London - William Blake Flashcards
unnatural pain and suffering - London
“In every Infant’s cry of fear”
loss of innocence and abuse. Infant is capitalised for emphasis on the injustice. Disturbing image.
downtrodden lower class - London
“marks of weakness, marks of woe”
their poor living conditions are clearly shown on their faces, visible displeasure with it - industrial revolution
corruption of those in power - London
“every black’ning church apalls” - even the church doesnt care about the suffering of the civillains - a place that should
“the hapless soldiers sigh” “runs in blood down the palace walls” - soldiers are disposable and even soldiers who are supposed to be brave/courageous can be hopeless and give up - shows just how dire the situation is
trapped - London
“The mind forg’d manacles I hear” - psychologically. Hopeless, the extent of the poor conditions they face.
Disparity in wealth - London
“Charter’d street” “Charter’d Thames” - even parts of nature are owned. Immense inequality, ownership from the wealthy, powerful business owners
Youth corrupted - London
“And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse” - oxymoronic, shows how new lives are doomed to fail. Disease-ridden streets, society is fundamentally injust
“the youthgul harlot’s curse” - has to turn to prostitution as she is so desperate
Everyone is united in misery - London
“In every cry of every man”
Wasted youth - London
“Youthful Harlot’s curse” - bitter/resentful about wasting her life and youth on prostitution - had to out of desperation. Doomed to fail
Context - London
- Blake was a social critic and radical. Got the idea when walking through the streets of London
- Explore the 2 contrary states of the human soul
- Set in 1794 during industrial revoltion London
Use of language/structure - London
sensory language to immerse the reader and make them empaphise
anaphora of “in every” to emphasise how many different groups are affected
