Language

• What quote from London shows that the power of humans is confining?

  "mind-forged manacles"
• What quote from London shows that Blake criticises the abuse of power?

  "black'ning church"
• How does the quote "black'ning church" show that Blake criticises the abuse of power?

  At a surface level, the adjective "black'ning" serves as an acknowledgement of soot and smoke thats produced by Industrial factories. Soot and smoke polluted every part of London during the 1700s.

  However, the adjective has negative connotations of immorality and evil possibly implying that Blake is referring to the immorality of the church. Therefore, this can be perceived as a criticism of organised religion as it fails to provide for the suffering members of society.
• What quote from London shows that human power causes unfair circumstances that cause the innocent to suffer?

  "every infant's cry of fear"
• How does the quote "every infant's cry of fear" show that human power causes unfair circumstances that cause the innocent to suffer?

  The repitition of "every" emphasises the feeling of bleakness that all the infants of London felt showing that despair was a feeling nobody could escape as it would eventually reach them. This highlights that human power creates unfair circumstances on the innocent because no matter how kind the people were, they were still met with a miserable lifestyle.

  The noun "infant" connotes to purity and innocence so they shouldn't experience suffering. Therefore, the readers feel sympathetic for the children of London during the Indsutrial Revolution as it also shows how everyones in London was ultimately destined to misery.