London

BY WILLIAM BLAKE
FROM
SONGS OF EXPEREINCE

What is the meaning and significance of
this image?
What does ‘charter’d mean?
What does this phrase mean
and what does it suggest?
What is the effect and
significance of the
repetition of ‘charter’d?
STRUCTUR
E
2
STANZA 1
I wander thro’ each charter’d street,
Near where the charter’d Thames does flow.
IMAGER And mark in every face I meet
Y
Marks of weakness, marks of woe.
I wander thro’ each charter’d street,
Near where the charter’d Thames does flow.
LANGUAG
And mark in every face I meet
E
Marks of weakness, marks of woe.
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.
 STANZA 1
Blake presents a strong negative image of
people make weak and sad by living in
London. They are suffering. Sets a
melancholic tone. Visual imagery.
Chartered refers to trade. It can also refer to the
control of land through land ownership which is
documented. This implies political and economic
control by those in power. Blakes mocks the control
during the Industrial Revolution as Nature , the
Thames river is not something that one can or
should control. Chartered also means the streets
are controlled or rigid.
The repetition of ‘charter’d’
shows that it is increasing
and one can’t escape it. It
STRUCTUR
covers both land and water. E
 
I wander thro’ each charter’d street,
Near where the charter’d Thames does flow.
IMAGER And mark in every face I meet
Y
Marks of weakness, marks of woe.
LANGUAG
E 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.
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.
 STANZA 2
How has Blake use aural (sound based)  In every cry of every Man,
imagery in this stanza? In every Infants cry of fear,
How controlled does this image suggest the In every voice: in every ban,
IMAGER
people of London are? The mind-forg’d manacles I hear
Y

In every cry of every Man,

In every Infants cry of fear,
Why are Man and Infants in
In every voice: in every ban,
capital letter in the middle of a
The mind-forg’d manacles I
sentence? LANGUAG
hear
E

What is the effect and

significance of the In every cry of every Man,
repetition of every? In every Infants cry of fear,
STRUCTUR
In every voice: in every ban,
E
The mind-forg’d manacles I hear
4
 STANZA 2
This stanza is rich with sound imagery. It is  In every cry of every Man,
harder to escape noises than sights, meaning In every Infants cry of fear,
that London’s control is all around.
In every voice: in every ban,
IMAGER
‘Mind-forged manacles’ shows the control of The mind-forg’d manacles I hear
Y
the mind , which is total control.
In every cry of every Man,
In every Infants cry of fear,
Emphasizes them as individuals as it
In every voice: in every ban,
is in proper noun. The effect is it
The mind-forg’d manacles I
reinforces the suffering is of all LANGUAG
hear
people E

The repetition of ‘every’

emphasizes the misery of In every cry of every Man,
all the Londoners. In every Infants cry of fear,
STRUCTUR
In every voice: in every ban,
E
The mind-forg’d manacles I hear
 STANZA 3
What statement is Blake trying to make with  How the Chimney-sweepers cry
this image? How does it relate to context? Every black’ning Church appalls,
And the hapless Soldiers sigh
IMAGER Runs in blood down Palace walls
Y

This line is full of double meanings. What How the Chimney-sweepers cry
does it mean , and what is Blake trying to LANGUAG Every black’ning Church appalls,
suggest about the Church? E And the hapless Soldiers sigh
Runs in blood down Palace walls

This stanza has changed the poem’s focus. The
first two looked at the impact of control on
people; this stanza looks at the cause.
Who does Blake blame, and –using context –
why?
How the Chimney-sweepers cry
STRUCTUR Every black’ning Church appalls,
E And the hapless Soldiers sigh
Runs in blood down Palace walls
 STANZA 3
The image suggests that the monarchy is  How the Chimney-sweepers cry
responsible for the negative impact it is having Every black’ning Church appalls,
on the people. Could relate to the French And the hapless Soldiers sigh
Revolution. IMAGER Runs in blood down Palace walls
Y

Black’ning: 1.The walls are turning black. 2.

How the Chimney-sweepers cry
Corruption Every black’ning Church appalls,
LANGUAG
Appalls : 1. Shock and disgust 2. Turn pale E And the hapless Soldiers sigh
Runs in blood down Palace walls

Blake blames the church and the How the Chimney-sweepers cry
monarch=blaming the state. STRUCTUR Every black’ning Church appalls,
E And the hapless Soldiers sigh
Blake rejects authority Runs in blood down Palace walls
 STANZA 4
What statement is Blake trying to make with
this image? How does it relate to the context?
Why has Blake used this image of disease?
The image is an oxymoron- What is Blake
trying to achieve here?
What is the effect of the juxtaposition in this
phrase?
What can you say about the regular structure?
But most thro’ midnight streets I hear
How the youthful Harlots curse
Blasts the new-born Infants tear
IMAGER And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse
Y
But most thro’ midnight streets I hear
How the youthful Harlots curse
Blasts the new-born Infants tear
LANGUAG And blights with plagues the Marriage
E hears
STRUCTUR But most thro’ midnight streets I hear
E How the youthful Harlots curse
Blasts the new-born Infants tear
And blights with plagues the Marriage hears
 STANZA 4
The image suggests that London’s corruption is But most thro’ midnight streets I hear
reaching the newborns. It is inevitable and How the youthful Harlots curse
inescapable. By suggesting that London is like a Blasts the new-born Infants tear
disease or illness, Blake suggests that it will IMAGER And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse
corrupt many people and is incurable. Y
Oxymoron. ‘Marriage’ = New life; Hearse =
death. Suggests that London can destroy even the
purest thing. But most thro’ midnight streets I hear
Juxtaposition of purity and sordidness shows How the youthful Harlots curse
how London can corrupt everything. Blasts the new-born Infants tear
LANGUAG
And blights with plagues the Marriage
E
hears

But most thro’ midnight streets I hear

Controlled structure shows the control they are STRUCTUR
How the youthful Harlots curse
subjected to. E
Blasts the new-born Infants tear
And blights with plagues the Marriage
hearse
What does Blake say about the
London that he lives in and how
does he use language to
emphasize his feelings?
WHAT DOES BLAKE SAY ABOUT THE LONDON
THAT HE LIVES IN AND HOW DOES HE USE
LANGUAGE TO EMPHASIZE HIS FEELINGS?
Introduction : What is the poem about? Answer the question
STANZA 1 : What is this stanza about? What does he see? Give
evidence of words and phrases. (imagery, language and structure) PARA 1
Analyze them by focusing on Blake’s feelings. Your opinion. PETAL

STANZA 2 : What is th stanza about? What does he hear? Give

evidence of words and phrases. (imagery, language and structure)
Analyze them by focusing on Blake’s feelings. Your opinion.
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WHAT DOES BLAKE SAY ABOUT THE LONDON
THAT HE LIVES IN AND HOW DOES HE USE
LANGUAGE TO EMPHASIZE HIS FEELINGS?
STANZA 3: What is this stanza about? What does he see? Give
evidence of words and phrases. (imagery, language and structure)
Analyze them by focusing on Blake’s feelings. Your opinion. PARA 2
PETAL
STANZA 4 : What is this stanza about? What does he hear? Give
evidence of words and phrases. (imagery, language and structure)
Analyze them by focusing on Blake’s feelings. Your opinion.
Conclusion: What are your feelings about what Blake says? Can you
feel what he feels? Would you like to stay in a place like this?
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Discuss how Blake has presented
the theme of Power in the poem,
London.
DISCUSS HOW BLAKE HAS PRESENTED THE
THEME OF POWER IN THE POEM, LONDON.
Introduction : What is the poem about? Answer the question.
Blake describes how power corrupts and is the cause of immense
suffering among the Londoners.
Paragraph 1: POINT : Blake describes the suffering of the people
due to the control of those in power.
EVIDENCE :
TECHNIQUE/ ANALYSIS/LINK

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DISCUSS HOW BLAKE HAS PRESENTED THE
THEME OF POWER IN THE POEM, LONDON.
Paragraph 2???

Conclusion: What are your feelings about the misuse of power?

15
In ‘London’, how does the poet
present ideas about sadness and
suffering?
IN ‘LONDON’, HOW DOES THE POET PRESENT
IDEAS ABOUT SADNESS AND SUFFERING?

Introduction : What is the setting of the poem? What is the poem

about? What does Blake say about sadness and suffering?
Paragraph 1 : What is this stanza about? What does he see? Give
evidence of words and phrases. (imagery, language and structure)
Analyze them by focusing on sadness and suffering. Your opinion.
Paragraph 2 : What is this stanza about? What does he hear? Give
evidence of words and phrases. (imagery, language and structure)
Analyze them by focusing on sadness and suffering. Your opinion.
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IN ‘LONDON’, HOW DOES THE POET PRESENT
IDEAS ABOUT SADNESS AND SUFFERING?

Paragraph 3 : What is this stanza about? What does he see? Give evidence
of words and phrases. (imagery, language and structure) Analyze them by
focusing on sadness and suffering Your opinion.
Paragraph 4 : What is this stanza about? What does he hear? Give
evidence of words and phrases. (imagery, language and structure) Analyze
them by focusing on sadness and suffering Your opinion.
Conclusion: What are your feelings about people suffering? Do you think
that at the end of the poem, Blake offers a solution? Is the suffering going
to continue?
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