London William Blake

Question 1

What’s William Blake trying to get across to the reader in the poem London

Answer 1

Critiquing the oppression that people in London endure, critiquing the distance between those in power and those suffering, against the industrial revolution, often wrote about rebelling against the misuse of power and class. Respected the bible but was against organised religion, e.g. CofE as they were more involved in the money than religion, distracted over what the real problems of the country are

Question 2

What does oppression mean

Answer 2

Cruel harsh treatment

Question 3

What does woe mean

Answer 3

Sadness

Question 4

What’s Blake blaming the oppression on

Answer 4

Higher classes, e.g church, government, landowners etc.

Question 5

What system does William Blake oppose

Answer 5

The class system

Question 6

Who receives the main part of the oppression

Answer 6

Lower classes

Question 7

4 key quotes

Answer 7

How the chimney sweepers cry, every blackning church appals. in every cry of every man, infants cry of fear. I wander through each chartered street, near where the chartered Thames flows. Soldiers sigh run down palace walls.

Question 8

how does Blake use structure for effect

Answer 8

repeated 4 line stanzas and repeated language emphasises and represents the repeated inescapable suffering which the lower class constantly endure

Question 9

5 important quotes from London

for further revision, analyse the importance of these quotes

Answer 9

the shapeless soldiers sigh runs down in palace walls
marriage hearse
in every cry of every man, in every infants cry of fear, in every voice in every ban
how the chimney sweepers cry Every black’ning church appals
I wandered through the chartered street, near where the chartered Thames do flow