Themes & Structure 2
English Lit: AQA GCSE Poetry - Power & Conflict, topic 2.1.3
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
- 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 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 verbs, like “curse” and “blast”, exacerbate (make worse) the horrors of London.
Repetition of "every"
- Repetition of “every” throughout heightens the sense that the problem is widespread.
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 / 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"
- “Mind-forged manacles” could also hint that people are trapped by their attitudes, which prevent them from living better lives.
Test yourself on Themes & Structure 2
What types of language does Blake use to emphasise the suffering of Londoners?
What are "curse" and "blast" examples of?
Which of these quotes from London are examples of trapped imagery?