2.1.3
Themes & Structure 2
Suffering and Horror: Language
Suffering and Horror: Language
The poem is very negative. There is no sense of hope for the future. The inhabitants of London are presented as being trapped in their suffering. Blake uses the following linguistic (language) techniques to emphasise their suffering:
Emotive language
Emotive language
- The language throughout the poem is emotive.
- The emotive language expresses not only the extent of the suffering but also Blake’s anger at the institutions that fail to help.
- Examples include:
- “Weakness”.
- “Woe”.
- “In every infant’s cry of fear”.
- “Blasts the newborn infant’s tear”.
Sensory language
Sensory language
- Sensory language is used to bring the horror of London at this time alive.
- Examples include:
- “Cry of fear”.
- “Marks of weakness, marks of woe”.
Vivid language
Vivid language
- Vivid verbs, like “curse” and “blast”, exacerbate (make worse) the horrors of London.
Repetition of "every"
Repetition of "every"
- Repetition of “every” throughout heightens the sense that the problem is widespread.
Trapped Imagery
Trapped Imagery
The poem is very negative. There is no sense of hope for the future. The inhabitants of London are presented as being trapped in their suffering through these images:
"I wander through each chartered street..."
"I wander through each chartered street..."
- "I wander through each chartered street / Near where the chartered Thames does flow".
- Something that is chartered is listed and regulated.
- Repetition of “chartered” highlights the extent of government authority: they even have control over rivers, which are usually associated with nature and freedom.
"The mind-forged manacles I hear"
"The mind-forged manacles I hear"
- “Mind-forged manacles” could also hint that people are trapped by their attitudes, which prevent them from living better lives.
1Ozymandias - Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)
2London - William Blake (1757-1827)
3Storm on the Island - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)
3.1Storm on the Island Analysis
4Exposure - Wilfred Owen (1893-1918)
5War Photographer - Carol Ann Duffy (born 1955)
5.1War Photographer Analysis
6My Last Duchess - Robert Browning (1812-1889)
7The Prelude - William Wordsworth (1770-1850)
7.1Extract from The Prelude Analysis
8Charge of the Light Brigade - Alfred Tennyson
9Bayonet Charge - Ted Hughes (1930-1998)
10Poppies - Jane Weir (Born 1963)
11Tissue - Imtiaz Dharker (Born 1954)
12The Emigree - Carol Rumens (Born 1944)
13Kamikaze - Beatrice Garland (Born 1938)
14Checking Out Me History - John Agard (Born 1949)
14.1Checking Out Me History Analysis
15Remains - Simon Armitage (Born 1963)
16Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons
16.1Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons
Jump to other topics
1Ozymandias - Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)
2London - William Blake (1757-1827)
3Storm on the Island - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)
3.1Storm on the Island Analysis
4Exposure - Wilfred Owen (1893-1918)
5War Photographer - Carol Ann Duffy (born 1955)
5.1War Photographer Analysis
6My Last Duchess - Robert Browning (1812-1889)
7The Prelude - William Wordsworth (1770-1850)
7.1Extract from The Prelude Analysis
8Charge of the Light Brigade - Alfred Tennyson
9Bayonet Charge - Ted Hughes (1930-1998)
10Poppies - Jane Weir (Born 1963)
11Tissue - Imtiaz Dharker (Born 1954)
12The Emigree - Carol Rumens (Born 1944)
13Kamikaze - Beatrice Garland (Born 1938)
14Checking Out Me History - John Agard (Born 1949)
14.1Checking Out Me History Analysis
15Remains - Simon Armitage (Born 1963)
16Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons
16.1Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons
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