Religion and Existence in "Earth's Answer"

In his poem, “Earth’s Answer” from his darker “Songs of Existence,” William Blake creates a dichotomy between the nature and religion, creating an argument between the matriarchal Mother Earth and the “father of men” God. Earth is characterized as a wounded woman, filled with “Stony dread,” while God is “selfish” and “cruel,” demonstrating Blake’ argument that religion as destroyed the beauty of nature and physical existence (4, 11-12, Blake). Blake’s use of the word “stony” to describe Earth’s pain reflects her concrete, physical existence, like a stone. Earth, made of rock and stone, exists physically and can be loved and understood. Blake argues that God and religion has destroyed human passion for the planet. God’s actions are somewhat macabre in the sexual undertones, especially obvious when Blake writes, “Chain’d in night/The virgins of youth” (15, Blake). Blake is rejecting God’s nuns, the virgins, and how religion hinders their abilities to flower and mature naturally. He compares celibacy to inhibiting a flower from blossoming. Earth, is as well, chained by religion, which inhibits introspection, something Blake strongly advocates for. By breaking free of the ties of God, Blake argues that man can understand himself and therefore his own place in the world. But as long as religion exists, man is chained like the nuns to his ignorance.