Detailed Analysis of William Blake's "London"

The opening page presents a comprehensive analysis of Blake's "London," examining its poetic devices and thematic elements. The poem's structure and narrative technique create a powerful critique of 18th-century London society.

Highlight: The first-person narrative perspective personalizes the observation of London's streets, making the speaker's experiences more immediate and relatable.

Definition: The term "chartered" suggests official control and regulation, implying that even natural features like the Thames have been subjected to human authority.

Example: The repetition of "marks" emphasizes the universality of suffering, with every face bearing signs of hardship and despair.

Quote: "I wander thro' each charter'd street, Near where the charter'd Thames does flow" demonstrates the speaker's role as an observer of urban decay.

Vocabulary: "Mind-forg'd manacles" represents mental and social constraints that people impose upon themselves or accept from authority.

The analysis explores several key themes:

• The corruption of institutions, symbolized by the "blackning Church"
• The exploitation of children, represented through chimney sweepers
• The loss of innocence, portrayed through the contrast of infants and harlots
• Political commentary, possibly referencing the French Revolution
• The destruction of purity, symbolized by the oxymoronic "Marriage hearse"

The poem's imagery of disease and destruction ("blights with plagues") suggests an uncontrollable decay affecting all aspects of society, while the repetitive structure reinforces the overwhelming nature of urban suffering.