London

• who wrote this poem?

  William Blake
• " i wander thro each charterd street"
• 18th century


  period of rapid growth for london
• industrial revolution

  transition to new automation and manufacturing
• more factories

  overcrowding in poor areas of london which lead to spread of disease and high mortality rate
• What happened to the Orphans?

  taken in by workhouses and churches to work manual and dangerous jobs such as chimney sweeping and factory work
• what happened to some young girls?

  became sex workers ("harlots") from a very young age to feed themselves and their family
• What did the chartered laws do?

  they were created by the government and they ran society
• French Revolution

  poor french citizens rose up against the power of aristocracy and their monarchy
• what type of poet is William Blake?

  Romantic
• Blake lived in london and witnessed all the problems within society
• Blake lost faith in the organised religion ( church ) due to the treatment of the poor ,but remained personally religious
• when was London published?

  1794 in a collection called " Songs of Experience " to illustrate the effects of modern life and reality
• Dangerous industrial conditions , child labour, prostitution and poverty are explored through the collection
• Summary

  Blake walks through london and describes what he sees and he shows exploitation of the poor by the church and government
• " charterd streets" and "charterd thames"


  charters= laws which Blake blames for unfair exploitation of the poor . Blake suggests that the government have to much control even nature /river
• " i wander "


  aimlessly walking / purposeless could suggest how he feels powerless to change what happens
• " marks of weakness, marks of woe "


  physical and mental suffering leaves a permanent effect leaving a weak society unable to change
• " in every cry of every man in ever infants cry o fear "


  repetition = universal unhappiness and misery even the weakest in society are fearful
• " mind forged manacles "


  even people mind and thoughts are restricted - shackles / alliteration emphasises the poor treatment of poor people by people in power
• " black'ning church appalls "

  the church is disappointing and corrupted / tarnished by its failure to look after people = visual image of the ugliness caused by industrial revolution
• structure ( H E A R ) second stanza

  refer to the french revolution - he believes that ordinary people are suffering while those in power are protected
• " Runs in blood down palace walls"


  Monarchy is responsible for the negative impact on society = french revolution
• " youthful harlots"


  juxtaposition between youthful innocence and sex workers creates an imagery of innocence corrupted
• " blast the new born infants tear "


  babys are put in a cycle of illness is inevitable and inescapable
• " Blast the plagues the marriage hearse "


  powerful language of illness and disease - destruction implies that something is uncontrollable and destined to affect lots of people
• Sensory

  sound / hearing distressing sounds
• Tone


  Rage

  Cynicism / pessimism