Page 1: Structure and Literary Analysis of "London"
The poem's structure deliberately mirrors the rigid control of London's society through several key techniques. The use of strict quatrains represents the oppressive dictatorship, while caesura emphasizes london's power over its citizens, creating lasting psychological impacts.
Definition: Caesura is a strong pause or break within a line of poetry, used here to demonstrate the breaking down of individuals under London's influence.
The poem employs first-person perspective and enjambment, allowing Blake's thoughts to transcend the city's constraints. Enjambment allows thoughts and feelings to escape london's control, creating a subtle form of resistance within the verse structure.
Example: The line "I wander through each chartered street" demonstrates both first-person perspective and the controlled nature of London's geography.
The language and imagery are carefully crafted to reinforce themes of corruption and control. Blake employs repetition through anaphora ("In every") to emphasize the universal impact of London's oppression.
Vocabulary: Anaphora - the repetition of words at the beginning of successive clauses or verses.
The poem's environmental context is crucial to its meaning. As a Romantic poet, Blake believed in nature's power and rejected organized religion's oppression. His firsthand experience of London during the Industrial Revolution informed his critique.
Highlight: Key themes include corruption, control, childhood innocence, and institutional power, exemplified through quotes like "marks of weakness; marks of woe" and "black'ning church appals."
Quote: "Mind-forged manacles" represents the psychological imprisonment of London's inhabitants, while "marriage hearse" creates a powerful oxymoron suggesting the death of hope within societal institutions.
