Introduction
London is one of the most famous poems of William Blake. It is probably written between 1789-1794 and published in ‘Songs of Experience’ in 1794. It pictures the circumstances of London during the French Revolution. It shows the depraved condition of the lower strata of society and the despotic behavior of the government.
Central Idea
The London poem is centred on conditions during French revolution. It depicts how people were suffering under despotic rule, which was trying to put restrictions on the liberty, equality, and fraternity of the people. Children like chimney sweepers and harlots were being exploited. Institutions like the church were involved in black deeds, and people were intellectually chained down.
Themes
- Degradation of life – The poem presents a stark reality of the life of London in those times. Common people were having a low quality of life. The poet subjectively states his observation about the condition of the city. He sees ‘Marks of weakness, marks of woe’ in every person’s face in the city. Chimney sweeper children and harlots were among the most suffering people. People were intellectually imprisoned.
- Corruption – Institutions like the church were in a highly corrupt state. They used to sell purification of the soul through money. To maintain their hold on the public, the intellectual development of the public was hindered by them, along with the ruler.
- Tyranny – The term ‘Chartered’ shows how the lives of people were bound by despotic laws. ‘Hapless Soldiers’ were forced to sacrifice their lives unnecessarily by the despot in useless wars.
Figure of speech
- Metaphor – In line ‘The mind-forg’d manacles I hear’, a metaphor is used. Here, it indicates towards mental chains that hinder a person from using their potential and thinking freely.
- Anaphora –
In every cry of every Man,
In every Infants cry of fear,
In every voice: in every ban,
The mind-forg’d manacles I hear
These lines have repetition of ‘In every’ as the first phrase of the first three lines, which not only emphasizes the widespread woes of people but also creates a rhythmic effect in the poem. Hence, it’s anaphora.
3. Personification – In the last line of the poem, ‘marriage’ is personified.
4. Synecdoche – ‘Every face’ in the third line of the poem has synecdoche as face is representing here to a person.
5. Metonymy – ‘blood down palace walls’ has metonymy as palace walls represent the ruler. Blood is on the hands of the ruler who is waging unnecessary wars, leading to the deaths of soldiers.
Urban life
A poem is a conspicuous example of how urban life was suffering during the budding industrial revolution and the effects of the French Revolution. London was just an instance of what was happening in the whole of Europe and in the colonies of European countries.
Structure and rhyme scheme
The poem has four quatrains (a stanza having four lines), and the rhyme scheme is ABAB.
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