London Poetry Flashcards
(32 cards)
What happens in stanza 1
the streets are
The streets are controlled and everybody is physically marked by this control and restriction
What happened in Stanza 2
Children were in fear
Children are even in fear of London- the people of London are mentally controlled and chained to the authorities rule
What happened in Stanza 3 ( LDN)
Criticism of the
Criticism of the church and the lack of support it provides to its helpless citizens
What happened in Stanza 4
through london as
London is hopeless, it is a bleak place where new beginnings are just the end
Who was the speaker and what does his findings lead him to do
Can be seen to be Blake and sees suffering of citizens
leads him to indicts (criticises) the abuse of power pf the authorities and their power which is not used to benefit society as corruption,prostitution and child labour roamed London
How does “chartered”, “mind-forged manacles” and “mark”
Link to oppression
A semantic field of oppression permeates(spread through out) the poem with Blake choosing a restricted lexis (vocab)
Why does Blake refer to the Thames as ‘chartered’
To connate restriction.He is scathing (crtisizing the authorities) of the sheer control the authorities have
Why does Blake refer to the phrase chartered
To refer to rights and privileges to highlight how restriction derives from those who are privileged
How does “manacles” critique the abuse of power
It shows oppression is so deep, it has formed these “manacles” around individuals minds
What does “manacles” mean
a shackle for the hand or wrist (handcuffs)
How does the corruption of the youth link to London
Blake thinks due to the authoritarian abuse of power and oppression
How does The use of anaphora “in every” link to the corruption if the youth
This mimics the cyclical and sempiternal torturing the citizens in London are subject to- in every crevice of London there is mass suffering
How do the use of “in every infant’s cry of fear”.
Link to the corruption of youth
It is oxymoronic the idea of an “infant”, connoting innocence, and “fear”, connoting terror.
These juxtaposing images shows how the innocence of youth has been corrupted and stolen as they have already been tainted by this exploitative setting
“infants cry of fear” and “new-born infants tear” link to the corruption of youth
A motif of fear and distress is depicted through the youth as in both stanza 2 and 4 it references the”. As the poem progresses, Blake divulges the bleakness of “infants” being aware of its treacherous surroundings
What stanza is Blakes stark criticism of establishment and what theme does it link to
3
Abuse of power by Establshment
How does “black’ning church appalls” link to the abuse of power by Establishment
• could literally show how the church has been covered in soot because of the industrial revolution.
• Symbolically, as “black’ning” connotes staining, it implies how the establishment of the church is tainting and staining the true meaning of religion
What is Blake not criticising in the quote “black’ning church appalls” and why
Blake is not criticising religion, as he is religious himself, but is criticising the corruptness that pervaded an establishment set to act in the ‘name of God’
Why does Blake use ABAB rhyme in London
Blake uses uniformed quatrains
(stanzas with four lines) paired with a regular ABAB rhyme (can spot this as the 1” and 3rd line rhyme e.g. ‘street’ and ‘meet’ and the 2nd and 4th rhyme, e.g. ‘flow’ and ‘woe”)
• This emulates the mass oppression and restriction the lower classes were subject to.
What is Iambic Tetrameter
Each line has 8 syllables
The consistent iambic tetrameter heightens the motif of oppression that permedes the poem, there is no freedom escape this control
How Does Blakes in London use in the 3rd Stanza to spell out hear do
This could be Blake trying to encourage his reader to use their senses to witness, understand and stand up to the injustice that surrounds them
What structure does blake use in London
Mix of enjambment and end stops
Blake uses a mixture of enjambment and end- stops to replicate the illusion of freedom London’s citizens are given.
This juxtaposes the end stops where the lines are paused and stopped, replicating how the lives of those who live in London are stopped and broken by the authorities that control them.
How does the theme of Abuse of power
Link
MY LAST DUCHESS to LONDON
London: establishment of the church and government abuse their power through not helping the disadvantage.
• MLD: Abuse of power by the Duke as he recognises the Duchess is weaker
How does the theme of Oppression
Link
MY LAST DUCHESS to LONDON
London: explores how its citizens are oppressed and confined to the authoritarian abuse of power
MLD: The Duchess is oppressed by the Duke who asserts these patriarchal norms
