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Showing posts from February, 2024

"Mind-forg'd manacles": Analysing the Plight of Blake's 'London'

 "Mind-forg'd manacles"; Analysing the plight of Blake's London Written By Ollie I wander thro' each charter'd street, Near where the charter'd Thames does flow.  And mark in every face I meet Marks of weakness, marks of woe. In every cry of every Man, In every Infants cry of fear, In every voice: in every ban, The mind-forg'd manacles I hear  How the Chimney-sweepers cry Every blackning Church appalls,  And the hapless Soldiers sigh Runs in blood down Palace walls  But most thro' midnight streets I hear How the youthful Harlots curse Blasts the new-born Infants tear  And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse Blake's 'London' is morose and filled with suffering, the poem exposes the daily plight of London 's pained residents whilst exploring how their own 'mind- forg ' d manacles ' - their corrupt ed human minds - have given rise to this dystop ian city.   shackled in sorrow The poem begins with the speaker wan