‘London’ At a Glance
Use this activity sheet to record your ideas about the poem ‘London’ as you study it. Keep
this in your notes for revision.
Language Structure/
Form
Bleak and negative language – 4 stanzas (quatrains)
reflects his attitude to the city Rhyme scheme – ABAB, very
Repetition – ‘charter’d’ simple
- ‘marks’
- ‘every’ – show the o 1st quatrain – what he can SEE
widespread corruption o 2nd quatrain – what he can HEAR
o Addition of sensory element =
Metaphor – ‘mind-forg’d manacles’ impact as it progresses
– hopelessness and feeling of o 3rd quatrain – contempt for various
captivity experienced by institutions of power which have
inhabitants who are too poor to combined to create city of
escape corruption
Violent language – illustrates the o 4th quatrain – juxtaposition -
harsh society in which the harlot ‘Marriage hearse’.
lives and the bleak future for
children born into that way of life Blake’s choice of last word
Juxtaposition – ‘Marriage hearse’ – summarises his views on the
even apparently sacred and blighted city
religious unions can be blighted by
‘plagues’
Context ‘London’ by William Potential
Blake Comparisons
Published in 1794 in ‘Songs of Composed upon Westminster
Innocence and Experience.’ bridge –
Collection aimed to show the ‘two Different views of London only a
contrary states of the human soul’ short time apart
Songs of innocence – generally
positive and celebratory
Songs of experience – unforgiving Where the Picnic Was –
eye on contemporary Bleak view of a previously
developments and living happy place, lending itself to an
conditions. exploration of how both poets’
London belongs to Songs of state of mind reflects their
experience surroundings
Nothing’s Changed –
‘London’ -> poem which takes a Links of oppression and
bleak view of the capital city. inequality with ‘London’ across
Use this activity sheet to record your ideas about the poem ‘London’ as you study it. Keep
this in your notes for revision.
Language Structure/
Form
Bleak and negative language – 4 stanzas (quatrains)
reflects his attitude to the city Rhyme scheme – ABAB, very
Repetition – ‘charter’d’ simple
- ‘marks’
- ‘every’ – show the o 1st quatrain – what he can SEE
widespread corruption o 2nd quatrain – what he can HEAR
o Addition of sensory element =
Metaphor – ‘mind-forg’d manacles’ impact as it progresses
– hopelessness and feeling of o 3rd quatrain – contempt for various
captivity experienced by institutions of power which have
inhabitants who are too poor to combined to create city of
escape corruption
Violent language – illustrates the o 4th quatrain – juxtaposition -
harsh society in which the harlot ‘Marriage hearse’.
lives and the bleak future for
children born into that way of life Blake’s choice of last word
Juxtaposition – ‘Marriage hearse’ – summarises his views on the
even apparently sacred and blighted city
religious unions can be blighted by
‘plagues’
Context ‘London’ by William Potential
Blake Comparisons
Published in 1794 in ‘Songs of Composed upon Westminster
Innocence and Experience.’ bridge –
Collection aimed to show the ‘two Different views of London only a
contrary states of the human soul’ short time apart
Songs of innocence – generally
positive and celebratory
Songs of experience – unforgiving Where the Picnic Was –
eye on contemporary Bleak view of a previously
developments and living happy place, lending itself to an
conditions. exploration of how both poets’
London belongs to Songs of state of mind reflects their
experience surroundings
Nothing’s Changed –
‘London’ -> poem which takes a Links of oppression and
bleak view of the capital city. inequality with ‘London’ across
