London

• I wander through each chartered street, Near where the chartered Thames does flow. And mark in every face I meet' 


  • Verb: connotes an aimlessness, reflecting how the speaker feels powerless to change what is happening around him.
  • Adjective: suggests that the whole city is affected, this control is all encompassing nothing can escape its grip.
  • Even powerful, natural features like the River Thames are under human control and affected by the city’s problems.
  • Determiners: emphasises how the state of London is affecting everyone involved. It is spreading like an epidemic.
• 'Marks of weakness, marks of woe.' 


  Noun: suggesting this idea that the weakness and woes are like stains on the faces of people, unable to be wiped off; permanent and marring.
• 'In every cry of every man, In every infant’s cry of fear, In every voice, in every ban'. 


  • Repetition: emphasises the feeling of bleakness – despair effects everyone and there’s no relief from it.
  • The troubles are plaguing people of all ages, from birth into adulthood.
• 'The mind-forged manacles I hear: ' 


  Metaphor: Even people’s thoughts are controlled, constrained and confined. There is no escape, physical or mental.
• 'How the chimney-sweepers cry Every black’ning church appalls,'


  Metaphor: There is a sense of shame and accountability attached to the church, for child labour. As the children cry, their blackened (soot) tears/sounds makes the church blacker – plagues and mars it.
• 'And the hapless soldier’s sigh

  Runs in blood down palace walls.

  But most through midnight streets I hear'


  Metaphor: Sense of culpability; the soldiers are sighing (their last breaths/frustration) and the monarchy have their blood on their hands.
• 'How the youthful harlot’s curse Blasts the new-born infant’s tear,'


  • Irony: The blessing of a child is a curse to the prostitutes for the new life equates to less money and time and more responsibility.
  • Furthermore, the newborn’s first experience of life is tainted by “cursing” and “blasting.
• 'And blights with plagues the marriage hearse.'


  Oxymoron: the prostitutes are cursing marriages (a symbol of life, children, union and commitment) because they will never have that (jealousy) - misery loved company.