Blake and Betjeman: Critics of Their Society?

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Blake and Betjeman: Critics of Their Society?

Blake and Betjeman are indeed both critics of their society.  Through their poetry, we are able to gain a clear insight into their perspectives on issues that were prevalent in their society.

In Blake's poem, "The Chimney Sweeper", we witness his social critique at its best.  Blake wrote this poem during a period in which we know that children were used as chimney sweeps because of their suitability for the task (i.e. they were small enough to crawl up the chimneys).  By the end of the poem, Tom Dacre is `happy and warm', but we as readers are left questioning the injustice that faces the young chimney sweep.  He is a victim of his own innocence and in reality, he is clearly being exploited.

The line `If you are a good boy' suggests that if the sweep does as he is told and subjects himself to this life of misery, he will be rewarded in Heaven. Blake clearly does not agree with this viewpoint, and alludes to his opinion that you should not have to suffer in this life and be grateful, simply to be happy in the next.  He is criticizing the society he lives in for providing the poor youths with false hope.

Similarly, Betjeman expresses his personal views regarding the state of his society.  In his satirical poem, "How to Get On in Society", his versatile mocking tone is very apparent.  Betjeman's witty poem highlights the social politics of his time.  His descriptions of the ridiculous conventions of the upper-class are made to seem futile and indeed comical.  Instead of lighting the `logs in the grate' they are `switched on'.  This is a subtle hint by Betjeman at the modernisation of the household.  The persona in the poem is clearly lower down the social scale than she would wish and is aspiring to become more socially accepted.  The persona uses the word `cruets' in place of salt and pepper and `serviettes' in place of napkins in a vain attempt to elevate her in the eyes of others.  Betjeman's disapproval of such pretentious neurosis is clear and serves as another example of the critical eye with which he viewed his society.

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Blake's distrust of contemporary society can be closely paralleled with Betjeman's dislike for modern society.  In "London", Blake addresses the question of the alienation of man. In this poem, Blake presents the `fallen' world that was the London in which he lived.  It is a clear attack on the `establishment' in 19th century London.  The first stanza relates to the strict uniformity of London's plotted land along with the poet's observations of troubled citizens `marks of weakness, marks of woe'. The second verse expands upon Blake's views of public constraint, implying that citizens have been trained into believing that ...

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