In the world Blake represents there is no escape from political and social constraints. Examples from London The School Boy The Chimney Sweeper

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‘In the world Blake represents there is no escape from political and social constraints’

William Blake was a masterful poet that wrote during the eighteen hundreds about different aspects that marked his life. These include the industrial revolution, the church, sexual awakenings, and the joys of life as well as political and social sub themes in a majority of his poetry . To some he was a poet writing about his life experiences, to others a protestor of the church, government and attitudes of the Georgians during the Georgian period. One thing we do know is that his poetry is littered with protests through different means and themes.

One poem which can be said to full of political and social constraints is ‘London’. In this poem Blake explores the problems that are associated with the typically glamorous capital of England. He shows a completely different side, to an extent he can be said to show the reality of what London is like by protesting. The first line of the poem describes the “chartered” streets, chartered refers to something being mapped out thus by calling the streets mapped out it is clear to see the political aspect, the government is trying to control the people and watch their every move. To an extent Blake is exploring the lack of freedom that is felt in the city which can bee seen as a protest against industrialization. The idea of surveillance and indoctrination can possibly be most felt in the line “the mind forged manacles” . This line sums up exactly what Blake thought of the society, he sees the systems of control: religious, social, economic, political and monarchical – which keep the people in a state of suffering. All these institutions are indoctrinating the people that serve them in order to keep them at bay, and control them. Lastly the social constraints are seen through the impossibility of escaping poverty.  “How the youthful harlots curse blasts the new – born infants ear”. This line shows how the sins and problems of the harlot (a poor sex worker) are transferred to the innocent little child who will go through the same things in life.

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One poem which presents a completely different view to that of the title is “Laughing Song”. Unlike ‘London’ this presents a happy and optimistic view of childhood without any political and social constraints. Throughout the poem flora plays a huge part which coincidently is found in most of the poems in which Blake can be said to be happy. Words such as “green woods”, “dimpling stream”, “grasshopper laugh” all conjure up pictures of peace, happiness and freedom, something Blake thought to be missing in the industrialized world. He is also showing the beauty of childhood “When Mary and Susan ...

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