London Flashcards
1
Q
context about william blake
A
- deeply spiritual and hated all forms of institutional religion, but often drew on biblical stories as creative inspiration
- married but believed in free love
2
Q
context of the poem
A
- Industrialisation and urbanisation - published in the late 18th century, during the industrial revolution, when everyone was looking for work. the poem reflects the negative consequences of industrialisation such as poor living conditions and exploitation of workers
- Social injustice - portrays the harsh realities of social inequality and injustices prevalent in London at the time and highlights the plight of marginalised individuals such as chimney sweepers, soldiers and prostitutes. blake is criticising the dehumanising effects of societal structures that perpetuated suffering and mistreatment
- Political turmoil - this period was a time of political unrest. the french revolution and its ideas of liberty and equality influenced the political discourse. his poem reflects a sense of discontent and dissatisfaction with the existing social and political order
4.
3
Q
“i wandered theough each chatered street,…
A
near where the chartered thames does flow
4
Q
i wandered through each charted street, near where the charter’d Thames does flow analysis
A
- repetition portrays London as a city bound by spacial constraints, as charter’d means something that is legislatively defined
- could aslo refer to the granting of official permission or licenses for certain activities, indicating as sense of confinement or restriction
- the notion of restraint poses as a contrast to the final word “flow”, as it denotes unhindered or free movement (confinement vs freedom)
5
Q
“in every cry of every man…
A
“in every infants cry of fear, in every voice in every ban
6
Q
“in every cry of every man, in every infants cry of fear, in every voice in every ban analysis
A
- “infants” evokes a strong emotional response, as it draws attention to the vulnerability and innocence of children, highlighting the impact of societal ills on the most helpless and defenceless members of society.
- “every” emphasises the universality of the human experience, Blake suggests that the cry of distress us not limited to specific individuals but is a shared aspect of the human condition, highlight the collective suffering in London
- imagery - the use of the word “cry” evokes a powerful image of vocalised pain, conveys a sense of emotional intensity and captures the harsh realities of life in the city
- anaphora - “in every” - adds emphasis and amplifies the scope of the statement, and suggests that the cry of distress is present in every instance, emphasising the pervasive nature of suffering in society
7
Q
“every blackning Church appalls” analysis
A
context - Blake abhorred all forms of institutional control and religion
- symbolism - the blackening of every Church could symbolise both the evil of church authorities and the impacts of their activities on common people
- oxymoron - contrast between the traditional, sacred institutions of the Church and its moral corruption or decay. this draws attention to the hypocritical nature of the Church in Blakes critique of society
- Irony - ironic that the Chimney sweepers happen to cry out this observation, as they are the ones that clean and work with grime, soot etc. highlights the idea that no amount of sweeping can clean institutional religion of their blackness and evil
- hyperbole - appalls emphasizes the strong negative reaction towards the churches, suggests a profound sense of shock, disgust and outrage at the moral decline and hypocrisy within religious institutions
8
Q
“and the hapless soldiers sigh”…
A
“runs in blood down palace walls”
9
Q
“and the hapless soldiers sigh, runs in blood down palace walls” analysis
A
- synaesthesia of “sigh”, transmogrify into “blood”, reflecting the emotional exasperation and physical sacrifice of soldiers in the front line of battle, perhaps a historical allusion to the many British casualties in the French Revolutionary wars which were raging during the time Black wrote this
- juxtaposition between the rawness of the soldiers blood with the sterility of the palace walls, shows that while common people are tasked to die in the name of protecting the King and country, the king can always hide behind the sturdy shield of his palace walls, which is used as a metonym to stand in for the powers who would willingly sacrifice the masses to guard their own selfish interests
- hapless” in “the hapless Soldier’s sigh” carries a connotation of powerlessness and misfortune. It emphasizes the soldier’s vulnerability and the unjust circumstances they find themselves in.
- The “Palace walls” symbolize the institutions of power and authority. By juxtaposing the soldier’s sigh with the palace walls, Blake highlights the stark contrast between the suffering of ordinary individuals and the indifference or even complicity of those in positions of power. It serves as a critique of the ruling class and its detachment from the struggles of the common people.
- The phrase “Runs in blood down Palace walls” personifies the soldier’s sigh by attributing it with the ability to “run” and flow like blood. This personification intensifies the impact of the soldier’s despair, suggesting that it permeates the entire environment, leaving a trail of anguish and suffering.
- the hapless Soldier’s sigh” employs metaphorical language. The soldier represents those who are part of the military, while the “sigh” symbolizes their pain, anguish, and suffering. This metaphor suggests that the soldier’s emotions and hardships are so intense that they manifest as a deep sigh, expressing their despair and hopelessness
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10
Q
what is a metonym
A
a reference which stands in for a bigger picture related idea
11
Q
3 rd stanza analysis
A
- unlike other stanzas, which are iambic pentameter, this one is composed entirely of trochaic units, with a docked line and a masculine ending
- the frontal stress in the third stanza increases the emotional intensity of the moment and amplifies the speakers outrage, as he points out the constant unchecked social injustices he witnesses around him
- this sudden wave of trochaic rhythm also functions to signal the poems climax, and central theme, which is to expose the power discrepancy (lack of compatibility) between the rulers and the ruled, the king and the people, the royals and the commoners
12
Q
“how the youthful harlots curse…”
A
blasts the new - born infants tear”
13
Q
how the youthful harlots curse, blasts the newborn infants tear analysis
A
- focal narrowing - from macro perspective “every man” to the micro emphasis on specific characters
- unsettling juxtaposition of child prostitution from “youthful harlots” and “new born infant”, the juxtaposition is especially poignant ( evoking a keen sense of sadness), as it highlights the ease with which innocence can be tainted (contaminated) by moral decay and socioeconomic destitution (extreme poverty)
- shift in alliterative sounds, at the start of the poem, there were more nasal sounds “mark” “marks” “mind forged manacles” then ending with plosive sounds in “blasts” “curse”. This dramatises the eruption of the pent up volcanic anger, felt both by the masses and the speaker
- The contrast between the “new-born Infant” and the “youthful Harlot’s curse” creates a stark juxtaposition. The innocence and vulnerability of the infant stand in direct contrast to the corrupting influence of the harlot’s curse. This contrast highlights the tragic consequences of societal degradation on the most vulnerable members of society.
- The word “blast” carries a connotation of sudden and violent destruction. By using this word, Blake intensifies the impact of the curse, suggesting that it inflicts severe harm or damage.
14
Q
“and blights with plagues of the marriage hearse” analysis
A
- oxymoron or juxtaposition? of marriage and hearse
- marriage seen as a celebratory event and a happy one, one that is emblamatic (symbolic) of the beginning of a new life, but “hearse” (the vehicle that transports coffins at funerals) and is emblematic of separation and death
- so perhaps Blakes implying that marriage is similar to the Church and the state, as it is also a form of control and oppression, and one thats bound to subject the individual to lifelong misery
- seems weird as Blake was in a happy marriage, even though we know at one point that he tried to marry a second wife, but to no avail
- However, despite being happily married, Blake believed in “free love”, and held a strong conviction in individual freedom as a whole, and his belief contrasted the social and religious construct of marriage, that it MUST be one man one woman
15
Q
control in London
A
- from the beginning of the poem to end, control is seen tot take on various forms, from the state, to the individual level, and all of which is seen to result in human suffering, whether physical, like the soldiers blood, or psychological, like the infants tear
- the motif of control is also manifested in the rigidity of the poems form, which comprises (consists of) 4 line stanzas and an alternate rhyme scheme (abab), very neat and little structural divergence on the whole, perhaps this could mirror the caged, confined and shackled existence of Londoners from the speakers eyes
