"London"- William Blake
- Created by: elliestyan
- Created on: 11-05-21 19:16
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- "London"- William Blake
- Innocence vs experience
- "How the youthful Harlots curse"
- This quotation could have three possible meanings: one, that the harlots literally curse and swear in the streets, two, that the harlots are a curse upon themselves, and they have cursed themselves by becoming a harlot, or three, they are a curse on London
- By calling them "youthful" Blake shows his distaste that young people are taking careers in jobs that are seen as uhnoly as more and more children slip into poverty
- The two statements contrast, showing a division between innocence and experience.
- "curse blasts the newborn Infants tear"
- Children come into the world crying and curse, proving that no one can escape the sorrow
- The two statements contrast, showing a division between innocence and experience.
- "How the youthful Harlots curse"
- The use of sound
- "In every cry of every man, in every infant's cry of fear"
- The repetition of both "cry" and "every" emphasises the sorrow the people of London face
- Throughout the poem, Blake suggests that there is a cycle of misery that humans are stuck in, and the 'every' repetition proves that no one can escape, not even newborn babies. The repetition of "every" also suggests the amount of people that are needed to reform society.
- Children come into the world crying and curse, proving that no one can escape the sorrow
- Throughout the poem, Blake suggests that there is a cycle of misery that humans are stuck in, and the 'every' repetition proves that no one can escape, not even newborn babies. The repetition of "every" also suggests the amount of people that are needed to reform society.
- The repetition of both "cry" and "every" emphasises the sorrow the people of London face
- "How the Chimney-sweepers cry"
- Here, Blake expressed his distaste that children are being exploited for the good of the rich or the 'institution'. The use of "cry" shows that children are in pain, and that is visible that they are
- Distaste toward the 'institution'
- "the hapless Soldiers sigh runs in blood down Palace walls"
- He also shows his distaste towards the monarchy and the 'institution' here, showing the poor suffer for the rich, and that those who are rich are protected by the "walls"
- "Every blackening Church appalls"
- Blake expresses anger at the Church, calling them "blackening", a contrast to the white, pure church it wants to be seen as. By calling it "blackening" instead of blackend, it suggests to the reader that the church is not finished being corrupt, and will continue to get more so.
- "the hapless Soldiers sigh runs in blood down Palace walls"
- Distaste toward the 'institution'
- Here, Blake expressed his distaste that children are being exploited for the good of the rich or the 'institution'. The use of "cry" shows that children are in pain, and that is visible that they are
- "In every cry of every man, in every infant's cry of fear"
- Distaste toward the 'institution'
- "the hapless Soldiers sigh runs in blood down Palace walls"
- He also shows his distaste towards the monarchy and the 'institution' here, showing the poor suffer for the rich, and that those who are rich are protected by the "walls"
- "Every blackening Church appalls"
- Blake expresses anger at the Church, calling them "blackening", a contrast to the white, pure church it wants to be seen as. By calling it "blackening" instead of blackend, it suggests to the reader that the church is not finished being corrupt, and will continue to get more so.
- "the hapless Soldiers sigh runs in blood down Palace walls"
- Innocence vs experience
- Context: William Blake was a poet and artist, who was deeply religious, but hated organised religion and "the institution". He wrote two books, Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience, both of which have themes which are present in this poem.
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