London

• mind-forged manacles


  Blake politically critiques the abuse of power by the establishment. Their oppression is so deep that it has formed 'these manacles' around individuals' minds, thus they are confined to the misery that the authorities have imprisoned them to. 'Manacles' are made of metal bands intertwined together, mimicking how the people in London are inextricably intertwined with their misery and oppression - the 'manacles' are inescapable as they are 'mind-forged' making them impossible to physically escape.
• 'in every cry of every man' 'in every infant's cry of fear' 'in every voice, in every ban'

  The use of the anaphora "in every" alludes to the systematic and sempiternal torture that London's residents endure; widespread misery occurs in all of the city's crevices, and "infants" are not immune to it.
• in every infant's cry of fear

  The concept of an 'infant' connoting innocence, and 'fear connoting terror is quite oxymoronic. These juxtaposing images show how the innocence of youth has been corrupted and stolen as they have already been tainted by this exploitative setting. This reinforces the bleak pessimistic tone Blake creates as nobody can leave unscathed from this corruption as they do this to every 'infant' once it's born
• black'ning church appalls

  Symbolically, as 'black'ning' connotes staining, it implies how the establishment of the church is agape, yet Blake sees how these morals are abandoned by the church as they neglect a love for all and care more for acquiring wealth. Blake is not criticising religion, as he is religious himself, but is criticising the corruptness that pervaded an establishment set to act in the name of God.
• where the chartered Thames does flow

  He describes the 'Thames', naturally free flowing, to have become 'chartered', connoting restriction. He is scathing of the sheer control the authorities have, even seeping down into nature- the oppression is so powerful that even nature is not exempt from its detrimental impact. This links back to tropes of Romantic poetry, centralising their poetry around nature. Blake inverts this and makes it current with the bleak setting he is in, reinforcing how the awe-inspiring sublimity of nature is being tainted through political corruptness.
• Mix of End-stops and Enjambment - Structure

  Blake uses a mixture of enjambment and end-stops to replicate the illusion of freedom London's citizens are given. The enjambment represents this illusion as the line continues, emulating how they believe their lives are free and boundless. This juxtaposes the end stops where the lines are paused and stopped, replicating how the lives of those in London are stopped and broken by the authorities that control them.
• Quatrains and regular ABAB rhyme - Form

  Blake uses uniformed quatrains paired with a regular ABAB rhyme to emulate the mass oppression and restriction the lower classes were subject to—they were oppressed by the establishment chaining them to these 'mind-forged manacles'. As the stanza length and rhyme are not broken, Blake uses this to mimic how this control seems unbreakable and sempiternal.
• Iambic Tetrameter - Form

  The consistent iambic tetrameter heightens the motif of oppression that permeates the poem; there is no freedom to escape this control. Blake provides a glimmer of hope when he breaks that iambic tetrameter on 'marks of weakness, marks of woe'. He could be implying that there is hope to break free from oppression if London were to be united against the establishments that controlled them.
• marks of weakness, marks of woe


  The utilisation of sensory language produces an immersive effect, and the graphic representation of "marks" denotes the metaphorical wounds caused by the unjust, authoritarian system that renders Londoners defenceless. It also deviates from the poem's core iambic tetrameter, which may be interpreted as a reflection of how individuals might break beyond societal limitations by revolting against establishments of power.
• Context

  • Blake was anti-establishment and was celebratory regarding the rise of democracy within the French revolution
  • He was a Christian but opposed the Church as he saw the hypocrisy within it and its oppressive nature
  • He was a Romantic poet; these poets believed that nature was awe-inspiring but also produced terror. This spiritual connection was called the sublime
  • Blake had two poetry collections, 'The Songs of Innocence', which focused on the beauty and the peace of nature- a typical Romantic trope
  • His other collection was 'Songs of Experience', which laments the loss of innocence.
• Similarities w/ MLD - Themes

  Both poems show an abuse of power. In London, the establishments (the church and government) abuse their power through not helping the disadvantaged. In MLD, there is an abuse of power by the Duke as he recognises the Duchess is weaker and easy to assert his tyrannical power over. They also show themes of oppression as London

  explores how its citizens are oppressed and confined to the authoritarian abuse of power- the lives are bleak for those who are oppressed. The Duchess is oppressed by the Duke via patriachy
• Differences w/ MLD - Themes

  London criticises both the abuse of power and oppression, Blake making a stand against these. MLD is a monologue that expresses both themes but from the viewpoint of the oppressor hence it is not condemned.
• Similarities with MLD - Structure

  Both use enjambment. In London, this symbolises the illusion of freedom In MLD, it replicated the natural way of speech, acting as if the Duke is directly speaking to the reader.
• Differences with MLD - Structure

  London uses more frequent end stops, replicating the bleakness and forthcoming of endings. MLD uses more caesura, replicating the Duke's

  insincerity and obsession with himself.
• Differences w/ MLD - Form

  London uses quatrains and regular

  ABAB rhyme to represent the mass control and oppression. MLD uses

  dramatic monologue and iambic pentameter to illustrate his both egotistical and traditional viewpoint he held.
• Similarities w/ London - Context


  Both are written in the time of the industrial revolution- 'the progressive era' that marked a turning point in society’s development.
• Differences w/ MLD - Context

  Blake critiques the oppression and control abused by authorities in this time. Whereas the Duke is an example of those who benefitted within this time. Both his status and hierarchical place in society making him exempt from responsibility- an idea Blake was scathing of.