London

• When was "London" by William Blake written?

  1794
• What collection includes the poem "London"?

  Songs of Innocence and Experience
• What are the two contrary states of the human soul according to Blake?

  Innocence and Experience
• How does Blake view childhood?

  As a state of protected innocence
• What societal issues does Blake associate with the fallen world?

  Industrialization, political oppression, and moral corruption
• What significant event began five years before 1794?

  The French Revolution
• What was the fate of many prisoners during the Reign of Terror?

  Executed or died in jail
• What does the poem "London" depict about its citizens?

  They are trapped in exploitation and oppression
• What is the structure of the poem "London"?

  • Four stanzas, each a quatrain
  • Simple rhyme scheme: ABAB
  • All rhymes are masculine
• What effect do long vowel sounds have in Blake's poem?

  They enhance the heavy feel of the poem
• What is the initial rhythm of the poem "London"?

  Iambic tetrameter
• What does "trochaic tetrameter cataleptic" mean?

  A syllable has been removed from a trochaic line
• How does the mixed meter affect the poem?

  It adds to the sense of disharmony
• What tense is the poem "London" written in?

  Present tense
• What does the repetition of words like "chartered" signify?

  Confinement by poverty and oppressive policies
• What themes are prevalent in the poem "London"?

  • Exploitation and oppression
  • Poverty and confinement
  • Moral corruption of institutions
• What does the juxtaposition of "wander" and "chartered" imply?

  Some rebellion against government control
• What do the "mind-forged manacles" symbolize?

  Mental oppression and societal constraints
• Who does Blake hold responsible for the suffering of chimney sweepers?

  The church and the monarchy
• What does the adjective "blackening" imply about the church?

  It is morally corrupt and complicit
• What does the phrase "runs in blood" suggest about soldiers?

  They suffer and die for the monarchy
• What is the significance of the final stanza in "London"?

  • Provides an apocalyptic vision
  • Links marriage with death
  • Highlights the cycle of oppression
• What does "youthful harlots" refer to in the poem?

  Child prostitutes forced into selling their bodies
• How does Blake convey the violence faced by newborn infants?

  Through the onomatopoeia "Klee"
• What does enjambment achieve in the poem?

  Enhances continuity of oppression's curse
• What does the oxymoron "marriage hearse" symbolize?

  Death instead of new life
• What diseases are referenced in the poem related to prostitution?

  Venereal diseases like syphilis
• How does Blake express horror at the future in "London"?

  Through disturbing and bleak imagery
• What are the key themes in Blake's "London"?

  • Exploitation and oppression
  • Moral corruption
  • The impact of industrialization