Understanding Blake's "London"
Ever walked through a city and felt overwhelmed by everything wrong with it? That's exactly what Blake captures in this haunting poem about urban misery.
Blake uses the word "wander" to show his speaker lacks direction - he's not just physically lost but spiritually confused by what he sees. The "charter'd street" reveals how even the roads are controlled by those in power, whilst the "charter'd Thames" shows that nothing, not even nature, escapes government control.
The poem's ABAB rhyme scheme and four regular stanzas create a predictable rhythm that mirrors the inescapable nature of London's problems. Blake uses repetition of words like "charter'd" and "marks" to emphasise the drudgery and weariness he encounters everywhere.
Key Point: The regular structure reflects how people feel trapped - just like the poem's rigid form, there seems to be no escape from the city's suffering.
Each stanza focuses on different victims: ordinary citizens, marginalised workers like chimney sweeps and soldiers, and finally prostitutes and their children. This progression shows how corruption affects every level of society, from present to future generations.