london themes Flashcards
what are the two main themes in the poem ‘London’
- desperation of poverty
- cruelty and ignorance of those in power
what is the poem classified as
overtly political poem
what three emotions would Blake have felt when writing the poem
furious
indignant
despairing
what does the content of the poem consist of
a narrator (which we assume is Blake himself) walking through the streets in the city of London
what does the narrator explain to the reader about the people he passes on the street
he says that’s everywhere he goes, the people he meets are affected by misery and despair
what is Blake’s message to those in power
people in power (like the Church, the monarchy and wealthy landowners) seem to be behind the problems, and do nothing to help the people in need
what type of narrative is the poem written in and what effect does it create
first person - personalises the poem and creates the feeling of being in the narrator’s head which evokes pathos for the reader
how is the feeling/attitude of anger reinforced in the poem (use quotes)
Emotive language and repetition show the narrators anger at the situation. He mentions ‘Every black’ning church’ and ‘Palace walls’, suggesting he is especially angry at the people in power, who could do something to change things but don’t.
how is the feeling/attitude of hopelessness reinforced in the poem (use quotes)
The ‘mind-forg’d manacles’ suggest that people themselves are also to blame — they’re trapped by their own attitudes. They appear hopeless because they’re not able (or not even trying) to help themselves.
what other poem uses images of the city to express an individual’s feelings
A Wife in London
which poems could contrast the negative portrayal of a city (London) with positive images of the country
To Autumn
The Prelude
how is the suffering of the city described in the poem
prostitution, destitution, disease (syphilis), hunger vs hypocrisy of Church seen as uncaring
