How does Blake's 'London' express ideas of oppression and authority?

Blake's London expresses ideas of oppression through a variety of means. Structurally, the poem's rigid rhyme scheme of ABAB, in tandem with the fixed structure of four quatrains, reflects how London constricts the narrator's sense of freedom. Additionally, London's use of the dramatic monologue focalises London's contribution to the hopelessness and hardship experienced by its inhabitants. The enjambment placed between 'How the Chimney-sweepers cry / Every blackning Church appalls' for instance, spatially illustrates the indifference of London's authority towards its citizens, and the Church's reaction to '[appal]' at the Chimney-sweepers discontent further emphasises the disparity between London's institutions and denizens.

Answered by Bradley B. English tutor

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