Language

• “Chartered street”

  • The street has been given away to the rich and secluded from everyone else
  • Blake illustrates how oppression stems from privatisation
  • criticism of how the upper class try to control everything including things that belong to everybody
• “Where the Chartered Thames does flow”

  • Juxtaposition between “chartered“ and “flow”
  • ”Flow” implies freedom whereas “chartered“ describes it being owned by someone“
  • Blake is commenting on the oppression of nature by humans
  • demonstrates how the greed of humanity is so great it tries to control nature which symbolises magnanimity and altruism
• Repetition of “chartered”

  • Politically aludes to the Chartist movement of 1838 in which working class men tried to gain the vote
  • Further portrays the oppression and failure of the british government.
  • Foreshadows that London will never improves and will never improve unless the people do something about it.
• “Marks in every face I see”

  • The people he sees are metaphorically marked- slaves to the monarchy, all of them are being controlled.
  • Everyone in London is oppressed, it is inevitable and inescapable
  • Blake can physical see the oppression on the faces of the people
  • Implying that the oppression is so potent that he can physically see it
  • The assonance creates a solemn, sorrowful tone- lamentation
• “Marks of weakness, marks of woe”

  • Objectifies them, they’re like “marked” goods
  • They‘re a commodity- criticises how the rich nobility exploit the poor for their own personal gain.
  • They are weak as they’re not able to stand up against the government
  • Harshness of the tone in “weakness” creates a derisive tone- he wants the Victorian audience to be ashamed of themselves, so they can be empowered to rebel against the government- Blake wanted a revolution in London like the French Revolution
• The repetition of “every”

  • Blake emphasises the extreme extent of the suffering in london- showing how it impacts everyone
  • shows the repetitive cycles of suffering in London Victorian society
  • the repetition slows down the pace- emphasise the amount of oppression
  • evoke sympathy from the reader
• “Black’ning church”

  • Highlights the soot and smoke that pollutes every part of London due to the Industrial Revolution- criticises how the government get richer at the expense of the health of the poor
  • Juxtaposition of “black’ning“ and “church” as “black’ning” has immora, evil connotations whereas “church” is divine and holy
  • criticism of the church for their corruption and failure to aid the poor
  • Blake was against organised religion as they were corrupt and felt they betrayed the teachings of Jesus Christ
• “Mind forged manacles”

  • The sufferings of the citizens of London has become internalised- debts, loans
  • They place these restrictions on themselves in fear of what may happen to them if they don’t comply.
  • The oppression is so severe that the citizens are continually tormented by it
• “Mind forged manacles”

  • Ironic, to imply that the government‘s power is “mind forged” it is not real
  • disillusion of power- further shown in “chartered Thames“ as nature is uncontrollable- so also the people are uncontrollable as their stronger together
  • Blake is saying that the patriarchy cannot control people- empowering the Victorian audience to rebel against the government like in the French revolution
  • Blake wanted a Revolution in London like the French Revolution.
• “Marriage hearse”

  • juxtaposition
  • marriage connotes new beginnings, joy and love whereas “hearse” symbolises death
  • Blake is saying that the bridal carriage is a hearse as brides would be objectified as their husbands property so wouldn’t even seem alive.
  • Blake saw marriage itself as oppression
  • Blake was in favour of liberating women and from the abuse of power, giving men the opportunity to abuse their wives through marriage.
• Semantic field

  • Oppression
  • “chartered” “how the chimney sweepers cry”
• “Runs in blood down palace walls”

  • Juxtaposition of “blood” and “palace”
  • criticises how the monarchy enrich themselves at the expense of the lives of the poor
  • london is a meticulous facade- seen as a bustling, industrious city but people fail to look into the “midnight streets”
  • The rich are responsible for the plight of the poor
  • The monarchy cannot be powerful without its subjects as londoners are responsible for the industrious London,
  • warning to the monarchy that without the people all that‘ll be left of the palace is “blood”