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''London'' is a poem by William Blake from his Illuminated Book '' Songs Of Experience ''. Blake is so much passionate is his criticism in this poem. For the people of Blake's time, London symbolized wealth, civilization and imperial power. But Blake delivers a dark picture of London where beneath the outward glitter of prosperity, there is miserable poverty,sufferings,death and disease. Walking through the streets of London,the poet hears the cries of grief and the cries of sorrow all around: "In every cry of every man In every infant's cry of fear, In every voice, in every ban, The mind forged manacles I hear." Here the soldiers have to die in order to satisfy the masters who are war-mongering. The chimney sweepers' cry blacken the walls of the church. It means that the suffering of the chimney sweepers put shame on religion itself. There are young prostitutes who are forced to live a hellish life by the hypocritical society. People of the society pretend to be virtuous, but it is they themselves who visit the prostitutes and keep the system going. This double standard of morality is the cause of the exploitation of women in the form, spread the venereal diseases which infects even a new-born child.In short,it is a frightening picture that Blake depicts in 'London'. "How the Chimney-sweeper’s cry Every black'ning Church appalls; And the hapless Soldier’s sigh Runs in blood down Palace walls. But most, thro' midnight streets I hear How the youthful Harlot’s curse Blasts the new born Infant’s tear, And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse." |
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