London- William Blake

Question 1

describe what is happening in the poem

Answer 1

• narrator described as walking round city of London
• he says wherever he goes, people he meets affected by misery and despair
• misery seems relentless, no one can escape it
• people in power seem to be behind the problems, and don’t help people in need

Question 2

describe the form

Answer 2

• a dramatic monologue
• first-person narrator speaks passionately about suffering he sees
• ABAB rhyme scheme is unbroken and seems to echo the relentless misery of the city
• regular rhyme could reflect sound of his feet as he trudges around

Question 3

describe the structure

Answer 3

• narrator presents relentless images of downtrodden, deprived people
• first 2 stanzas focus on people he sees and hear
• focus shifts in stanza 3 to institutions he holds responsible
• final stanza returns to looking at people, showing how even new born babies affected

Question 4

“I”

Answer 4

first-person narrator personalises poem and makes it seem more real

Question 5

“wander”

Answer 5

sounds purposeless- could reflect how he feels powerless to change what’s happening

Question 6

“each chartered street”

Answer 6

suggests whole city is affected, not just one area

Question 7

“chartered Thames”

Answer 7

even powerful, natural features like the River Thames are under human control, and affected by city’s problems

Question 8

“mark”

Answer 8

means ‘notice’, but also suggests everyone he sees is marked by experience

Question 9

“marks” “marks” , “every” “every” “every”

Answer 9

repetition emphasises feeling of bleakness- despair affects everyone and there’s no relief from it

Question 10

“infant’s cry of fear” “i hear”

Answer 10

speaker hears various distressing noises- makes this seem like a vivid, hellish experience

Question 11

“mind-forged manacles”

Answer 11

people trapped in every way, even by thoughts and attitudes

Question 12

“chimney-sweeper’s”

Answer 12

chimney sweeps were usually young boys- this is emotive image of child labour

Question 13

“black’ning church”

Answer 13

seems to be angry at all forms of power- describing church as “black’ning” could suggest it’s corrupt or it’s tarnished by its failure to look after people. it’s also grim visual image of ugliness caused by industrial revolution

Question 14

“runs in blood down palace walls”

Answer 14

might be reference to French Revolution- sounds like he thinks ordinary people suffer while those in palace are protected by walls

Question 15

“youthful harlot’s”

Answer 15

contrast between innocence of youth and sordidness of prostitution

Question 16

“curse”

Answer 16

he hears prostitutes swearing, but he might also mean that they are a curse on London

Question 17

“blasts the new-born infant’s tear”

Answer 17

innocence of newborn babies lost immediately- society damages its members

Question 18

“blights with plagues”

Answer 18

powerful language of illness and disease. destruction implied by “blights”, and “plagues” hints at something that’s uncontrollable and destined to affect lots of people

Question 19

“marriage hearse”

Answer 19

oxymoron- links happy image of marriage with death. suggests everything has been destroyed

Question 20

context

Answer 20

Blake wrote and illustrated 2 volumes of poetry which explored the state of human soul.The ‘Songs of Innocence’ are positive poems which focus on childhood, nature and love, whereas,the ‘Songs of Experience’ (including ‘London’) look at how innocence is lost and how society is corrupt