William Blake's Dark Vision Of London

Summary by Krater

An analysis of William Blake's poem London, examining its structure, imagery, and social commentary on the city's suffering and oppressive institutions.

From the video

Answers: What is the meaning and structure of William Blake's poem London?

• William Blake
• London poem
• English poetry analysis
• Romanticism
• Social commentary
• Industrial Revolution

What it concludes

• Blake uses the word chartered to convey a city where streets and rivers are owned and controlled, restricting freedom.
• Repetition in the poem reflects the heartbeat meter and emphasizes the pervasiveness of suffering.
• Mind-forged manacles suggest that people are imprisoned by their own ignorance, superstition, and self-imposed restraints.
• The poem criticizes institutions such as the church, state, and marriage for perpetuating social suffering and repressive control across generations.