William Blake’s poem “London” is a powerful and poignant work of literature that provides a window into the realities of life in 18th-century London. Written in 1794, during a time of great political and social upheaval, the poem is a commentary on the dehumanizing effects of industrialization and urbanization.
The Form of the Poem
“London” is a short poem consisting of four quatrains, or stanzas of four lines each. The rhyme scheme is ABAB, which means that the first and third lines rhyme with each other, as do the second and fourth lines. This gives the poem a sense of balance and symmetry.
The Tone of the Poem
The tone of “London” is one of despair and sorrow. Blake paints a picture of a city that is plagued by poverty, disease, and despair. He uses vivid imagery to describe the misery he sees around him:
“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.”
The repetition of “charter’d” emphasizes the sense that everything in London is controlled or owned by someone else – there is no freedom or autonomy for ordinary people.
The Themes of the Poem
One of the key themes in “London” is oppression – specifically, how people are oppressed by societal structures that are beyond their control. Blake suggests that poverty and suffering are not individual problems but systemic ones:
“How the chimney-sweeper’s cry
Every black’ning church appals;
And the hapless soldier’s sigh
Runs in blood down palace-walls.”
Here we see two examples – chimney sweeps who were often children forced into dangerous labor – and soldiers who were often poor people that had to fight wars they didn’t believe in – of people who are suffering because of the choices made by those in power.
Another theme in the poem is the loss of innocence. Blake suggests that the city has corrupted its inhabitants, turning them into broken and hopeless shells of their former selves:
“In every cry of every Man,
In every Infant’s cry of fear,
In every voice, in every ban,
The mind-forg’d manacles I hear.”
Here, Blake uses the metaphor of “mind-forg’d manacles” to suggest that people are trapped by their own thoughts and perceptions. They have been conditioned to accept their suffering as inevitable and can’t imagine a different life.
The Impact of the Poem
“London” remains a powerful work of literature today because it continues to resonate with readers who see similar problems in their own societies. The poem is a reminder that poverty, oppression, and despair are not new problems – they have existed throughout history and continue to exist today.
In conclusion, “London” is a deeply moving poem that explores themes of oppression and loss of innocence. Through vivid imagery and powerful metaphors, Blake paints a bleak picture of life in 18th-century London. Despite its grim subject matter, however, the poem remains a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.