Personification of Reason, Repression and Authority

There are two possible derivations of the name Urizen. It comes either from 'Your Reason' (meaning 'accepted wisdom' - accepted by everyone, but not by Blake), or from the Greek verb 'horizein', meaning 'to limit'.

Urizen is always represented as a bearded old man. Sometimes he bears books of divine law, sometimes measuring instruments (with which to create, but also limit the universe).

Urizen is the God of the Old Testament who, in alliance with kings and priests, creates 'nets of religion'. With these nets (on which he is resting his elbows in this picture), he keeps the people down. He uses them to restrain their yearning for freedom and justice (as in 'The Chimney Sweeper') and to suppress their sexual desire (as in 'The Garden of Love'). Urizen is therefore in conflict with Orc, the revolutionary spirit, and with Luvah, the Prince of Love.