London - Willim Blake Flashcards
“Street” “Thames”
“Charter’d street” “Charter’d Thames does flow”
The free-flowing Thames is owned and restricted reflecting how even the most free parts of London have been deprived and privatised. Reflects Blake’s Romantic inspiration in London with love of nature.
“Infant’s”
“In every Infant’s cry of fear”
Anaphora of ‘every’ and ‘cry’ gives sense of agonising ‘woes’. The repetition shows how universal the suffering is in London. Moreover, children progress to adults showing how pain runs through all the ages. Children lose innocence (Romantic)
“Church”
“Black’ning Church appalls”
The Church was a power at the time and has institutional tyranny on the children as the corruption overruns it and makes it lose its charitable aims. ‘Black’ning’ is double entendre of industrialisation and corruption
“Palace walls”
“Runs in blood down Palace walls”
Gory imagery shows how the dying soldiers represent the nation fighting in the war as the monarch remains safe inside. ‘Palace’ is capitalised to further show their superiority in power whilst the soldiers are only represented by their ‘blood’
“Harlot’s” “Marriage”
“Youthful Harlot’s curse” “Marriage hearse”
Blake paints a miserable image of prostitution ruining baby’s innocence bringing STD’s into already dead marriages. The oxymoron of ‘marriage’ and ‘hearse’ emphasises the emptiness of families at the time
