Poetry - London by William Blake Flashcards

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1
Q

Give context for ‘London’

A
  • William Blake was writing during the Romantic literary era
  • He lived in London most his life, and saw it as corrupted by greed and inequality.
  • He used poetry to instigate change and was considered to have radical political views
  • London was published when the French Revolution had become an inspiration for many radicals as it was a symbol of how the oppressed could seize power from the privileged
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2
Q

Describe the regular rhythm and rhyme in ‘London’

A
  • There’s a regular ABAB rhyme scheme and four stanzas of four lines each
  • The poem is written in iambic tetrameter, echoing the never-ending suffering, oppression in London
  • The enjambment has the same effect
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3
Q

Describe the shifting focus of ‘London’

A
  • The first part describes the deprivation and misery in London
  • The focus shifts in stanza 3 to those Blake feel are responsible for this (the “black’ning church” and “palace”)
  • In the final stanza, the poet emphasises how widespread the problem is, affecting even new-borns (further emphasises how inescapable the deprivation is)
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4
Q

Describe the dramatic monologue in ‘London

A
  • The poem is written in the form of a dramatic monologue
  • The reader gets a strong sense of the speaker’s personal anger and frustration about the pain he sees around him
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5
Q

How are corrupt institution presented in ‘London’?

A
  • “Runs in blood down palace walls.”
  • This metaphor emphasises that the monarchy are guilty of living in luxury while doing nothing to alleviate the struggles of the city
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6
Q

How is colour imagery used in ‘London’?

A

The colour imagery of “black’ning church” is associated to corruption and even death

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7
Q

How is sensory imagery used in ‘London’?

A
  • To bring the horror of London at this time alive
  • “Cry of fear”
  • “Marks of weakness, marks of woe”
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8
Q

How is vivid language used in ‘London?

A

Vivid verbs like “curse” and “blast” exacerbate the horrors of London

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9
Q

How is emotive language used in ‘London’?

A
  • It expresses not only the extent of the suffering but also Blake’s anger at the institution that fail to help
  • “Marks of weakness, marks of woe”
  • “In every infant’s cry of fear”
  • “Blasts the new-born infant’s tear”
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10
Q

How is repetition used in ‘London’?

A
  • Repetition of “every” throughout heightens the sense that the problem is widespread
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11
Q

Finish the quote: ‘I wander through…’ and describe it

A
  • “I wander through each chartered street Near where the chartered Thames does flow”
  • Something that is chartered is listed and regulated
  • Repetition of “chartered” highlights the extent of the government authority: they even have control over rivers, associated with nature and freedom (Trapped imagery)
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12
Q

Finish the quote: ‘ The mind-forged…’ and describe it

A
  • “The mind-forged manacles I hear”
  • “Mind-forged manacles” could hint that people are trapped by their attitudes, preventing them from better lives (Trapped imagery)
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13
Q

What can you compare ‘London’ to with the theme of unpleasant and /or powerful experiences?

A
  • The Emigree
  • Tissue
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14
Q

What can you compare ‘London’ to with the theme of human power and the misuse of power?

A
  • My Last Duchess
  • Ozymandias
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15
Q

Give similarties between ‘London’ to ‘The Emigree’

A
  • Both explore the power of a place through its ability to influence its citizens
  • Both explore places which cause suffering
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16
Q

Give differences between ‘London’ to ‘The Emigree’

A

In The Emigree the place is fantasy, the city is metaphorical and symbolic for the place she remembers. While, in London the place is real but had symbolic values

17
Q

Give similarities between ‘ London’ and ‘Tissue’

A
  • Show human power as a source of oppression and suffering
  • Work to criticise material wealth and inequality
18
Q

Give differences between ‘London’ and ‘Tissue’

A
  • Have different responses to inequality, oppression and suffering in society. In London, Blake accepts the cynical nature of corruption whereas Dharker offers a solution to the problem of power