London Flashcards
What effect does using the pronoun ‘I’ have on the reader?
It takes the reader on the journey and it makes it more personal
What is the meaning of “harlot”?
A prostitute or a promiscuous woman
The word “every” is repeated throughout the poem what effect does this have?
It shows how everyone is a collective and not individual
What effect does the word “midnight” have?
It foreshadows
Why does the poet use negative imagery?
It helps create atmosphere and show his dislike towards London
Why did William Blake reject the church?
The church didn’t help children who were force to work
When was this poem published?
1794
Which of the following words would you use to describe the poem?
Hopeless and Pessimistic
What is a hearse?
A vehicle used to carry a coffin
What was William Blakes other occupation?
Artist
What is the rhyme scheme?
ABAB
When was the French Revolution?
1789
What is Blake’s view on the city?
Negative
Where was William Blake born?
London
What accompanied Blake’s poems?
Illustrations
Who are the people represented in power during this poem?
The church and the monarchy
What is Blake’s view on religion?
Negative
What year was Blake born?
1757
What does the rhyme scheme represent?
The sound of his feet
and the misery throughout the city
Which event, occurring during the time the poem was written, did Blake sympathise with?
The french revolution
What are the three main key concepts in the poem, London?
Being Trapped
Impact of industrialisation
Church and Monarchy
How is the concept of ‘Being trapped’ shown in the poem, London?
The idea is consistently reinforced by Blake using vocabulary relating to entrapment and imprisonment.
How is the concept of ‘impact of industrialisation’ shown in the poem, London?
The reference to chimney sweepers reminds readers of the price people paid for urbanisation that resulted from the industrial revolution.
How is the concept of ‘Church and Monarchy’ shown in the poem, London?
Blake is very critical of these institutions for contributing to people’s oppression and spending money on luxury buildings when there is so much poverty.
Which of these quotes does not refer to freedom of expression being limited in London?
- “Chartered”
- “Mind-forged manacles”
- “Youthful Harlots”
“Youthful Harlots”
Blake, whose views were radical at the time, was critical of:
Religion and the church
The luxurious lives of the rich
What meter is the poem written in?
Iambic tetrameter
What could be the purpose of the meter in the poem?
To echo the never-ending suffering and misery in London
What form does the poem take?
A dramatic monologue
London is written in the form of a dramatic monologue. What’s significant about this?
Emphasises the reader’s personal anger and frustration.
What technique is used in the quote “Black’ning church”?
Colour Imagery
What technique is used in the quote “Runs in blood down palace walls”?
Metaphor
True or False?
Blake was FOR religion and went to church regularly.
False
Blake was against religion and saw the Church as corrupt
What were the two famous groups of poems Blake wrote?
“Songs of Innocence”
and
“Songs of Experience”
What poem collection was London published in?
“Songs of Experience”
Why is Blake critical of the Church and monarchy?
They have a duty to help people, but contribute to their suffering
Which quotations refer to the freedom of expression being limited in London?
“Chartered”
“Mind-forged manacles”
Why is freedom of expression limited in London during the time of the poem?
To prevent what happened in France (the French Revolution) to repeat again in London
Describe the rhythm and rhyme in London:
Regular ABAB rhyme scheme
Iambic Tetrameter
4x four line stanzas
What literary techniques does Blake use to criticise the Church and Monarchy? (Give examples)
Metaphor - “runs in blood down palace walls”
Colour Imagery - “black’ning church”
What literary techniques does Blake use to emphasise that the inhabitants of London are trapped in their suffering?
Emotive Language
Sensory Language
Vivid Language
Repetition
What does the emotive language express in the poem?
The extent of the suffering
Blake’s anger at the institutions that fail to help
What are examples of emotive language in the poem?
“weakness”
“woe”
“in every infant’s cry of fear”
“blast’s the newborn infant’s tear”
What is sensory language used for in the poem?
To bring the horror of London at the time alive
What are examples of sensory language in the poem?
“cry of fear”
“marks of weakness, marks of woe”
What does the repetition of “every” create in the poem?
A sense that the problem is widespread
What are examples of trapped imagery in the poem?
“chartered street… chartered Thames”
“The mind-forged manacles I hear”
What does the quotation “chartered street… chartered Thames” highlight?
The extent of government authority - they have control of rivers, which are usually associated with nature and freedom
What does the quotation “The mind-forged manacles I hear” hint at?
That people are trapped by their attitudes, which prevent them from living better lifes
What are the three points of focus in the poem?
1) Deprivation and misery in London
2) Those responsible for the misery
3) Emphasising how widespread the problem is
What is the effect of the poem being a Dramatic Monologue?
It creates a strong sense of the speaker’s personal anger and frustration
What are “curse” and “blast” examples of?
Vivid Language
What poems could you compare to London on the theme of human power and the misuse of power?
My Last Duchess
Ozymandias
What poems could you compare to London on the theme of unpleasant and/or powerful experiences?
The prelude
Exposure
Bayonet Charge
Remains
