The Blazing World

by

Margaret Cavendish

Fire, Blazes, and Light Symbol Analysis

Fire, Blazes, and Light Symbol Icon

The Blazing World is full of unlikely sources of fire and light, which represent its status as a utopia—and also the personal and philosophical benefits that Cavendish associates with utopian thinking. From its blazing stars and endless sparkling jewels to its legendary fire-stone, the Blazing World’s bright, spectacular things clearly mark it as morally, technologically, and naturally superior to the Empress’s native world (as well as our own). After all, light and fire are the visual characteristics that first impress the Empress when she arrives in the Emperor’s city of Paradise. And they’re also the same traits that stun the people of her native world when she invades: because of the way the Empress’s star-stone dress, fire-stone-wielding army, and gold ships let off light, these people view her as an all-powerful goddess, even though she is really one of their own. Thus, the Blazing World is recognizable as a superior utopia because of the way it blazes, and the Empress gains such great power in it precisely because she learns to harness the Blazing World’s abundance of light and fire. In other words, technologies associated with light and fire make possible both female empowerment and absolute, centralized power—the same utopian social phenomena that Cavendish hoped to explore by writing this book.

Fire, Blazes, and Light Quotes in The Blazing World

The The Blazing World quotes below all refer to the symbol of Fire, Blazes, and Light. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Fiction, Fancy, and Utopia Theme Icon
).
Part 1 Quotes

But alas! those few men which were in it, not knowing whither they went, nor what was to be done in so strange an adventure, and not being provided for so cold a voyage, were all frozen to death, the young Lady only, by the light of her beauty, the heat of her youth, and protection of the gods, remaining alive: neither was it a wonder that the men did freeze to death; for they were not only driven to the very end or point of the Pole of that world, but even to another Pole of another world, which joined close to it; so that the cold having a double strength at the conjunction of those two Poles, was insupportable: at last, the boat still passing on, was forced into another world.

Related Characters: Margaret Cavendish (speaker), The Empress
Related Symbols: Fire, Blazes, and Light
Page Number: 125-6
Explanation and Analysis:

And thus the Empress, by art, and her own ingenuity, did not only convert the Blazing World to her own religion, but kept them in a constant belief, without enforcement or blood-shed; for she knew well, that belief was a thing not to be forced or pressed upon the people, but to be instilled into their minds by gentle persuasions; and after this manner she encouraged them also in all other duties and employments, for fear, though it makes people obey, yet does it not last so long, nor is it so sure a means to keep them to their duties, as love.

Related Characters: Margaret Cavendish (speaker), The Empress
Related Symbols: Fire, Blazes, and Light
Page Number: 164
Explanation and Analysis:

She asked again, whether they were none of those spirits that frighted Adam out of the Paradise, at least caused him not to return thither again? They answered they were not. Then she desired to be informed, whither Adam fled when he was driven out of the Paradise? Out of this world, said they, you are now Empress of, into the world you came from.

Related Characters: The Empress (speaker), The Immaterial Spirits (speaker)
Related Symbols: Fire, Blazes, and Light
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 170
Explanation and Analysis:

We wonder, proceeded the spirits, that you desire to be Empress of a terrestrial world, when as you can create your self a celestial world if you please. What, said the Empress, can any mortal be a creator? Yes, answered the spirits; for every human creature can create an immaterial world fully inhabited by immaterial creatures, and populous of immaterial subjects, such as we are, and all this within the compass of the head or scull. […] And since it is in your power to create such a world, what need you to venture life, reputation and tranquility, to conquer a gross material world? For you can enjoy no more of a material world than a particular creature is able to enjoy, which is but a small part.

Related Characters: The Empress (speaker), Margaret Cavendish (speaker), The Immaterial Spirits (speaker), The Duchess, Fortune
Related Symbols: Fire, Blazes, and Light
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 185-6
Explanation and Analysis:

When the soul of the Empress viewed the King and Queen, she seemed to be in amaze, which the Duchess’s soul perceiving, asked the Empress how she liked the King, the Queen, and all the royal race? She answered, that in all the monarchs she had seen in that world, she had not found so much majesty and affability mixed so exactly together, that none did overshadow or eclipse the other; and as for the Queen, she said, that virtue sat triumphant in her face, and piety was dwelling in her heart, and that all the royal family seemed to be endued with a divine splendour: but when she had heard the King discourse, she believed, that Mercury and Apollo had been his celestial instructors; and my dear lord and husband, added the Duchess, has been his earthly governor.

Related Characters: The Empress (speaker), The Duchess (speaker), Margaret Cavendish (speaker), The Duke of Newcastle
Related Symbols: Fire, Blazes, and Light
Page Number: 192
Explanation and Analysis:

The Duke’s soul being wise, honest, witty, complaisant and noble, afforded such delight and pleasure to the Empress’s soul by her conversation, that these two souls became enamoured of each other; which the Duchess’s soul perceiving, grew jealous at first, but then considering that no adultery could be committed amongst Platonic lovers, and that Platonism was divine, as being derived from divine Plato, cast forth of her mind that Idea of jealousy. Then the conversation of these three souls was so pleasant, that it cannot be expressed; for the Duke’s soul entertained the Empress’s soul with scenes, songs, music, witty discourses, pleasant recreations, and all kinds of harmless sports; so that the time passed away faster than they expected.

Related Characters: Margaret Cavendish (speaker), The Empress, The Duchess, The Duke of Newcastle, Fortune
Related Symbols: Fire, Blazes, and Light
Page Number: 194-5
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 2 Quotes

The Empress before she came in sight of the enemy, sent some of her fish- and bird-men to bring her intelligence of their fleet; and hearing of their number, their station and posture, she gave order that when it was night, her bird-men should carry in their beaks some of the mentioned fire-stones, with the tops thereof wetted; and the fish-men should carry them likewise, and hold them out of the water; for they were cut in the form of torches or candles, and being many thousands, made a terrible show; for it appeared as if all the air and sea had been of a flaming fire; and all that were upon the sea, or near it, did verily believe, the time of judgement, or the last day was come, which made them all fall down, and pray.

Related Characters: Margaret Cavendish (speaker), The Empress, The Bear-Men, The Bird-Men, The Fish-Men, The Giants
Related Symbols: Fire, Blazes, and Light
Page Number: 208
Explanation and Analysis:

The Empress appeared upon the face of the water in her imperial robes; in some part of her hair she had placed some of the star-stone, near her face, which added such a lustre and glory to it, that it caused a great admiration in all that were present, who believed her to be some celestial creature, or rather an uncreated goddess, and they all had a desire to worship her; for surely, said they, no mortal creature can have such a splendid and transcendent beauty, nor can any have so great a power as she has, to walk upon the waters, and to destroy whatever she pleases, not only whole nations, but a whole world.

Related Characters: Margaret Cavendish (speaker), The Empress, The King of ESFI, The Bird-Men, The Fish-Men
Related Symbols: Fire, Blazes, and Light
Page Number: 214-5
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire The Blazing World LitChart as a printable PDF.
The Blazing World PDF

Fire, Blazes, and Light Symbol Timeline in The Blazing World

The timeline below shows where the symbol Fire, Blazes, and Light appears in The Blazing World. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
The Second Part of the Description of the New Blazing World
Fiction, Fancy, and Utopia Theme Icon
Monarchy and Government Theme Icon
Love and Friendship Theme Icon
...indestructible because they’re made of gold, but have no weapons. The worm-men will mine the fire-stone, which can serve as a great weapon for destroying the enemy’s wood boats, as well... (full context)
Fiction, Fancy, and Utopia Theme Icon
Gender Hierarchy and Women’s Freedom Theme Icon
Monarchy and Government Theme Icon
Philosophy, Science, and Religion Theme Icon
...Using their telescopes, the bear-men see a large fleet of ships besieging the country. Carrying fire-stone, the fish-men and bird-men make it look like the sky and sea are burning. The... (full context)
Fiction, Fancy, and Utopia Theme Icon
Gender Hierarchy and Women’s Freedom Theme Icon
Monarchy and Government Theme Icon
Philosophy, Science, and Religion Theme Icon
Love and Friendship Theme Icon
At one o’clock, the Empress appears to her country’s fleet. She wears shining clothing made of star-stone and appears to be walking on water, because the fish-men support her on their backs.... (full context)
Monarchy and Government Theme Icon
...These other countries form a large fleet, but the fish-men still easily defeat them with fire-stone. (full context)
Monarchy and Government Theme Icon
Philosophy, Science, and Religion Theme Icon
...tribute to the king of the Empress’s country. They begin their attacks: the bird-men lay fire-stones on top of each house, and the worm-men at the foundations. The stones start burning... (full context)
Fiction, Fancy, and Utopia Theme Icon
Monarchy and Government Theme Icon
...doesn’t rain, but there is a massive “flowing tide” once a year. The worm-men put fire-stones under the houses of this country’s towns, and when the tide comes in, all the... (full context)
Fiction, Fancy, and Utopia Theme Icon
Philosophy, Science, and Religion Theme Icon
Love and Friendship Theme Icon
...show with the bird-men and fish-men: they light up the sky and sea using the fire-stone, she appears in her own glowing robes, and then they sing a beautiful melody. At... (full context)
Fiction, Fancy, and Utopia Theme Icon
Love and Friendship Theme Icon
...the sky at night. She describes the Empress’s extraordinary royal chariots, which are covered in shining diamonds and driven by unicorns. She explains how giants guard the Empress, fish-men and bird-men sing... (full context)