London

Question 1

Background of the poem and William Blake

Answer 1

It was between 1757 - 1827, so at the time of the Industrial revolution, where the poor died in factories and the rich got richer
William was critical of the rich, and believed people were not aware that they were oppressed
The poem is against authority

Question 2

What is the power in this poem

Answer 2

This is the power of fear and oppression (the poor were oppressed by the rich)

Question 3

“The mind-forged manacles I hear”

Answer 3

This is the use of sound

It makes us imagine the sound of manacles
It emphasises that people trap themselves, we keep ourselves prisoner
External authority helps create the manacles which restrict freedom and the movement from one area to the upper class

Question 4

The third stanzas first letters spell out “hear”

Answer 4

This could represent the sounds he hears, but are ignored by the upper class.
For example