London Flashcards
“Marriage Hearse”
Juxtaposition. Contrast connotations of new beginnings, joy and happiness of weddings with the end of life and grief of a hearse. This is Blake making a societal criticism of how, for women, marriage was like death. Their carriage was their hearse and they’re being sent to a marriage where they would have all their rights and property lost, making the new bride subject to oppression by their husband. Black was in favour of liberating women and felt that marriage itself was and abuse of power. He educated his wife teaching her to read and write and eventually became his business partner
Anaphora of “in every”
Blacks is emphasising the extreme extent of suffering showing how it impacts everyone with no discrimination. The device is repetitive maybe to show how repetitive the cycles of suffering are in London’s Georgian society
Blacker presents oppression as stemming from privatisation
Repetition of the word “Chartered” in phrases “each chartered street” and “chartered Thames does flow” this refers to how in the 1700s legislation was passed giving common land to the wealthy for exclusive use and ownership; therefore land suddenly transitioned from common to private with everything owned and controlled by the wealthy.
“Chartered Thames does Flow”
There is juxtaposition between chartered and flow because flow implies freedom. Blake is commenting on oppression of nature by humans. Nature should be free for all to access and enjoy but the greed of humanity is so great it tries to control nature
“Hapless soldiers sigh”
References the threat of military action that loomed in the aftermath of the French revolution. As a result of it, governments were scared of being overthrown so used their armies as a way for a country to prevent rebellion and oppress citizens
“Every black’ning church”
Perceived as a criticism of organised religion and its failure to provide for the disadvantaged members of society. Also acknowledges the soot and smoke that polluted london due to the industry in the 1700s
“In every infants cry of fear”
Children are supposedly born innocent so therefore this phrase incites sympathy in the reader and shows pessimistically how every life is destined for misery
“Mind forged manacles”
Suggests that the suffering of the citizens of london has become internalised and their oppression has resulted in them forging their own restrictions. ‘Manacles’ is associated with slavery and lack of freedom which shows people are enslaved by the authorities but also by their own mindset and fear and by accepting injustice. Therefore Black is communicating that people should rebel against authorities and reform society.
