Question 1: What is conveyed about the speaker's feelings towards London in the first line ('I wander thro' each charter'd street')?

Answer: The speaker feels a sense of wandering or aimlessness in a city that is constrained or controlled, indicating a loss of freedom.

Question 2: Analyze the metaphor 'charter'd street'—what does it suggest about the city?

Answer: It suggests that the city is regulated and owned, emphasizing themes of control and restriction.

Question 3: Identify and explain the significance of the imagery in line 3 ('And mark in every face I meet / Marks of weakness, marks of woe').

Answer: The imagery shows suffering and hardship visible on people's faces, highlighting social injustice and human suffering.

Question 4: Quote explosion: Analyze the quote 'In every cry of every man, / In every infant's cry of fear' in detail, focusing on word choice and effect.

Answer: The repetition of 'every' emphasizes universality and omnipresence of suffering. 'Cry' and 'fear' evoke pain and vulnerability, reinforcing the poem's bleak portrayal of London.

Question 5: How does Blake use personification in the lines 'The mind-forged manacles I hear'?

Answer: Blake personifies mental constraints as 'manacles,' suggesting that society's mental oppression is self-imposed or internalized.

Question 6: Discuss the theme of social injustice as presented in lines 9-10 ('Blasts the newborn infant's cry / Every voice an evil')

Answer: These lines depict how societal corruption and suffering are so pervasive that even newborns are affected, emphasizing systemic injustice and moral decay.

Question 7: Quote explosion: Examine the phrase 'Runs in blood down palace walls'—what does this metaphor suggest about power and corruption?

Answer: The metaphor suggests violence, bloodshed, and the corrupting influence of power, with 'palace walls' symbolizing authority and monarchy.

Question 8: Identify and interpret Blake's use of repetition in the poem. How does it emphasize the poem's themes?

Answer: Repetition of words like 'charter'd,' 'marks,' and 'every' emphasizes the pervasive control, suffering, and universality of social issues, reinforcing the poem's message.

Question 9: Extended response/Essay plan: How does Blake structure 'London' to convey his message about the city? Consider rhyme, meter, and stanza arrangement.

Answer: Blake's structured quatrains with regular rhyme scheme create a rhythmic, relentless tone that mirrors the ongoing suffering. The consistent structure emphasizes the inescapable nature of social injustice in London, while the lack of stanza breaks suggests the pervasiveness of the issues.

Question 1: Compare the portrayal of power in 'London' with that in 'Ozymandias'. How do both poets depict the rise and fall of rulers?

Answer: Both Blake and Shelley explore the transient nature of power. 'London' shows the corrupting effects of societal control, while 'Ozymandias' illustrates the futility of imperial claims, emphasizing that all power is ultimately temporary and subject to decay.

Question 2: Discuss how themes of conflict and human suffering are presented in 'London' versus 'My Last Duchess'.

Answer: Both poems depict the consequences of control and arrogance. 'London' shows societal suffering caused by oppression, while 'My Last Duchess' reveals personal conflict and the destructive nature of possessiveness and pride.