Connotation In London By William Blake

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Recommended: London by William Blake Critical Analysis

An exploited and mistreated society that 's tyrannical monarchy leaves its people without any hope left. To be poor defines being oppressed, this poem shows through the ranks that there is unification among everyone, in the fact that no matter who they are, society is repressed by the government. William Blake, in his poem London, uses rhyme, repetition and imagery paint the picture of social oppression in London. The speaker’s use of Rhyme in the poem does not support any happy connotations, instead, he uses the words to paint a somber picture of London with the last word in every other line. In the first stanza, there are the words meet, street, woe, and flow. This represents the idea of trouble circulating on the street with every person …show more content…

Up until now it was only oppression but it changes to how society reacts. For example “How every chimney-sweeper’s cry”(9) “Every blackning church appalls”(10) These two lines, reference the slavery of children workers being exploited; putting these kids in horrible situations. The church horrified against what it is seeing. It brings up the idea of separation of church and state. Other horrific events are marked by death, “And the hapless soldier’s sigh”(11) “Runs in blood down palace-walls.”(12) The imagery of sound in the first line with the soldiers sigh, could mean death, it’s a very unfortunate man who is giving out his last breath. The imagery of him dying is shown by the blood running down the walls. The blame for this death is upon the monarchy in London with the reference to a palace. The last stanza alone is about death. Between the harlots curses being STD’s; blights and plague, bringing upon a quick death show the imagery of what society has become. It focuses on syphilis being a main thing with new-born infants being born blind. Men and women are dying from contracting this disease, men are sleeping with the whores than going home and sleeping with their wives, as the spread of disease is able to just spread quite easily in this

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