London

• Blasts the new-born infant's tear and blights with plagues and marriage hearse
• Every blackning church appals ... runs in blood down palace walls
• The mind forged manacles I hear
• I wandered thro each chartered street
• I wander thro each chartered street

  Chartered- streets have been mapped- urbanisation destroying nature

  Contrast- shows we can still be free and 'wander'
• Blasts the new born infant's tear and blights with plague and marriage hearse 


  Men killing their marriages

  Reference to STIs- children born with disabilities due to lack of antibiotics and hygiene - harlot's curse prostitution
• Every blackning church appals ... runs in blood down palace walls

  Metaphor- coal turning buildings black + death of workers in chimneys

  Church now capitalist

  Appals- 'pall' over dead body- church is dead and has turned away from christ

  Attack against king- warns of revolution like in france- consequences of mistreating the poor
• Mind forged manacles I hear

  Metaphor- oppression, owned by capitalism, we have done this to ourselves

  Hierarchy is just a construct

  Forge- fake things- get rid of manacles we are wearing