London

Question 1

Themes

Answer 1

• Poem is about lack of power

- Abuse of power from the government and church

Question 2

Structure

Answer 2

• Has a rigid structure that doesn’t change, reflects how society was rigidly held and people had no freedom

Question 3

First quote

Answer 3

“every infants cry of fear”

Question 4

First quote analysis

Answer 4

Repetition - metaphor:

• Repetition of every emphasises the scale of suffering and shows that everyone is suffering
• The use of infants shows that even the innocent children are being pulled in as well

Question 5

Second quote

Answer 5

“Mind-forged manacles”

Question 6

Second quote analysis

Answer 6

Metaphor:

• People are trapped intellectually, not necessarily but also including that they had almost no education, but that they can’t think differently
• And their own speech and belief is what is holding them back from getting out of poverty
• use of verb “forged” helps to allude to the fact that william is linking poverty and people being trapped to the industrial revolution and that it was a hindrance to society rather than something that benefited it

Question 7

Third/Fourth quote

Answer 7

“Chimney-sweeper’s cry” - “ black’ning church appalls”

Question 8

Third/Fourth quote analysis

Answer 8

Juxtaposition - Metaphor:

• Shows the corruption of the church and how they exploit children
• Shows the pollution of London due to industrial revolution
• Blake saw religion as something that was used to keep people in poverty.
• juxtaposes the innocent children’s cry with the supposedly clean but corrupt church.