Urizen is a complex character in William Blake's mythology. He appears in many works and represents much of what Blake is vehemetly opposed to. By taking close readings of parts of "The First Book of Urizen," a reader can gain a better understanding of exactly what Urizen is. He is the god created by men of the Enlightenment such as Newton. In Blake's mind, he is truly the devil as well. THE FIRST BOOK OF …showed first 75 words of 1139 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1139 total…a spider-like web. Urizen is distributing his religion. It creates a dungeon-like heaven from the real one. Suddenly the heaven that these Enlightenment thinkers concieve is truly a hell to someone who sees clearly. The doors of perception are not open. The web is dark and cold, it infests the human brain and it is called the Net of Religion. This is the religion of the five senses, of various thinkers and theologists of time.