London Flashcards
1
Q
“The chartered Thames does flow”
A
- even nature is under human control
- Big Brother-> people are always being watched, there is nowhere to hide
- Charters= allocated ownership + rights, they robbed ordinary people of freedom
2
Q
“Mind-forged manacles”
A
- Manacles=constricting handcuffs
- Peoples’ minds are restricted -> the city has robbed them of their ability to think for themselves
3
Q
“Every black’ning church appalls”
A
- He is angry at power
- Grim visual image of the ugliness caused by the smoke from the Industrial Revolution
- The church is supposed to help people but it fails to care for them
- It is corrupt
4
Q
“Blights with plagues the marriage hearse”
A
- Oxymoron -> links the happy image of marriage with death
- Everything has been destroyed
- Powerful language of illness and disease -> its uncontrollable
5
Q
What are the key themes in London?
A
- Corruption
- Powerlessness of the people
- Anger
6
Q
“Runs in blood down palace walls”
A
- Reference to the French Revolution
- Ordinary people suffer whilst the royals are hiding behind their palace walls
7
Q
Who is William Blake?
A
- Blake was a romantic poet concerned with individual freedom, equality and democracy
- He saw London as corrupt and the government as oppressive
8
Q
When was London written?
A
- 1794
- When prostitution and STDs were rife
- Children slaved as chimney sweeps
9
Q
What are the ‘Songs of Experience’?
A
- a volume of poetry which explored the state of the human soul
- the poems (including London) look at how innocence is lost and how society has been corrupted
