poem two london Flashcards
summary of London
provides a journey through london providing an insight into the terrible conditions faced by the city’s poor.
context of william blake
he lived/worked in the capital so was well placed to write clearly about the conditions people who lived there faced
first stanza what it’s about with quote
everywhere he looks and turns he sees the downtrodden faces if the poor looking tired/defeated
“And mark in every face i meet,
Marks of weakness, marks of woe”
second stanza what it’s about and quote
he hears people’s voices, to Blake the people and their minds aren’t free they’re restrained by their various situations
“the mind-forged manacles i hear”
third stanza what it’s about and quote
emphasises on wealthy taking advantage of poor, money went to the church while children suffered in poverty
“how the chimney-sweeper’s cry”
forth and final stanza what it’s about and quote
theme of society’s moral decay, refers to young prostitution and marriage out of wed-lock
“blights with plague the marriage hearse”
how’s the poem written
in a struct abab rhyme scheme in each of the four stanzas
what words/ phrases does blake repeat a lot?
“chartered” and “mark” in stanza one and
“in every” in stanza two
what theme does the poem have?
pessimistic, negative, focuses on poverty
