The Infant Hercules Throttling the Serpents 1790 - 1793

William Blake created this drawing, "The Infant Hercules Throttling the Serpents," using graphite on paper. The composition is arranged with sparse lines that give it a spectral, unfinished quality. Figures are set against an ambiguous background, heightening a sense of drama. Blake uses line to define form and convey movement. Hercules' struggle is central, his tiny body a nexus of tension against the sinuous forms of the snakes. The adult figures on the right are rendered with longer strokes. The lack of color focuses attention on the figures. Hercules is wrestling with primal chaos in the form of serpents, foreshadowing his future heroic feats. This struggle challenges the classical idea of heroism as achieved only through maturity and training. The drawing underscores Blake's lifelong preoccupation with the themes of innocence and experience. He suggests that the very act of becoming involves violent conflicts between opposing forces.