William Blake Research Paper

William Blake’s poetry was unique. Although his poems appeared simplistic and attractive to children they contained complex symbolisms relating to topics such as religion, political events and social injustice. Blake displayed contempt for mystery and hidden meanings, which he related to “State Trickery” and the repressive power it had. Instead he used simple syntax within his poems, despite being a scholar, enabling his work to be read and understood more widely by ‘the People’. ‘Romantic’ era writers were highly influenced by the war between England and France, the French Revolution and social reform; Blake was no exception to this. In my essay I will be exploring three poems from the ‘Romantic’ poet Blake, where I will investigate his perspectives

Examples such as “charter’d street ” and “charter’d Thames ” although the word “charter’d” can be ambiguous, it could be seen to express the political and economic control that Blake believed London to be enduring during the time of his writing as a charter was seen to put its citizens under the rule of a governing body. Blake uses the description of surroundings and scenery as being “charter’d” to emphasises this idea of control, oppression and lack of freedom within Britain to highlight the extent of the Governments ability to oppress citizens. There was an underlying fear that the revolution in France would spread to Britain, towards the end of the eighteenth century, which caused those in power including the then Prime Minister, William Pitt the Young, to supress political opposition of all kinds. London uses imagery such as “mind forg’d manacles ” to further demonstrate that the beliefs and attitudes that man have are all formed through propaganda that those in power have accomplished in creating. The image portrayed may also symbolise the deeply embedded respect for tradition and institutions in Britain that has stopped the people

Blake criticises the corruption of the Capitalist society he lives in within the poem London through the imagery portrayed describing these institutions. Describing the soldier as “hapless” connotes that the soldiers’ life was not full of courage and valour as the proletariat were led to believe throughout the war between Britain and France. Blake explores the idea that the solider is fighting to uphold a system that ultimately forces his friends and family to live a life of hardship and poverty. The image of blood running down the palace walls in significantly shocking however after the French Revolution Blake could be symbolising the death and suffering caused by tyrannical leaders. This sense of suffering is a reoccurring theme throughout the poem, the repetition of “every” and “cry” could portray Blake’s belief that no one is immune from destruction and imprisonment within Britain towards the end of the eighteenth century. The poetic structure in the stanzas can also be seen to display this sense of suffering and hopelessness again through the recurrence of “and” and the iambic metre keeps it flowing as though it seems to be never