London by William Blake

This page delves into Blake's poem "London," another key Power and Conflict poem that critiques the societal issues in 18th-century London. The poem paints a bleak picture of a city corrupted by greed and inequality.

Vocabulary: "Chartered" - refers to the government giving wealthy individuals exclusive rights, setting up the theme of power from the start.

The poem's structure and literary devices are analyzed in detail:

• Cyclical structure suggesting never-ending suffering
• Use of anaphora with the phrase "in every" to emphasize the extent of suffering
• Consistent iambic tetrameter reflecting order and control, but also relentless oppression

Highlight: The poem breaks from iambic tetrameter in places, possibly reflecting how people can't free themselves from societal restraints.

Blake's criticism extends to various aspects of society:

• The church's failure to provide moral guidance
• The impact of the industrial revolution on the city's environment
• The loss of innocence, particularly in children

Quote: "And mark in every face I meet / Marks of weakness, marks of woe" - This line emphasizes the universal nature of suffering in the city.

The page concludes with a comparison to another Power and Conflict poem, "Tissue," noting similarities in their portrayal of human power as a source of oppression, but differences in their proposed solutions.

Poppies by Jane Weir

This page introduces "Poppies" by Jane Weir, another poem in the Power and Conflict collection. The poem deals with themes of memory, grief, and childhood in the context of war.

Vocabulary: Armistice Sunday - A day of remembrance for war veterans, setting the poem's context.

The analysis provides background on Jane Weir:

• She lived in Northern Ireland and has sons
• Her background as a textile designer influences her use of fabric-related imagery in the poem

The poem's opening is examined in detail:

• The setting three days before Armistice Sunday
• The mother's act of pinning a poppy to her son's lapel
• Use of asyndetic listing to show the detailed nature of the mother's memory

Highlight: The poem suggests a cyclical nature of war, with the son participating in Armistice Sunday before potentially being killed in war himself.

The page ends abruptly, suggesting there may be more analysis of "Poppies" on subsequent pages.