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London was first published in 1794 during an era of great upheaval. The French Revolution had just happened and echoes of revolution were being felt in Britain. In this version, Alex Robinson seamlessly layers the poem over visions of a modern dystopian London. It may be that if Blake were transported to modern London, he would recognise the city and its themes from the poem because so little has changed in terms of inequality. |
London by William Blake “London” is a poem about a man walking through the streets of London and noticing how unhappy and controlled people’s lives are. As he walks through the city, he sees signs that everything belongs to someone powerful. Even the River Thames seems controlled. This makes the city feel strict and unfair. The speaker notices sadness and suffering everywhere. He sees it in people’s faces and hears it in their voices. Poor children are forced to work in dangerous jobs, such as cleaning chimneys, and soldiers suffer because of the way the country is run. The poem also talks about how religion and society sometimes fail to help people. For example, churches should care for the poor, but the poet suggests they are not doing enough. At night, the speaker hears a young woman who has been forced into a difficult life. Her suffering shows how unfair and harsh the city can be. Overall, the poem shows that Blake believed London was full of poverty, suffering, and injustice, even though it was a rich and powerful city. He wanted readers to notice these problems and think about how society treats its poorest people. |