Lines 3 - 4

• “And mark in every face I meet

  Marks of weakness, marks of woe . ”
• Translation

  • As he walks, he sees (“ marks ”) something about the faces of people walking by
  • Each face has signs of misery and despair
• Blake’s intention

  • To “ mark ” means to notice, but the repetition of the word suggests that everybody is marked and affected by the city’s problems
  • Blake may also be suggesting that there is no escape from the bleakness
  • The impact of this place’s power is both permanent and wide-reaching
  • The people have been “ marked ” by London, just like the branding of cattle