london (75)

Question 1

impact of there being no song of innocence version of the poem

Answer 1

there is no innocence to be interpreted; only suffering, inequality, blame and despair

Question 2

contextual changes in london that had occurred before the poem

Answer 2

industrialisation
pollution
overpopulation
poverty

Question 3

“i wander thro’”

Answer 3

reflects he no longer recognises london

the transformation of the city reflecting the transformation of society as a whole

Question 4

“chartered street” “chartered thames”

Answer 4

repeated to reflect that everything that can be owned even the land is being exploited and capitalised on

juxtaposition of the freedom of the thames and streets and the ownership and exploitation of them

similar emotions to the french revolution (rich owning and controlling everything whilst the rest suffer) but without the passion; instead replaced with helplessness

Question 5

anaphora of “every”

Answer 5

emphasises how widespread the issue is

sense of mass/collective suffering with poverty as well as a loss of identity within the suffering

Question 6

“marks of woe”

Answer 6

repetition of “marks” reflects the helplessness blake feels due to the permanence of a “mark” on society

acceptance there is no reversing the industrial revolution

Question 7

“black’ning church”

Answer 7

calling out church and its hypocrisy and consumption in times where suffering is so rampant

the church is just as stained as the city; there is no more purity or saving in this helplessness

Question 8

“hapless soldier”
“blood down palace walls”

Answer 8

blood is on the monarchs and ruling classes hands whilst the soldier (common man) is forced to do the dirty work

the monarchy is responsible for the suffering of the people yet the people create more to defend it

Question 9

“youthful harlots curse”

Answer 9

when babies of prostitutes were born with either stis’ or deformities from sti’s

even babies (the purest form of humanity) is no longer safe from corruption; the future is bleak and already tainted

Question 10

impact of iambic tetameter

Answer 10

usually associated with optimism but because of bleak subject of the poem the reader is forced to face the fact there is no longer anything to be optismistic about