London notes

line-by-line analysis

• I wander through each chartered street- sounds purposeless-could reflect how he feels powerless to change what's happening, suggests the whole city is affected, not just one area, first person narrator personalises the poem, makes it seem more real
• near where the chartered Thames does flow- even powerful natural features like the river thames are under human control and affected by the city's problems
• and mark in every face I meet- means notice but also suggests everyone he sees is marked by experience
• marks of weakness, marks of woe- repetition emphasises feeling of bleakness- despair affects everyone and there's no relief from it
• in every cry of every man- speaker hears various distressing noises- makes this seem like a vivid, hellish experience
• in every infant's cry of fear-
• in every voice, in every ban-
• the mind-forged manacles I hear- people are trapped in every way
• how the chimney-sweeper's cry- usually young boys- this is an emotive image of child labour
• every black'ning church appalls- angry at all forms of power- describing church could suggest that it is corrupt or that it is tarnished by its failure to look after people. grim visual image of the ugliness caused by the industrial revolution
• and the hapless soldier's sigh-
• runs in blood down palace walls- reference to french revolution- sounds like he thinks ordinary people suffer while those in the palace are protected behind walls
• but most through midnight streets I hear-
• how the youthful harlot's curse- hears prostitutes swearing but might also mean they are a curse on london
• blasts the new-born infant's tear- contrast between innocence of youth and sordidness of prostitution, innocence of newborn babies is lost immediately, society damages its members
• and…