London by William Blake (WJEC Eduqas GCSE English Literature)
Revision Note
What is the poem about?
‘London’ was written by the poet William Blake in 1794, and can be found in his collection entitled Songs of Innocence and Experience (this poem belongs to the latter section). It is a bleak poem which explores the relentlessly miserable reality behind London’s industrial facade. It comments on the negative aspects of London at the time, including child labour, prostitution and the corruption of power and authority. It is a short but obvious criticism of the establishment, including the church, the army and the monarchy, which have allowed the city to fall into such a degraded state. The choice of title and topic, London (the financial and political centre of Britain), also establishes the theme of power in the poem.
Language, structure and form revision | What happens in the poem? |
Language:
Form:
Structure:
| Stanza One:
Stanza Two:
Stanza Three:
Stanza Four:
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Poems for comparison:
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Key words
Context: | Romantic poet | Social inequality | Hierarchy | Industrial Revolution |
Themes: | Corruption | Society | Oppression | Appearance versus reality |
Poem analysis
'London' by William Blake
I wander thro' each charter'd street,
Near where the charter'd Thames does flow.
And mark in every face I meet
Marks of weakness, marks of woe.
In every cry of every Man,
In every Infants cry of fear,
In every voice: in every ban,
The mind-forg'd manacles I hear
How the Chimney-sweepers cry
Every blackning Church appalls,
And the hapless Soldiers sigh
Runs in blood down Palace walls
But most thro' midnight streets I hear
How the youthful Harlots curse
Blasts the new-born Infants tear
And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse
Language
Anaphora (“In every”) alludes to the overwhelming presence of misery, suggesting it is a collective experience and implies an inescapable cycle of poverty
The metaphor of “manacles” implies the populace is imprisoned: they are stuck in a cycle of poverty with little hope of escape
Sensory language is peppered throughout which creates an immersive and unsettling experience for the reader
The final oxymoron cements Blake’s adverse view of the future: there seems to be no hope
Structure
Regular ABAB (alternating couplets) rhyme scheme could represent the relentless monotony of living in this city
Simplistic rhymes contrast with the complex ideas explored
Deviation from iambic tetrameter here places the stressed syllable first to punctuate the metre with Blake’s anger
Enjambment conveys the speaker’s intensity and sense of outrage, adding force to the listing of horrors
Form
Written as a dramatic monologue: the first person speaker conveys the horror of London
The use of four quatrains could be symbolic of the rigidity of London’s hierarchy at the time Blake was writing
Overview of themes
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
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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 |
Historical and literary context
William Blake wrote during the Romantic era:
Romantics were interested in the power of nature, humanity and emotion
They were generally opposed to the industrialisation and scientific progress sweeping through Europe at the time
He uses the symbol of the Thames, a natural body of water, which has been contained and made subject to laws (“charter’d”)
Blake lived in London for most of his life:
He thought the city was dirty and corrupt, both literally and metaphorically
He believed institutions of power, such as the government, the church and the monarchy, to be to blame for this
He worked to bring about change, both in the social order and in the minds of people
Blake wrote using mostly straightforward language so that his message was accessible to all
Blake’s poem centres on London, arguably the capital of the world at that time:
This is ironic as such a powerful and influential place, in Blake’s opinion, inflicts suffering and misery on many of its citizens
There was a huge gap between rich and poor at the time, so a significant disparity between those who had power, and those who did not
Blake was a Christian, but he rejected organised religion and the established church:
He viewed it as corrupt and hypocritical
Blake empathises most with those who have been the most badly affected by the authoritarian structures which caused the inequalities in his society, focusing on their misery
London at the time was full of poverty and disease, and his poem deliberately focuses on working-class citizens, prostitutes and former soldiers to foreground their plight
Comparing poems
Look at this exam-style question about ‘London’:
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:
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How you could approach this question:
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 |
Predicted exam questions to prepare for
Compare the way the poet presents corruption in your chosen poem with the way William Blake presents it in ‘London’.
Compare the way the poet presents oppression in your chosen poem with the way William Blake presents it in ‘London’.
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