A LitCharts expert can help. “London” is among the best known writings by visionary English poet William Blake. The poem describes a walk through London, which is presented as a pained, oppressive, and impoverished city in which all the speaker can find is misery.
How is the city presented in London?
The portrayal of the city of London by Blake in his poem London, he describes the city as suffocating, oppressive and a restrictive place so is the people in London, the Londoners were struggling to survive in the industrial age as the city was not giving them what they want.
What is Blake’s view of London in the poem?
In the first version of the poem, Blake described the streets of London as ‘dirty’. ‘Dirty’ was quite an accurate description as the late 18th-century London streets that he knew so well were piled with filth of all kinds. It also suggests the fallen state of contemporary society.
What is Blake’s opinion of cities like London?
Blake discards the common, glorifying view of London and replaces it with his idea of truth. London is nothing more but a city strapped by harsh economic times where Royalty and other venues of power have allowed morality and goodness to deteriorate so that suffering and poverty are all that exist.
How does Blake use language and structure to explore the streets of London?
“The structure of London is quite rhythmic – each stanza is a quatrain using iambic tetrameter. Blake uses this to suggest that the people of London are regimented and controlled. Blake emphasises this when he refers to ‘the charter’d streets’ which suggest that every movement of the people is mapped out.”
What picture of London City is presented in the poem?
The poem describes a walk through London, which is presented as a pained, oppressive, and impoverished city in which all the speaker can find is misery.
How did the poet portray the City of London in the poem upon Westminster Bridge?
Answer: The lovely poem “Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802” by William Wordsworth describes London as it was before the ravages of the Industrial Revolution filled it with pollution and colored the buildings pallid shades of gray. In Wordsworth’s vision, the air is clear and smokeless.
How does Blake depict London?
Thus Blake depicts London, in the poem, as a city in which Londoners are exposed to the subjugation of the authority and power in, what he saw as, a corrupted social system.
What does the poem London represent?
“London” analyzes and points out cruelty and injustice occurring in the society and criticizes the church and the British monarchy. It articulates the social grievances of marginalized people such as prostitutes and chimney-sweepers who used to be children during that time.
What is the main theme of the poem London?
The overall theme of “London” is that the city is a dark and miserable place. Words like “hapless,” “weakness,” “woe” and “manacles” contribute to that sense of gloom. Even descriptions like “Every blackning Church” and “thro’ midnight streets” quite clearly depict a darkness.
How does the City of London appear beautiful to the poet?
The poet has mentioned ships, towers, domes, theatres, temples, open fields and the sky. In the smokeless air, the morning sunshine illuminates everything in the city of London. Thus, everything looks bright and glittering.
In what way is the city of London a place of contrast?
London is often portrayed as a highly atomised or unfriendly place. But it would be fairer to describe it as a city of contrasts – of angry commuters and dedicated community workers; global citizens and proud EastEnders; Silicon Roundabout and the Palace of Westminster; wealthy bankers and rough sleepers.
What can the poem London be compared to?
Both poems show the relationship and power conflict between man and nature in different stages, ‘Ozymandias’ shows the consumption of human creations by nature and ‘London’ shows futile attempts by humans to assert power over nature; the clear similarity in both of these is that, despite everything, nature will always
What power and conflict is shown in London?
Blake wrote London as a pessimistic poem reflecting his horror at the living conditions of ordinary people in the capital. He reflects on how the powerful institutions – the monarchy, aristocracy and church – have done nothing to alleviate the poverty and poor conditions.
How does Blake portray his ideal world?
Blake equates God with life and nature and envisions an ideal world of divine harmony. Blake often used the sun as a motif in his poems and their accompanying illustrations. The sun stands for divine creative energy and intellectual enlightenment.
How does London present the abuse of power?
There are several references to violence, suggesting the speaker views the city as a danger to all who inhabit it. The speaker makes reference to the dirty conditions, which spoil everything, from churches to children. The city itself presented as a place where the usual morality is ignored, with negative consequences.
How does the poet personify the city of London?
The poet uses personification to emphasise London’s beauty. A city doesn’t wear anything, but Wordsworth’s intention is to show how beautifully the morning light is “dressing” London. The word “bare” reflects nakedness, again referring to the symbol “clothing”.
What is the symbol of the city of London?
Dragons The Dragon
Dragons. The Dragon is the symbol of the City of London and they guards its historic entrances, most famously atop Temple bar. But you can find these fearsome creatures all over the City.
When did the poet view the city of London?
Ans: The poet sees the beautiful sight one early morning in the city of London when the poet along with his sister was crossing the Westminster Bridge.
Where is the city of London viewed from Upon Westminster Bridge?
the River Thames
It famously forms the title of William Wordsworth’s poem, ‘Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802’, a moving description of the beauties of London viewed from the River Thames at dawn.
How is the city personified in the poem Composed Upon Westminster Bridge?
Line 13: The houses are personified as sleeping people because the city is quiet and still. In reality, the people inside the houses are the ones who are asleep. Line 14: The city is personified as a person with a heart. The heart is “lying still,” perhaps because the city, like its houses, is asleep.