When you are ready to read a poem you start to imagine what it is like to be and, in most cases, your mind start to make up pictures and illustrations that help you to better prepare yourself to exploring and studying the work.  In this case, the pictures have been already drawn for us, and what we have to do is just to use our own imagination to figure out what is it like to be.

Looking at illustrations by Edward Burney, I can assume that the poem will include such topics as life and death, guilt and forgiveness, love and hatred.  We will be able to read about angels and demons that are fighting for the souls of ordinary people and sinners.  Magic forests and mysterious planets, evil creatures and holly archangels are going to be the main actors in this ‘play’.

The illustrations by John Martin add to the impression of magic.  Nonetheless, I believe that the constant fight between evil and righteousness is the key point of the poem.  Martin gives the pictures of an ocean that is dark and endless, which can represent the sins and evildoings that humanity is immersed into.

Undoubtedly, all that I mentioned are just guesses and first impressions, thus, I believe, that I am not that far from the idea of the poem.  Darkness reigns the world, but light will certainly come out one day, and that is what the poem should be talking about.