London Flashcards
Poet
William blake
Vehicle statement and summary
Blakes uses the poem “London” as a vehicle to comment on the negative aspects of London at the time. Blake uses this poem to infact showcase these issues and speak out about it which can also be seen from his minuscule details when placing the verb “hear” around his poem. This includes the child labour, prostitution and corruption of power and authority. It is a short poem but obvious criticism of the establishment, including the church, the army and the monarchy, which have allowed the city to fall into such a degraded state
Themes
Corruption
Society
Oppression
Corruption quotes
“Every blackening church appall”
“Hapless Soldiers sigh, Runs in blood down palace walls”
“Blight with plagues the Marriage hearse”
“Every blackening Church appalls”
Colour symbolises connotes the decaying core of the establishment and alludes to both physical and moral decay. Church has lost their role and their faith and also the awareness of others. They have gone past their duties to provide financial gain for themselves
“Hapless Solider sigh Runs in blood down palace walls”
The alliteration allows us to see how the soliders have no faith, and bleieve they are going to die. The sibolence allows us to see how slurred and blurred their views are. They are not bold and brave soldiers who are pareiachal to their countries but infact just men who are explited. The metaphormof blood is linked with death and suffering, symbolising the corrupt system amd creating a feeling of despair and outrage. Enjambment could replect this blood flowing, a symbol of guilt
“Blights with plagues the marriage hearse”
Oxymoron and language associated with disease at the end of the poem crates a bleak tone and reinforces the poem’s message about the cities lack of hope.
Showcasing the power of church and monarchy is corrupting marriage and those in help are not getting anything
Society quotes
“Charter’d street…charter’d Thames”
“In every voice, in every ban”
“Charter’d street … charter’d Thames”
Repetition of adjective symbolises a city that is rigid and controlled and suggests human desire to control even natural forms. Even the Thames a body of water is meant to flow freely, cannot. Personification allows us to see how trapped those in London are.
“In every voice, jn every ban”
Anaphora in this stanza builds a rhythmic intensity that mirrors the relentless suffering described. The imagery of cry and man, and fear and infant, from above this quote firther emphasies the way society has become miserable due to the power grred. They are not bold longer allowed to use their energy for things they should, and are infact unable to be free. Thier free will is infact taken away and forced away from them
Oppression quotes
“Mind-forg’d manacles”
“Chimney-sweepers cry”
“The youthful harlots curse”
“Mind-forg’d manacles”
Metaphor suggests that the citizens lack any societal freedom. These “manacles” are not physical chains but mental and social restrictions that limit freedom and happiness. All individuals have merged into one identity, an identity where their opinions are not expressed
“Chimney-sweepers cry”
Blakes offers a critique of the exploitation of children, as chimney sweeps were often young boys forced into dangerous work. Emotive language is used to contribute to the feeling of misery. Their childhood has been destroyed by work and no freedom of joy and enjoying childhood, much like the way smoke can wither and grabs hold of the environment
“The youthful Harlots curse”
Much like the young boys, yuong girls are exploited for their bodies. They are forced into selling sex and their childhoods habe been ruined by adult scenarios and those gruesome as well. They’re innocence is destroyed due to the corruption amd oack of frre will they own to their bodies. They arent even control of their bodies. Ao3: at the time women were disrepected for going nito this world of work yet they were forced due to corruption
Context
Romantic poet : describing issues of london
Social inequality advocate
Industrial revolution and money
Gender views and children views
