2.1.4

Key Quotes & Comparisons

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Key Quotations in London

Here are key quotations to remember for your exam:

“Chartered street…chartered Thames…”

“Chartered street…chartered Thames…”

  • Trapped imagery.
  • 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.
“Marks of weakness, marks of woe”

“Marks of weakness, marks of woe”

  • Emotive language.
  • The emotive language expresses not only the extent of the suffering but also Blake’s anger at the institutions that fail to help.
“In every cry of every Man / In every Infant’s cry of fear…”

“In every cry of every Man / In every Infant’s cry of fear…”

  • Emotive language.
    • The emotive language expresses not only the extent of the suffering but also Blake’s anger at the institutions that fail to help.
  • Repetition of “every” throughout heightens the sense that the problem is widespread.
“Every black’ning church appalls”

“Every black’ning church appalls”

  • Colour imagery.
  • “Black’ning church” is associated with ideas of corruption and even death.
“Runs in blood down palace walls”

“Runs in blood down palace walls”

  • Metaphor.
  • This metaphor emphasises that the monarchy is guilty of living in luxury while doing nothing to help the struggles of the city.

Key Comparisons: London

Here are some themes that come up in London and other texts:

Human power and the misuse of power

Human power and the misuse of power

  • You may want to compare the theme of human power and the misuse of power in London to the following texts:
    • My Last Duchess.
    • Ozymandias.
Unpleasant and/or powerful experiences

Unpleasant and/or powerful experiences

  • You may want to compare the theme of unpleasant and/or powerful experiences in London to the following texts:
    • The Prelude.
    • Exposure.
    • Bayonet Charge.
    • Remains.
Jump to other topics
1

Ozymandias - Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)

2

London - William Blake (1757-1827)

3

Storm on the Island - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)

4

Exposure - Wilfred Owen (1893-1918)

5

War Photographer - Carol Ann Duffy (born 1955)

6

My Last Duchess - Robert Browning (1812-1889)

7

The Prelude - William Wordsworth (1770-1850)

8

Charge of the Light Brigade - Alfred Tennyson

9

Bayonet Charge - Ted Hughes (1930-1998)

10

Poppies - Jane Weir (Born 1963)

11

Tissue - Imtiaz Dharker (Born 1954)

12

The Emigree - Carol Rumens (Born 1944)

13

Kamikaze - Beatrice Garland (Born 1938)

14

Checking Out Me History - John Agard (Born 1949)

15

Remains - Simon Armitage (Born 1963)

16

Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons

16.1

Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons

17

Recap: Main Quotes

Practice questions on Key Quotes & Comparisons

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