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What is the theme of "London" by Blake and its similarity to Wordsworth's "The world is too much with us"?
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Both William Blake and William Wordsworth were first-generation Romantic poets and both wrote about the plight of the lower classes in society, particularly in London. Blake's sympathies for the urban poor is clear in his poem "London" written in 1794; it is a poem that laments the plight of such individuals as chimney sweeps, prostitutes, and soldiers. Meanwhile, Wordsworth's sympathy for those living outside of society can be seen in his 1807 sonnet "The world is too much with us" which focuses on how difficult it is to live a life so separate from nature.
Both William Blake and William Wordsworth were first-generation Romantic poets who wrote during the French Revolution. This war caused upheaval in other parts of Europe and in Britain from 1789 to the late 1790s; the cause was supported by many Romantic thinkers like Blake and Wordsworth who sought to support the downtrodden, like the working-class rebels in France fighting the monarchy and the feudal system.
In "London," written in 1794, Blake seeks to raise awareness of the plight of urban oppressed individuals in London like chimney sweeps, soldiers, and prostitutes. The theme of the poem, or the message of the poem, is that the city is to blame for the suffering of these people; after all, the poem is titled "London." Blake's sympathies for the downtrodden are well-illustrated in this poem.
Wordsworth, in his 1807 sonnet "The world is too much with us" echoes the anti-urban sentiment of...
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Blake's poem. Unlike Blake, however, Wordsworth emphasizes the difficulty of an existence so separate from nature, as opposed to focusing on the challenges of living within an urban environment, specifically.
William Blake uses dark imagery and discordant diction in "London" to reveal the theme of oppression. The authority figures in the poem, the church, the soldier, the palace, do nothing to ease the suffering of the people within the poem, but rather reinforce the misery and the darkness of city life. "London" is a picture of human suffering derived from the Industrial Revolution.
Very similarly, Wordsworth's poem, "The World is Too Much with Us," also criticizes the evils of the Industrial Revolution.
"The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;" (1-2)
The harsh realities of the world according to Wordsworth's poem reveal a world that has left nature behind; society is too focused on "getting and spending" (2). The poem focuses on humanity's increasing materialistic values and subsequent neglect of nature.
"London" and "The World is Too Much With Us" both criticize the dangers inherent in Industrialization and the cost to humanity.
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