Student Question
How does "London" by William Blake establish a sense of place?
Quick answer:
William Blake's "London" establishes a vivid sense of place through its depiction of the crowded, oppressive urban environment of the city. The poem's imagery highlights the physical and emotional despair of its inhabitants, with references to chartered streets, the Thames, and cries of suffering. Blake's use of rhythmic language mimics the speaker's walk through the city, culminating in the poignant image of the "youthful harlot's curse," symbolizing the pervasive social decay and human misery.
How the Chimney-sweepers cryEvery blackning Church appalls,And the hapless Soldiers sighRuns in blood down Palace walls
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The streets and nearby dwellings would have to be packed with people in order for the speaker to hear that many cries from grown men or even from infants. The speaker offers one impression after another--chimney sweepers, hapless soldiers, blackened church walls, palace walls. It is a veritable panorama of London at night, a panorama of human misery. The entire poem leads up to what Blake considers the worst phenomenon of all. The lines all have an emphasis on four syllables to simulate the action of walking. For example: I wander thro' each charter'd street, Near where the charter'd Thames does flow. And mark in every face I meetMarks of weakness, marks of woe. So when he gets to the last stanza, the stresses bear down on the words: How the youthful Harlots curse These three words, "youthful harlot's curse," seem especially terrible. It is bad enough that very young girls are forced into prostitution, but the fact that they have already learned to curse men who insult or abuse them makes it that much worse.