Power And Conflict Poetry - London Flashcards
Who wrote London?
William Blake
What is the big idea?
The abuse of power and how that results in vast inequality. Blake urges people to break free of their mind forged manacles
What is the structure?
Alternative ABAB rhyming pattern mimics the speakers walking journey through London, providing the reader with a corrupt, hopeless and morbid view of London
Quatrain - 4 lines which list a variety of social issues and corruption
I wander through each chartered street
Mapped out and is clear who owns what
First person - personal
In every cry of every man,
In every infant’s cry of fear,
In every voice, in every ban
Trapped and confined
The mind forged manacles I hear
Metaphor - imprisoned by thoughts
Runs in blood down palace walls
Corruption of government and royalty
The youthful harlot’s curse
Prostitute
Sexual exploitation
And blights with plagues the marriage hearse
Oxymoron - joy of marriage with misery of death
