london

• William Blake's poem "London" centers on a first-person perspective of an anonymous speaker walking through London, criticizing the filth, corruption, child labor, monarchial abuse, and prostitution he observes
• Blake lived in London and saw it as corrupted by greed and inequality, leading him to write politically charged poetry using simple language to advocate for change
• Blake believed in equality for both genders, educated his wife, and supported equality, standing against oppressing women and the monarchy
• Blake's poem "London" explores authoritarian abuses of power in the capital city, highlighting the wealth disparity and misery caused by capitalist structures within society
• The poem "London" employs an immensely negative tone, reflecting Blake's disillusionment with the government, monarchy, and the Church
• The poem "London" by William Blake was published during the French Revolution's "reign of terror," a period of radical change and upheaval
• Blake's poem "London" is from the collection 'Songs of Experience' (1794), which exposes the corruption and suffering in society, contrasting with the innocence portrayed in 'Songs of Innocence' (1789)
• Blake's poem "London" criticizes the church's moral blackening and failure to provide for disadvantaged members of society, juxtaposing new beginnings with the end of life and grief
• Blake's poem "London" explores the theme of oppression, with suffering shown to be caused by institutions of power like the monarchy, government, and Church
• The poem uses a cyclical structure: the first/second stanzas focus on the impact on people, the third explores the source of suffering, and the fourth goes back to the impact again, suggesting suffering is never-ending
• Blake consistently uses iambic tetrameter, a technique where the poet uses eight syllables in each line with pairs of sounds going da-DA, to convey order and control
• The poem employs an ABAB rhyme scheme and consistent stanza lengths, enhancing the sense of complete control and oppression, reflecting how lower classes are trapped in London
• Blake utilizes juxtaposition in phrases like "marriage hearse" to criticize societal norms, contrasting the joy of weddings with the grief of a hearse, symbolizing the loss of rights and property for women
• Anaphora is used in the poem with the repeated phrase "in every" to emphasize the extreme extent of suffering, showing its impact on everyone with no discrimination
• Blake presents oppression as stemming from privatisation, using the repetition of the word "chartered" to show how everything is owned and controlled by the wealthy, reflecting the transition of common land to private ownership in the 1700s
• The poem "London" by Blake is written in first person, creating a dramatic monologue where the speaker passionately describes the suffering and corruption in the city, aiming to make the message accessible to all members of society
• In the poem "London," Blake criticizes organized religion, portraying it as a source of suffering for citizens, highlighted by the phrase "every black’ning church"
• The adjective "blackening" acknowledges the pollution in London due to industrial activities in the 1700s
• A figurative interpretation of "black’ning" suggests criticism of organized religion and its failure to provide for disadvantaged members of society
• Suffering in the poem is linked to the church's failure to fulfill its duty, reflecting Blake's support for biblical values but contempt towards organized religion
• Blake presents the suffering of various societal groups, including babies, children, chimney-sweepers, and women, reflecting the harsh realities of society during that time
• The poem's cyclical structure and narrative emphasize the never-ending suffering in London, suggesting that people are restrained by authorities and institutions of authority
• The oxymoronic phrase "marriage hearse" symbolizes the idea that all happiness and life in London are doomed
• Blake's use of "mind forged manacles" symbolizes the internalized suffering of London citizens, suggesting they are enslaved by their own mindset and fear, preventing change
• The motif that suffering is never-ending is reinforced by the poem's cyclical structure and narrative, indicating that those in London are trapped in a cycle of oppression and suffering
• The phrase "and mark in every face I see" suggests the speaker acknowledges and recognizes the suffering in London, emphasizing the need for change