the fallen situation which evolves after them. This is the first step towards the discussion of the patriarchal assumption imposed on ‘the false epiphany’ of the female as a separate, alien being, and “A Female Will” appropriated by the externalized ‘female form.’ And then, this essay investigates the procedures Blake takes to unmask the structures of the dominant masculine ideology under which sexual power is exerted or repressed. Throughout The Four Zoas, Blake inquires into the structure interconnecting Urizen’s ideology with Vala’s sexual power as ‘the Shadowy Female,’ which is outlined as the interrelatedness of sexuality and religion called Mystery. In The Four Zoas, a nodal point of the Fall and the Redemption turns out to be a problem of perception, vision and perspective. The nature of the Apocalypse conceived by Blake is roughly summarized as ‘a Self renewing Vision,’ not the Last Judgement. The recurring symbol of Incarnation and Crucifixion of Christ in ‘Luvahs robes of blood’ functions as a kind of touchstone for the apocalyptic vision. Ultimately, ‘Vala-Rahab’ as Mystery comes to crucify ‘Luvah-Jesus,’ and the way in which the fall narratives are connected with the redemptive processes can be traced through the interrelatedness of sexuality and religion. In Night the Ninth, as Albion’s body ‘is redeemed to be permanent through Mercy Divine,’ zoas and emanations are also transformed to join in the apocalyptic processes reciprocally. However, they are not transfigured as ‘One Man.’ The Four Zoas, not seaming the sexual divisions, aspires to ‘a Perfect Unity’ through ‘Brotherhood and Universal love’ and retains the apocalyptic hope. In this respect, The Four Zoas is an unfinished yet always present narrative.

영어초록

This essay starts off with the question of why sexuality in particular lies at the core of emanations’ fall narratives in The Four Zoas. This question would be a starting point for elucidating the importance of sexuality to the Fall. Blake represents the Fall as severe sexual divisions and sexual conflicts between zoas and emanations. As a result, sexuality has come into focus as an essential mode of existence in the fallen world. The Fall is re-examined through the narratives varied by the perceptiveness, desire, and intention of narrators. For instance, the Messengers from Beulah and zoas describe the Fall mainly as the conspiracy of Luvah and Urizen and ensuing warfare. However, emanations such as Ahania and the Shadow of Enitharmon emphasize Albion’s dalliance with Vala as the momentum of the overall Fall. To arouse the love and jealousy of Los, Enitharmon even pretends to be Vala delusively tempting Albion. To begin with, this essay focuses on both the context in which the fall narratives of emanations are constructed and the fallen situation which evolves after them. This is the first step towards the discussion of the patriarchal assumption imposed on ‘the false epiphany’ of the female as a separate, alien being, and “A Female Will” appropriated by the externalized ‘female form.’ And then, this essay investigates the procedures Blake takes to unmask the structures of the dominant masculine ideology under which sexual power is exerted or repressed. Throughout The Four Zoas, Blake inquires into the structure interconnecting Urizen’s ideology with Vala’s sexual power as ‘the Shadowy Female,’ which is outlined as the interrelatedness of sexuality and religion called Mystery. In The Four Zoas, a nodal point of the Fall and the Redemption turns out to be a problem of perception, vision and perspective. The nature of the Apocalypse conceived by Blake is roughly summarized as ‘a Self renewing Vision,’ not the Last Judgement. The recurring symbol of Incarnation and Crucifixion of Christ in ‘Luvahs robes of blood’ functions as a kind of touchstone for the apocalyptic vision. Ultimately, ‘Vala-Rahab’ as Mystery comes to crucify ‘Luvah-Jesus,’ and the way in which the fall narratives are connected with the redemptive processes can be traced through the interrelatedness of sexuality and religion. In Night the Ninth, as Albion’s body ‘is redeemed to be permanent through Mercy Divine,’ zoas and emanations are also transformed to join in the apocalyptic processes reciprocally. However, they are not transfigured as ‘One Man.’ The Four Zoas, not seaming the sexual divisions, aspires to ‘a Perfect Unity’ through ‘Brotherhood and Universal love’ and retains the apocalyptic hope. In this respect, The Four Zoas is an unfinished yet always present narrative.

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