Tyranny In William Blake's Poem London

In the poem London, William blake explores the idea of tyranny attached to London, he suggests that London itself is full of social diffrence. The line "Chartered street" and "chartered Thames" suggests how everything is owned by the government, even something as natural as the river thames has been "chartered". The use of chartered suggests the privilege of those who can hire the river Thames itself for their use and whose lives contrast with the misery of the poor that were the majority. Another interpriation is that the river has been "chartered" perhaps meaning mapped suggesting that its already been taken by the rich leaving nothing for the poor.

Furthermore Blake portrays how London has become a divided nation, he suggests that tensions are rising through the description London. He shows this split in class through place in the line 'Runs in blood down palace walls' this is a direct reference to the French revoloution in which the working class overthrew royalty. Blake beleives that London is in a similar situation, he suggests in this line that it if nothing is done then a revoloution could occur. It could also be seen as

The use of " youthful harlots curse" suggests how London has become cursed, here he is descring how the youth in general have become cursed, the harlots curse could be seen as the woman giving birth to a baby, however her babys innocence is instant lost because of her cursing, born into a sad life with little chance to succeed. This shows how even at the beginning of life, things are already bad for the poor living in London. "Curse" suggests that something has put the curse upon the youth, perhaps blake is trying to show that its the government and upper class that have cast this curse upon the youth of London. As well as this, curses are often everlasting or until cured suggesting that London itself is stuck in a loop, without the people campaigning for change it cannot be