A well informed analysis of William Blake's poem London. This is a full pack of everything need for top marks as it sums up all the detailed characteristic need for any essay question or written test.
In "London," the British monarchy and the church are criticised as well as the
brutality and injustice that are present in society. It expresses the social resentments
of marginalised individuals, including prostitutes and chimney sweeps who were
minors at the time.
Blake had a clear vision. He was adamant that the Industrial Revolution needed to be
stopped because it was causing more harm than benefit. Because of the victims’ size
and the way they were treated, he disliked the use of under-aged children as
labourers.
Cities were congested, filthy, and noisy. Nearly a million people lived in London in
1800, compared to around 600,000 in 1700. Only a small portion of the population,
the wealthy, lived in grandiose, opulent mansions and country homes that they
adorned with cosy, cushioned furnishings.
‘Old Corruption’ – a term coined in the 1830s – was characterised by a ‘system’ of
corrupt institutions and practices that diverted public money into the pockets of a
political and social elite who distributed offices amongst their friends and family in
order to advance their own profit.
On the contrary, the natural world served as a source of creativity and incredible
strength for the Romantic poets.
LETS DO: (OPTIONAL):
Talk to someone about anything you know about the time period of this poem?
, WELL DONE!!!
● The speaker takes a walk through the designated streets of London. This walk
brings the speaker near the River Thames, which seems to have its course
dictated for it as it flows throughout the city. The speaker sees signs of
resignation and sadness in the faces of every person the speaker passes by.
The speaker hears this pain too, in the cries of men as well as those of fearful
newborn babies. In fact, in every voice in the city, in every law or restriction
London places on its population, the speaker can sense people's feelings of
being oppressed by city life.
The speaker hears the cry of young chimney-sweeps, whose misery brings
shame on the Church authorities. Thinking of unfortunate British soldiers
dying in vain, the speaker imagines their blood running down the walls of a
palace.
Most of all, the speaker hears the midnight cries of young prostitutes, who
swear and curse at their situation. In turn, this miserable sound brings misery
to their tearful new-born children. The speaker also imagines this sound
plaguing what the speaker calls "the Marriage hearse"—a surreal imagined
vehicle that carries love and death together.
Themes:
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