London

Question 1

‘I wander through each chartered street,’

Answer 1

• ‘wander’ -> Fresh eyes, aimless, contemplative.
• ‘chartered’ -> the natural rights of people to the land and it’s resources restricted by the artificial laws of man.

Question 2

‘Near where the chartered Thames does flow,

Answer 2

• Natural element is being controlled, unnatural, oppression of nature.
• Criticism of society.

Question 3

‘And mark in every face I meet Marks of weakness, marks of woe.’

Answer 3

• ‘Weakness’ ‘woe’, Miserable imagery
• ‘Mark’ -> The control of the institution has marked a population.
• To be controlled has irrversible consequences

Question 4

‘In every cry of every man,
In every infant’s cry of fear,
In every voice, in every ban,’

Answer 4

• Reference to the children’s suffering
• Repetition of ‘every’ creates an accusatory tone. Narrator is angry that society is built upon inequality and the suffering of others.
• Universal experience, no one is safe from the corruption.

Question 5

The mind-forged manacles

Answer 5

• Perception of self-limitations and human imagination.

Question 6

‘Chimney-sweeper’s cry’

Answer 6

• Reference to Blake’s other poems: The Chimney-Sweeper (Songs of Innocence), The Chimney-Sweeper (Songs of Experience).

Question 7

‘black’ning church appalls,’

Answer 7

• The corruption of what is righteous, holy and pure.
• Or, a reference to pollution
• Context: Industrial Revolution.

Question 8

‘blood down palace walls.’

Answer 8

• Commentary on large institution’s cruelty which has caused the deaths of numerous people.

Question 9

‘youthful harlot’s curse,
‘new-born infant’s tear’’

Answer 9

• ‘youthful’, ‘new-born’ corruption from birth.
• Reflects how the suffering is felt throughout a society, those who are not even part of society are already suffering.

Question 10

‘plagues the marriage hearse.’

Answer 10

• Control within marriage.
• Last stanza contains a semantic field of curses/witchcraft.