Question 1: Briefly describe the setting of the poem 'London' and the mood it creates.

Answer: The poem is set in the city of London, depicting a bleak, oppressive environment that evokes feelings of despair and suffering.

Question 1: Analyze the line: 'Every black'ning church appalls'. Focus on the metaphor and its impact.

Answer: The phrase 'black'ning church' uses visual imagery to symbolize corruption and moral decay within religious institutions. The verb 'appalls' emphasizes Blake's critique of societal and spiritual degradation, provoking the reader to reflect on the failure of moral authority.

Question 2: Identify and explain the use of personification in the line: 'Runs in blood down Palace walls'.

Answer: The phrase personifies blood as running down walls, symbolizing violence and suffering. It suggests that oppression and conflict are embedded within the power structures represented by the Palace.

Question 1: Select a stanza that depicts social injustice and discuss how Blake's imagery conveys his message.

Answer: Stanza: 'And mark in every face I meet / Marks of weakness, marks of woe.' Blake's imagery of 'marks' on faces symbolizes the visible signs of suffering and hardship among the people, emphasizing social inequality and collective despair.

Question 2: Quote Explosion: Analyze the significance of the phrase 'Runs in blood down Palace walls'. Focus on the keywords 'blood' and 'Palace'.

Answer: The word 'blood' vividly symbolizes violence, suffering, and injustice, suggesting that these are embedded within the fabric of the power structures. 'Palace' represents authority and monarchy; the imagery implies that tyranny and bloodshed are linked to the ruling class, reinforcing Blake's critique of oppressive power.

Question 1: How does Blake depict the abuse of power in 'London'? Briefly compare this with how Shelley depicts power in 'Ozymandias'.

Answer: Blake portrays power as corrupt and destructive, evident in the imagery of suffering and decay in London. Shelley depicts Ozymandias's power as ultimately fleeting and empty, symbolized by the broken statue. Both poems critique the corrupting influence of power, but Blake emphasizes its social impact, while Shelley reflects on its impermanence.

Question 1: Using evidence from the poem, plan an essay paragraph that explores Blake's portrayal of the city's social issues through language and imagery.

Answer: Introduction of the theme of social injustice through the depiction of suffering faces and moral decay. Use imagery such as 'black'ning church' and 'blood' to show corruption and violence. Discuss how Blake's language evokes a sense of despair and criticizes societal neglect, emphasizing the poem's message about the need for social reform.