Lecture Notes: Power and Conflict Anthology - London by William Blake

Introduction

• Lecturer's request for students to behave appropriately during the session.
• Clarification of the subject - Power and Conflict Anthology cluster.
• Focus of the lecture: Poem "London" by William Blake.
• Reminder: Previous poem studied was "Ozymandias."

Overview of "London"

• Title Significance: "London" suggests a focus on the capital city, symbolizing the entire country (England).
• First Impressions: Negative portrayal of London—bleak, depressing, associated with poverty and doom.

Poem Analysis

First and Last Line

• First Line: "I wander through each chartered street"

  • Wandering suggests being lost or open, exploring.
  • "Chartered" implies ownership by the powerful (nobility/government).

• Last Line: "Blights with plague the marriage hearse"

  • Imagery of disease (blights, plagues) and death (hearse).
  • Oxymoron: "marriage hearse" implies the doomed nature of societal institutions.

Imagery

• Key Imagery: Third stanza
  • "Blackening church appalls" and "blood down palace walls."
  • Criticism of corrupted authority (church and monarchy).
  • Religion and monarchy not helping the poor or fulfilling their roles.

Repetition

• Repetition of "Every": Highlights the universality of suffering among the powerless.
• Repetition of "Chartered": Emphasizes ownership and control by the powerful.

Context

• William Blake: Romantic poet critical of the Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution.
• Industrial Revolution: Widened the gap between rich and poor, increased pollution and exploitation.
• Songs of Innocence and Experience: "London" is part of the "Experience" section, reflecting a more cynical worldview.

Themes and Comparisons

• Themes: Inequality, power, oppression, and societal corruption.
• Comparison with "Ozymandias":
  • Power and Tyranny: Both poems explore the misuse of power.
  • Inequality: Highlight the divide between the rich and the poor.
  • Ongoing vs. Faded Power: "London" depicts current corruption, "Ozymandias" shows the downfall of tyrants.
  • Temporal Contexts: "Ozymandias" is past, "London" is present, reflecting ongoing societal issues.

Examination Tips

• Comparison question structure: Compare a named poem with another from memory.
• Focus on evidence-based comparisons and thematic links.
• No set rule for similarities vs. differences; both are valid.

Conclusion

• The poem "London" serves as a critique of societal power dynamics and industrialization.
• Future lessons to cover additional poems and comparative essay writing.

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Upcoming Lessons: More on essay comparisons and examination preparation.

• Reminder: Keep questions and continue engagement in future sessions.