The dichotomy of New and Old World in the mystics of William Blake
The Dichotomy of the Old and the New World with Blake becomes the subject of several "political prophecies", a kind of a cycle, from "Visions of the Daughters of Albion" to the "French Revolution", "America" and "Europe". All of these exhibit the mixture of political and mystical aspects, reflecting the same dichotomy. In politics, the drive for comparison is England and, therefore, the controvercial heritage of the English Revolution. England is seen as the most reactionary country in Europe and simultaneously the matrix of the spirit of the Old World. Prelude creates the imaginary view of America. Its historical appearance is seen as the global cataclysm and means the end of slavery of all kinds in the Old World. On the level of mysticism, the conflict is represented by the strife of Urizen and Orc. The multiple sense, with which Blake regards the dichotomy of the Old and the New World, still keeps its meaning for the contemporary times.