London

• Who wrote "London"?

  William Blake
• What does Blake challenge in "London"?

  Industrialisation and oppression
• In what year was "London" written?

  1794
• What structure does "London" use?

  Four quatrains with ABAB rhyme
• How does the use of anaphora in "London" affect its meaning?

  It reinforces the ubiquity of suffering
• What type of poem is "London"?

  A dramatic monologue
• What does “Chartered Thames” imply in "London"?

  Even the river is owned and restricted
• What does “Mind-forged manacles” symbolize?

  Mental oppression and lack of freedom
• What does the line “The hapless soldier’s sigh / Runs in blood down palace walls” allude to?

  French Revolution and systemic injustice
• What does the juxtaposition in “Blights with plagues the marriage hearse” convey?

  Life and death; corruption of relationships
• What are the main themes of "London"?

  • Power of institutions: monarchy, church, government
  • Psychological and physical suffering
  • Loss of innocence and human freedom