london

Question 1

summary

Answer 1

• the narrator is describing a walk round the city of London
• he says everywhere he goes the people he meets are affected by misery and despair
• this misery seems relentless.no one can escape it not even the young and innocent
• people in power (like the church,monarchy) seem to be behind the problems and do nothing to help the people in need

Question 2

context

Answer 2

• London was published in 1794.
• William Blake was an English poet and artist who held quite radical social and political views for the time
• he believed in social and racial equality and questioned church teachings

Question 3

intention

Answer 3

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Question 4

theme

Answer 4

• anger: emotive language and repetition shows the narrator’s anger at the situation he mentions ‘every black night church’ and ‘place walls’ suggesting he’s especially angry at the people in power who could do something to change things but don’t
• hopeless: the ‘mind forged manacles’ suggest that the people themselves are also blame they’re trapped by their own attitude they appear hopeless because they’re not able (or not even trying) to help themselves

Question 5

techniques

Answer 5

• repetition:emphasises feelings of bleakness despair affects everyone and there’s no relief from it
  -oxymoron: links the happy image of marriage with death.suggest that everything has been destroyed
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Question 6

language

Answer 6

• Blake’s language through out the poem is negative reflecting his attitude to the city

Question 7

effect

Answer 7

• to show how London is meant to be seen by the people from outside

Question 8

structure

Answer 8

• London is divided into four standers with ABAB rhyming scheme