London

• Big idea

  • Government is neglecting to support the poor
  • The poor feel powerless to fix this
  • Blake wants to inspire a revolution
• Context

  Collection "Songs of experience"

  > Blake was against Industrial Revolution

  >
• Structure

  Quatrains

  > 4 line per stanza

  > ABAB

  > repetitive rhyme and stanza

  > reflects relentless repetive suffering

  > Life of suffering is receptive and inescapable due to the result of choices of those in power
• cyclical structure

  First and last stanza return to focus of those who suffer

  > Inescapable fate of those in the city
• Metre

  Iambic tetrameter

  > 8 syllables with alternating stressed and unstressed syllables

  > Some lines contain 7 syllables (line 4)

  > Line 4 is weak, weakening the line to reflect those who are weakened

  "marks of weakness, marks of woe"
• Negative language

  > overwhelming

  > reflects the overwhelming sense of suffering

  > Caused by those in power
• Repetition of charter'd 


  > Adjective suggest Ownership by government

  Suddenly nature is owned "Chart'd Thames"

  > satyrical attack on obsession of property rights and in extension human power and control

  . even nature is not exempt

  > irony river cannot be controlled

  > Misuse of power

  > Semantic field of oppression
• Repetition of "In every"


  > Create more sympathy

  > Everyone is affected
• "Mind forged manacles"


  > Metaphor

  > Criminals wear manacles

  Blake agreeing with Rosseau

  "Man is born free but everywhere he is in chains"

  > Lack of freedom is mind forged opposed by external authority
• "Hapless soldier's sigh Runs in blood down palace walls"


  Linked to French Revolution

  > So much blood shed

  > Unhappiness of British soldier could cause uprising

  > Monarchy are also to blame
• "Marriage hearse"


  Oxymoron

  > Overwhelming negative image

  > Old London is destined to be destroyed

  > Challenge those in power

  > Misuse of power leads to suffering and despair
• HEAR


  > Line in first 4 stanza spells hear

  > Motivate revolution