Ahania - Character

Character

Ahania represents pleasure and is connected to the Zoas Urizen, who represents reason. They are divided because Urizen is unable to understand the necessity of pleasure for the mind. In Blake's early myth, Ahania and Urizen are united until their son Fuzon separates the two by cutting his father's loins apart. She is labeled as Sin by Urizen and hidden away with her only capable of lamenting her fate. Ahania is the representation of a wisdom goddess, as she is an emanation of Urizen, who is connected to the head.

In Blake's later myth, she provides Urizen with twelve sons and three daughters, which represent the Zodiac and the three parts of the body. However, Urizen believes that Ahania has too much influence and denies her the ability to come to the marriage of Los and Enitharmon. In return, she becomes cold and distant. Eventually, Los and Enitharmon bring Ahania to hear Enion's wailing. After Enion reveals the fallen world to Ahania, she represents intellectual desire and has a sexual element. Although she is cast off as being sinful, she is necessary for Divine Wisdom and is essential for any act of creation. Urizen tells her that he is afraid that Orc, the one that would overthrow him, would be born, and Ahania describes her vision of a dark future. Urizen, upset, separates from her because she is not obedient enough for him. In despair, she enters the Caverns of the Grave. She returns on the Last Judgment when Urizen stops trying to control everything. This action allows Urizen to regain his previous form. In the feast after the Final Judgment, she is reunited with Urizen.

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