London Flashcards
(16 cards)
Author?
Blake
Why written?
French Revolution
Era?
Georgian era
Purposes?
Critique of govt control, and social hierarchy (MAYBE. Could just be the romantic cult of the medieval instead)
Title anal.
Capital city – extreme microcosm of English society, extreme poverty and extreme affluence juxtaposed.
Seat of government – introduces the theme of political power.
Opening (quote)
“I wander thro’ each charter’d street, / Near where the charter’d Thames does flow.”
Opening (anal.)
“I wander thro’ each charter’d street, / Near where the charter’d Thames does flow.”
“I” – first person, so more relatable to the reader.
Blake wants the reader to relate to the poem to incite political change.
Repetition of “charter’d” – government charters, government CONTROL.
Technique 1 (4 short quotes)
“every Man”, “the Chimney-sweeper”, “hapless Soldier” – ie the working classes – “Runs in blood down Palace walls”:
Technique 1 (anal.)
“every Man”, “the Chimney-sweeper”, “hapless Soldier” – ie the working classes – “Runs in blood down Palace walls”:
The monarchy and aristocracy who live in luxury are personally responsible for the poverty of the working classes and wealth inequality.
Shocking imagery.
Is this perhaps even a threat to them? - AO3 to French Revolution
Technique 2 (quote)
“blackning Church”
Technique 2 (anal.)
“blackning Church”:
literally soot, OR it is metaphorically blackened because it fails to address the needs of the most vulnerable in the society.
General imagery of religious (and therefore also social to Blake, for whom religion was incredibly important) decline.
Silly AO3 alternate interpretation: Romantic cult of the Medieval? - imagery of decline. Maybe he just wants church reform, not societal reform (could explain explicit attacks on monarchy, who run the CofE)
Technique 3 (quote)
“the youthful Harlot’s curse”:
Technique 3 (anal.)
“the youthful Harlot’s curse”: member of the working class whom he excludes from his call to arms.
Is it because she’s female? Does Blake agree with the patriarchy despite campaigning for the liberation of the male working classes?
Or does he just see them as inherently immoral…? Doesn’t fit with Christian ideas about helping those in need, or those who sin, etc. It was illegal at the time - maybe he stands up for the establishment when it suits his ideas.
“youthful” – London is an amoral place.
Ending (quote)
“blights with plagues the Marriage hearse”
Ending (anal.)
“blights with plagues the Marriage hearse”:
biblical allusion to the plagues sent by God in the Bible as a punishment.
“Marriage hearse” is semi-oxymoronic.
The sacrament of marriage has been killed and destroyed.
Virtue is dead in a place as unequal and inherently sinful as London.
Structure anal.
Quatrains.
Iambic tetrameter.
ABAB rhymescheme.
SO tight - reflects the tight control over the people held by the ruling classes.
