Theme |
Evidence |
Poet’s intention |
Power and oppression |
Blake uses juxtaposing phrases such as “marriage hearse” which contrasts the joy of weddings with the end-of-life sadness of a hearse |
Blake was making a social criticism of how, for women, marriage could be like death, as they would lose all of their rights and property to their husband |
Blake was in favour of liberating women, and felt that marriage itself was an abuse of power by men |
Blake also juxtaposes “charter’d” and “flow”. “Flow” implies freedom, whereas “charter’d” is describing something as owned or controlled by someone |
Here, Blake is commenting on the oppression of nature by humans, which should be free for all to access and enjoy, but humanity’s greed is so great it tries to control nature |
Blake could also be commenting on oppression as a result of privatisation, through the repetition of “charter’d” |
In the 1700s, legislation was passed giving common land to the wealthy for exclusive use and ownership. Therefore, land in the city suddenly became owned and controlled by the wealthy |
Suffering at the hands of power |
Blake uses negative language and imagery throughout. For example, the soldier’s sigh metaphorically “runs in blood down palace walls” |
This reminds the reader of the French Revolution, when ordinary people rose up against an oppressive state and overthrew the monarchy. Blake could be suggesting that a similar event could happen in London |
Blake uses anaphora in the phrase “in every”, with “every” also repeated seven times in total throughout the poem |
Blake is emphasising the extreme extent of the suffering, showing that it impacts everyone with no discrimination |
The device gets very repetitive, to demonstrate how repetitive the cycles of suffering are in London |
Blake uses physical features and places as symbols for the different forms of power that cause the suffering |
According to Blake, the causes of the suffering and misery in London are the institutions of power, such as the church, the monarchy and the government |
The “black’ning church” has negative connotations as something that is morally tarnished |
Although Blake respected the Bible, he had contempt for organised religion which he saw as betraying the Christian faith |
Therefore, this is a criticism of the church and its failure to provide for the disadvantaged members of society. The suffering is a symptom of the church’s failure to deliver on its duty |
The poet also presents the suffering of various people within society, such as children and babies. When the harlot’s curse violently “blasts” the newborn baby’s cry, this conflicts with the innocence and fragility of the infant |
Blake is criticising child poverty and child labour (by also referencing the “chimney sweeper’s cry”), as well as the suffering of the young women condemned to immorality and prostitution just to make a living |
Blake uses the metaphor of “mind-forg’d manacles” to suggest the suffering of the citizens of London has become internalised |
Maybe their oppression has resulted in them forging their own restrictions. People are enslaved by the authorities, but also by their own fear, preventing them from rising up
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Use of the verb “mark” to show that the speaker has noticed suffering everywhere and recorded it
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Blake recognises its importance and the need for things to change
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