London by William Blake (WJEC Eduqas GCSE English Literature)

Language, structure and form revision 

What happens in the poem? 

Language: 

• Sensory language (“cry”, “sigh”, “curse”)

• Metaphor (“mind-forged manacles”)

• Symbolic language (“black’ning church”)

• Anaphora (“In every”)

• Juxtaposition

• Oxymoron 

Form: 

• Four quatrains

• Simple dramatic monologue (first person)

Structure: 

• Regular ABAB rhyme scheme (alternating couplets) 

• Iambic tetrameter

• Enjambment 

Stanza One:

• Blake’s speaker sets a dark tone and portrays London as a city controlled by a privileged few
  

Stanza Two:

• The focus shifts to the suffering of the city’s inhabitants. Their cries are described metaphorically suggesting the people are imprisoned in their beliefs, or by a lack of freedom
  

Stanza Three:

• The speaker criticises the institutions that contribute to the misery and inequality: the church and monarchy

Stanza Four:

• The speaker returns to the people, specifically a newborn child, and the final line implies the future will continue to be bleak

Poems for comparison: 

• ‘Ozymandias’ by Percy Bysshe Shelley: oppression, corruption of power

• ‘Afternoons’ by Phillip Larkin: society, appearance versus reality

• ‘Cozy Apologia’ by Rita Dove: home, resilience, adversity

Context: 

Romantic poet 

Social inequality

Hierarchy

Industrial Revolution

Themes: 

Corruption 

Society

Oppression

Appearance versus reality

Themes

Key quotations 

Language, form and structure

Corruption

“Every blackning Church appalls”

"hapless Soldiers sigh / Runs in blood down palace walls”

‘blights with plagues the Marriage hearse”

Colour symbolism connotes the decaying core of the establishment and alludes to both physical and moral decay

The metaphor of blood is linked with death and suffering, symbolising the corrupt system and creating a feeling of despair and outrage.  Enjambment could reflect this blood flowing, a symbol of guilt

An oxymoron and language associated with disease at the end of the poem creates a bleak tone and reinforces the poem’s message about the city’s lack of hope

Society

“charter’d street [...] charter’d Thames”

“In every voice, in every ban”

Repetition of the adjective “charter’d” symbolises a city that is rigid and controlled and suggests human desire to control even natural forms

Anaphora in this stanza builds a rhythmic intensity that mirrors the relentless suffering described

Oppression

“mind-forg’d manacles”

“Chimney-sweepers cry”

The metaphor suggests that the citizens lack any societal freedom. These “manacles” are not physical chains but mental and social restrictions that limit freedom and happiness

Blake offers a critique of the exploitation of children, as chimney sweeps were often young boys forced into dangerous work. Emotive language is used to contribute to the feeling of misery

Appearance versus reality

“And mark in every face I meet/Marks of weakness, marks of woe”

This parallelism reinforces the idea that these conditions are widespread and that there is a disconnect between London’s outward appearance as a great city and the actual lived experience of its inhabitants. The repetition of “marks” suggests a permanent impact on the people

How does William Blake present ideas about society in the poem, ‘London’?

Choose one other poem from the anthology in which the poet also writes about society. Compare the way the poet presents society in your chosen poem with the way William Blake presents it in ‘London’. 

In your answer you should: 

• compare the content and structure of the poems – what they are about and how they are organised 

• compare how the writers create effects, using appropriate terminology where relevant 

• compare the contexts of the poems, and how these may have influenced the ideas in them

Thesis / Essay introduction: Both ‘London’ and ‘Ozymandias’ present ideas about society, exploring how a powerful minority can have a lasting impact on others’ lives. In ‘London’ Blake portrays a society where the actions and decisions of those in power have far-reaching consequences on the common people. In contrast, ‘Ozymandias’ presents the aftermath of a powerful ruler’s reign. 

Similarities

Differences

Both poets explore how tyrannical rulers can exploit the vulnerable in society and suggest that such exploitation is deeply ingrained in the power structure of their societies

Blake explicitly refers to his vulnerable groups, such as orphans and “hapless” soldiers, whereas Shelley employs a broader approach, using the vast desert and ruined statue to symbolise an entire society affected by tyrannical rule

Both poems offer a powerful critique of hierarchies and innately unjust societies. Blake’s poem exposes the systemic oppression in London’s social order, where the powerful exploit the vulnerable, while Shelley’s poem uses the fallen statue of Ozymandias to illustrate the futility of tyrannical power

While Blake criticises several corrupt establishments, including the church, monarchy and industry, Shelley focuses his ire specifically towards the monarchy

Both ‘London’ and ‘Ozymandias’ use juxtaposition to explore society’s future status, highlighting the contrast between the present state of oppression and the potential for change or decay. ‘In ‘London’, the poem juxtaposes the innocence of infants with the corruption of society. Shelley contrasts the once-great statute with the surrounding desolate sands

Blake’s final image of the ‘marriage hearse’ suggests a bleak future; Shelley’s reference to  a ‘colossal wreck’ offers hope of the disruption of power 

Thesis / Essay introduction: Both ‘London’ and ‘Afternoons’ explore ideas about society and challenge romanticised views of its institutions. In ‘London’, the poem explicitly criticises several corrupt establishments, such as the church and monarchy, revealing the harsh conditions faced by orphans and “hapless” soldiers. In contrast, ‘Afternoons’ the poem subtly depicts the mundane and unfilling lives of young mothers, contrasting their current reality with the idealised notion of domestic bliss.

Similarities

Differences

Both poems focus on the minutiae of everyday life, capturing the small and often overlooked details that reveal deeper truths about societal conditions

Blake’s exploration of late 18th-century London focuses on those neglected in society whereas Larkin hones in on the almost natural deterioration of romantic relationships

Both poets use simplistic, straightforward language to express their beliefs about society, enabling the poets to connect more immediately with the reader and thus making their social critique more relatable and impactful

While Blake’s language verges on didactic in its criticism, Larkin’s seems to focus on apathy. Blakes employs direct and emotive language, urging readers to recognise and challenge injustices, whereas Larkin’s poem uses a more subdued observational tone to depict the gradual decline and unfilled lives of young mothers

Both poems appear to end with a negative tone. Blake’s poem concludes with a powerful oxymoron that conveys the poem’s theme of corruption and suffering and Larkin’s poem closes with a sombre observation which conveys a feeling of loss

While both poems end with a note of sadness, Blake’s oxymoronic “marriage hearse” has a brutal finality while Larkin’s couples are merely  unfulfilled and peripheral in their own lives