London Flashcards
form and structure
Written in Quatrains and regular scheme of (ABAB) - very simplistic and childlike. To get his political message across he writes it so that it is memorable even for children
“I wander through each chartered street” – repetition
“Charted” suggest that the streets are mapped and complains about urbanisation. This also suggest that everything in the city is owned. The streets make people poorer and restrains the people. In contrast, he begins with “I wander” Blake shows us that we can still free and “wander” like him if we change London.
“And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse” – (volta) – structure
Focuses on the institution of marriage. As Blake was a feminist, he taught his wife how to read and made her an equal partner in his engraving business. He complains about the patriarchal society (men) and by the “plagues” which may be refering to the issue of STI’s which children are being born with due to men corruption within marriage. This is a symbol of the abuse of women and the use of the “harlot curse” which affects children. Showing that from birth to death people are affected by corruption.
“Every blackening church appalls” – Metaphor
Literal description of the “blackening” which affects the children in labour. Which was Blakes concern as children loses their innocence by dying. His politcal point is that as Jesus’s message is to help those in need, they should do something about this. Blake believes that the church doesn’t do this and is seen as an establishment. This presents his message of the church being hypocritical and being a corrupt institution. “appalls” Refers the black material used to cover a coffin which symbolises the church as dead. Which shows that the church has turned away from Christianity.
“The mind-forged manacles I hear” – metaphor and alliteration
“manacles” creates an image of oppression and imprisonment. This suggest that the people in London are owned by someone. He suggests that the social hierarchy only works because it is an construct in our minds. “forge” Fake things or in blacksmith terms to manipulate metal reinforces that construct of the social hierarchy.
