"London's" overarching theme is that the city is a gloomy and desolate place. Words like "hapless," "weakness," "woe," and "manacles" add to the melancholy. Even descriptions like "Every Black Church" and "Through the Midnight Streets" show gloom fairly vividly.
The first thing that strikes one about London is its size. It is Britain's largest city and has been called "a giant among cities." It is also believed to be the most culturally diverse city in Europe. For this reason, it has always had many people living there who could not be classified as citizens of any particular country.
The second thing that strikes one about London is its history of violence. There are many images in "London's" description that bring out this fact: "the axe murders," "the blood-drenched streets of Whitechapel," "Bethlehem Chapel where the bones of hundreds of children lie buried in the dust." These and other atrocities were committed here over the years.
Finally, London is full of prisons. In reality, nearly a million people lived in London in 1811. So even though it is a small number compared to today's population, it shows that many people were still imprisoned here during that time.
Themes central to "London" include the fallen world, political conflicts, and societal ills. Blake's Christian view that mankind has fallen from a condition of grace to a life of compromise and sin is embodied in the poem. This fall is illustrated by references to murder, theft, adultery, and other sins throughout the work.
Blake also believed that there was a spiritual war going on for the souls of men. In "London," this war is compared to a great battle between good and evil for possession of the human soul. The winners are those who claim their victory with joy, but the losers are forced to flee from heaven and be consigned to hell.
Finally, Blake saw society as being divided into two groups: those who were rich and powerful and others who were poor and powerless. In "London," the plight of the powerless people leads to comparisons about their need for a savior, while the few who are lucky enough to hold high positions in government or commerce seem only concerned with furthering their own interests at the expense of everyone else.
There are many more that could be discussed including corruption, injustice, rebellion, etc.
In general, the term "London" encourages us to infer that this poem is a kind of travelogue, a description of a location. That is precisely what it is, but it is a very restricted, or "chartered," as the poet puts it, perspective. The speaker is allowed to see only a small part of the city; the rest he can imagine or guess at. Thus, London is a panoramic view, an omnivorous gaze that takes in everything from St. Paul's to Bankside.
Now, what is so interesting about London? First of all, there are many things to see in the city: from royal palaces to famous museums, from ancient monuments to trendy shopping centers. So, anyone willing to visit this enormous metropolis will not be bored for sure!
But also, London is a place where different cultures have lived side by side for hundreds of years, so you will find here examples of every kind of architecture: from Gothic cathedrals to futuristic skyscrapers. You will also discover many traditions such as the Christmas holiday season or the way people dress up for Halloween night. And if you want to taste some real English cuisine, don't forget to try fish and chips or chicken tikka masala!
So, whether you're a tourist or not, there's always something to see in London!
"London" is clearly identified as a Romantic poetry due to its emphasis on the common man and children, individual human rights, and emotions. Our initial impression of "London" is that it is neither "Romantic," that is, pastoral, in one with nature, or spiritual. Rather, it is medieval and industrial at the same time.
The first thing that strikes us when we read about London in poems by Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Keats is their vivid portrayal of the city's life and activity. All three poets were familiar with London from visiting their relatives there. They wrote about what they saw during these visits.
Wordsworth described London as "a mighty heart/Throbbing with eternal joy and pain." The heart represents civilization itself-its power and passion. It is this quality that makes it such a fascinating subject for poets to write about.
Coleridge, in his poem "London," compared the city to a waking dream. He called it a "muse-like spirit" that had "mastered the dark mind of Man." This shows that London had a magical effect on him despite its modernity. He imagined it was a large-scale version of what would happen if people felt passionate about something - they would go crazy over it!
Keats, who lived here, wrote many poems about London.
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