m London.
William Blake's (1757-1827) “London” critiques the state of society in the city of London during the Industrial Revolution. Written in 1794 as part of his “Songs of Experience,” the poem describes the suffering and oppression that the people of London experience in their daily lives. Blake uses simple language and vivid imagery to convey his deep concern for the poor and the exploitation they face. Through the speaker’s walk through the streets of London, the poem paints a bleak picture of a city consumed by misery, corruption, and social injustice.
Central Idea: The poem begins with Blake walking through the streets of London. He tells us the streets and even the river Thames are “charter’d”—
“Where the charter'd Thames does flow.”
It means that the river Thames is owned and controlled by the rich or the government. This shows that nothing in the city is free—even nature is trapped by human greed. Blake meets people from all walks of life. He notices children are forced to work as chimney sweepers, soldiers are forced to die in wars, and young women are forced into prostitution. Each person’s face shows pain and suffering. Blake writes:
“And mark in every face I meet
Marks of weakness, marks of woe.”
Blake does not just blame individuals for their pain. He points to powerful institutions like the Church, the monarchy, and the government. The Church, which should help the poor, is “blackning”—because it ignores the suffering around it. The king’s palace is stained by the blood of soldiers dying in wars. Even marriage—which should be about love—is ruined.
Images and Metaphors: At the end of the poem, we see a haunting image of a “marriage hearse”—a carriage for a dead body.
“How the youthful Harlots curse…
And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse”
Here, Blake suggests that society’s problems—like disease from prostitution—destroy love and family life. It creates a cycle of misery that never ends.
Blake uses metaphors like “mind-forg’d manacles” to explain that people are not just physically trapped but mentally trapped too. They accept their suffering as normal because society teaches them to.
Structure, Language, Rhyme Scheme: The poem has four quatrains (four-line stanzas) with a steady ABAB rhyme scheme. This straightforward rhyme scheme allows Blake's message to come through clearly and forcefully.
Blake also uses alliteration (repeating sounds) to make his points stick. For example, “weakness” and “woe” both start with “w,” making the sadness feel heavier. The most shocking line is “marriage hearse,” an oxymoron (two opposite ideas combined) that shows how love is destroyed by society’s corruption. Blake repeats the word “every” seven times to show that everyone is affected by the city’s problems. Poet says:
“In every cry of every Man,...
In every voice: in every ban,”
The cry of the chimney sweeper, the sigh of the soldier, and the curse of the prostitute are all sounds of pain that fill the air.
To wrap up, “London” is a masterpiece because it uses simple words to tell a heartbreaking truth. Blake does not just describe the city’s problems—he makes us compel to feel them. The crying children, the dying soldiers, and the cursed prostitute leave a mark on our minds. The poem warns us that humanity suffers when greed and power rule. By the poem, Blake calls on us to break free from the chains in our minds and build a world where everyone can live with dignity.
Continue Reading
Subscribe to access the full content
Upgrade to Premium