大學(xué)英語課件blake

/ContextWilliamBlakewasborninLondonin1757.Hisfather,ahosier,soonrecognizedhisson'sartistictalentsandsenthimtostudyatadrawingschoolwhenhewastenyearsold.At14,WilliamaskedtobeapprenticedtotheengraverJamesBasire,underwhosedirectionhefurtherdevelopedhisinnateskills.AsayoungmanBlakeworkedasanengraver,illustrator,anddrawingteacher,andmetsuchartistsasHenryFuseliandJohnFlaxman,aswellasSirJoshuaReynolds,whoseclassicizingstylehewouldlatercometoreject.Blakewrotepoemsduringthistimeaswell,andhisfirstprintedcollection,animmatureandratherderivativevolumecalledPoeticalSketches,appearedin1783.SongsofInnocencewaspublishedin1789,followedbySongsofExperiencein1793andacombinededitionthenextyearbearingthetitleSongsofInnocenceandExperienceshowingtheTwoContraryStatesoftheHumanSoul.Blake'spoliticalradicalismintensifiedduringtheyearsleadinguptotheFrenchRevolution.Hebeganaseven-bookpoemabouttheRevolution,infact,butitwaseitherdestroyedornevercompleted,andonlythefirstbooksurvives.HedisapprovedofEnlightenmentrationalism,ofinstitutionalizedreligion,andofthetraditionofmarriageinitsconventionallegalandsocialform(thoughhewasmarriedhimself).HisunorthodoxreligiousthinkingowesadebttotheSwedishphilosopherEmmanuelSwedenborg(1688-1772),whoseinfluenceisparticularlyevidentinBlake'sTheMarriageofHeavenandHell.Inthe1790sandafter,heshiftedhispoeticvoicefromthelyrictothepropheticmode,andwroteaseriesoflongpropheticbooks,includingMiltonandJerusalem.LinkedtogetherbyanintricatemythologyandsymbolismofBlake'sowncreation,thesebookspropoundarevolutionarynewsocial,intellectual,andethicalorder.Blakepublishedalmostallofhisworkshimself,byanoriginalprocessinwhichthepoemswereetchedbyhand,alongwithillustrationsanddecorativeimages,ontocopperplates.Theseplateswereinkedtomakeprints,andtheprintswerethencoloredinwithpaint.Thisexpensiveandlabor-intensiveproductionmethodresultedinaquitelimitedcirculationofBlake'spoetryduringhislife.IthasalsoposedaspecialsetofchallengestoscholarsofBlake'swork,whichhasinterestedbothliterarycriticsandarthistorians.Duringhisownlifetime,Blakewasapronouncedfailure,andheharboredagooddealofresentmentandanxietyaboutthepublic'sapathytowardhisworkandaboutthefinancialstraitsinwhichhesoregularlyfoundhimself.Whenhisself-curatedexhibitionofhisworksmetwithfinancialfailurein1809,Blakesankintodepressionandwithdrewintoobscurity;heremainedalienatedfortherestofhislife.Hiscontemporariessawhimassomethingofaneccentric--asindeedhewas.Suspendedbetweentheneoclassicismofthe18thcenturyandtheearlyphasesofRomanticism,Blakebelongstonosinglepoeticschoolorage.Onlyinthe20thcenturydidwideaudiencesbegintoacknowledgehisprofoundoriginalityandgenius.AnalysisBlake'sSongsofInnocenceandExperience(1794)juxtaposetheinnocent,pastoralworldofchildhoodagainstanadultworldofcorruptionandrepression;whilesuchpoemsas"TheLamb"representameekvirtue,poemslike"TheTyger"exhibitopposing,darkerforces.Thusthecollectionasawholeexploresthevalueandlimitationsoftwodifferentperspectivesontheworld.Manyofthepoemsfallintopairs,sothatthesamesituationorproblemisseenthroughthelensofinnocencefirstandthenexperience.Blakedoesnotidentifyhimselfwhollywitheitherview;mostofthepoemsaredramatic--thatis,inthevoiceofaspeakerotherthanthepoethimself.Blakestandsoutsideinnocenceandexperience,inadistancedpositionfromwhichhehopestobeabletorecognizeandcorrectthefallaciesofboth.Inparticular,hepitshimselfagainstdespoticauthority,restrictivemorality,sexualrepression,andinstitutionalizedreligion;hisgreatinsightisintothewaytheseseparatemodesofcontrolworktogethertosquelchwhatismostholyinhumanbeings.TheSongsofInnocencedramatizethenaivehopesandfearsthatinformthelivesofchildrenandtracetheirtransformationasthechildgrowsintoadulthood.Someofthepoemsarewrittenfromtheperspectiveofchildren,whileothersareaboutchildrenasseenfromanadultperspective.Manyofthepoemsdrawattentiontothepositiveaspectsofnaturalhumanunderstandingpriortothecorruptionanddistortionofexperience.Otherstakeamorecriticalstancetowardinnocentpurity:forexample,whileBlakedrawstouchingportraitsoftheemotionalpowerofrudimentaryChristianvalues,healsoexposes--overtheheads,asitwere,oftheinnocent--Christianity'scapacityforpromotinginjusticeandcruelty.TheSongsofExperienceworkviaparallelsandcontraststolamentthewaysinwhichtheharshexperiencesofadultlifedestroywhatisgoodininnocence,whilealsoarticulatingtheweaknessesoftheinnocentperspective("TheTyger,"forexample,attemptstoaccountforreal,negativeforcesintheuniverse,whichinnocencefailstoconfront).Theselatterpoemstreatsexualmoralityintermsoftherepressiveeffectsofjealousy,shame,andsecrecy,allofwhichcorrupttheingenuousnessofinnocentlove.Withregardtoreligion,theyarelessconcernedwiththecharacterofindividualfaiththanwiththeinstitutionoftheChurch,itsroleinpolitics,anditseffectsonsocietyandtheindividualmind.Experiencethusaddsalayertoinnocencethatdarkensitshopefulvisionwhilecompensatingforsomeofitsblindness.ThestyleoftheSongsofInnocenceandExperienceissimpleanddirect,butthelanguageandtherhythmsarepainstakinglycrafted,andtheideastheyexploreareoftendeceptivelycomplex.Manyofthepoemsarenarrativeinstyle;others,like"TheSickRose"and"TheDivineImage,"maketheirargumentsthroughsymbolismorbymeansofabstractconcepts.SomeofBlake'sfavoriterhetoricaltechniquesarepersonificationandthereworkingofBiblicalsymbolismandlanguage.Blakefrequentlyemploysthefamiliarmetersofballads,nurseryrhymes,andhymns,applyingthemtohisown,oftenunorthodoxconceptions.ThiscombinationofthetraditionalwiththeunfamiliarisconsonantwithBlake'sperpetualinterestinreconsideringandreframingtheassumptionsofhumanthoughtandsocialbehavior.SummaryThepoembeginswiththespeakeraskingafearsometigerwhatkindofdivinebeingcouldhavecreatedit:"Whatimmortalhandoreye/Couldframetheyfearfulsymmetry?"Eachsubsequentstanzacontainsfurtherquestions,allofwhichrefinethisfirstone.Fromwhatpartofthecosmoscouldthetiger'sfieryeyeshavecome,andwhowouldhavedaredtohandlethatfire?Whatsortofphysicalpresence,andwhatkindofdarkcraftsmanship,wouldhavebeenrequiredto"twistthesinews"ofthetiger'sheart?Thespeakerwondershow,oncethathorribleheart"begantobeat,"itscreatorwouldhavehadthecouragetocontinuethejob.Comparingthecreatortoablacksmith,hepondersabouttheanvilandthefurnacethattheprojectwouldhaverequiredandthesmithwhocouldhavewieldedthem.Andwhenthejobwasdone,thespeakerwonders,howwouldthecreatorhavefelt?"Didhesmilehisworktosee?"Couldthispossiblybethesamebeingwhomadethelamb?FormThepoemiscomprisedofsixquatrainsinrhymedcouplets.Themeterisregularandrhythmic,itshammeringbeatsuggestiveofthesmithythatisthepoem'scentralimage.Thesimplicityandneatproportionsofthepoemsformperfectlysuititsregularstructure,inwhichastringofquestionsallcontributetothearticulationofasingle,centralidea.CommentaryTheopeningquestionenactswhatwillbethesingledramaticgestureofthepoem,andeachsubsequentstanzaelaboratesonthisconception.Blakeisbuildingontheconventionalideathatnature,likeaworkofart,mustinsomewaycontainareflectionofitscreator.Thetigerisstrikinglybeautifulyetalsohorrificinitscapacityforviolence.WhatkindofaGod,then,couldorwoulddesignsuchaterrifyingbeastasthetiger?Inmoregeneralterms,whatdoestheundeniableexistenceofevilandviolenceintheworldtellusaboutthenatureofGod,andwhatdoesitmeantoliveinaworldwhereabeingcanatoncecontainbothbeautyandhorror?Thetigerinitiallyappearsasastrikinglysensuousimage.However,asthepoemprogresses,ittakesonasymboliccharacter,andcomestoembodythespiritualandmoralproblemthepoemexplores:perfectlybeautifulandyetperfectlydestructive,Blake'stigerbecomesthesymboliccenterforaninvestigationintothepresenceofevilintheworld.Sincethetiger'sremarkablenatureexistsbothinphysicalandmoralterms,thespeaker'squestionsaboutitsoriginmustalsoencompassbothphysicalandmoraldimensions.Thepoem'sseriesofquestionsrepeatedlyaskwhatsortofphysicalcreativecapacitythe"fearfulsymmetry"ofthetigerbespeaks;assumedlyonlyaverystrongandpowerfulbeingcouldbecapableofsuchacreation.Thesmithyrepresentsatraditionalimageofartisticcreation;hereBlakeappliesittothedivinecreationofthenaturalworld.The"forging"ofthetigersuggestsaveryphysical,laborious,anddeliberatekindofmaking;itemphasizestheawesomephysicalpresenceofthetigerandprecludestheideathatsuchacreationcouldhavebeeninanywayaccidentallyorhaphazardlyproduced.Italsocontinuesfromthefirstdescriptionofthetigertheimageryoffirewithitssimultaneousconnotationsofcreation,purification,anddestruction.Thespeakerstandsinaweofthetigerasasheerphysicalandaestheticachievement,evenasherecoilsinhorrorfromthemoralimplicationsofsuchacreation;forthepoemaddressesnotonlythequestionofwhocouldmakesuchacreatureasthetiger,butwhowouldperformthisact.Thisisaquestionofcreativeresponsibilityandofwill,andthepoetcarefullyincludesthismoralquestionwiththeconsiderationofphysicalpower.Note,inthethirdstanza,theparallelismof"shoulder"and"art,"aswellasthefactthatitisnotjustthebodybutalsothe"heart"ofthetigerthatisbeingforged.Therepeateduseofwordthe"dare"toreplacethe"could"ofthefirststanzaintroducesadimensionofaspirationandwillfulnessintothesheermightofthecreativeact.ThereferencetothelambinthepenultimatestanzaremindsthereaderthatatigerandalambhavebeencreatedbythesameGod,andraisesquestionsabouttheimplicationsofthis.Italsoinvitesacontrastbetweentheperspectivesof"experience"and"innocence"representedhereandinthepoem"TheLamb.""TheTyger"consistsentirelyofunansweredquestions,andthepoetleavesustoaweatthecomplexityofcreation,thesheermagnitudeofGod'spower,andtheinscrutabilityofdivinewill.Theperspectiveofexperienceinthispoeminvolvesasophisticatedacknowledgmentofwhatisunexplainableintheuniverse,presentingevilastheprimeexampleofsomethingthatcannotbedenied,butwillnotwithstandfacileexplanation,either.Theopenaweof"TheTyger"contrastswiththeeasyconfidence,in"TheLamb,"ofachild'sinnocentfaithinabenevolentuniverse.SummaryThespeakerwandersthroughthestreetsofLondonandcommentsonhisobservations.Heseesdespairinthefacesofthepeoplehemeetsandhearsfearandrepressionintheirvoices.Thewoefulcryofthechimney-sweeperstandsasachastisementtotheChurch,andthebloodofasoldierstainstheouterwallsofthemonarch'sresidence.Thenighttimeholdsnothingmorepromising:thecursingofprostitutescorruptsthenewborninfantandsulliesthe"Marriagehearse."FormThepoemhasfourquatrains,withalternatelinesrhyming.Repetitionisthemoststrikingformalfeatureofthepoem,anditservestoemphasizetheprevalenceofthehorrorsthespeakerdescribes.CommentaryTheopeningimageofwandering,thefocusonsound,andtheimagesofstainsinthispoem'sfirstlinesrecalltheIntroductiontoSongsofInnocence,butwithatwist;wearenowquitefarfromthepiping,pastoralbardoftheearlierpoem:weareinthecity.Thepoem'stitledenotesaspecificgeographicspace,notthearchetypallocalesinwhichmanyoftheotherSongsareset.Everythinginthisurbanspace--eventhenaturalRiverThames--submitstobeing"charter'd,"atermwhichcombinesmappingandlegalism.Blake'srepetitionofthisword(whichhethentopswithtworepetitionsof"mark"inthenexttwolines)reinforcesthesenseofstricturethespeakerfeelsuponenteringthecity.Itisasiflanguageitself,thepoet'smedium,experiencesahemming-in,arestrictionofresources.Blake'srepetition,thuddingandoppressive,reflectsthesuffocatingatmosphereofthecity.Butwordsalsoundergotransformationwithinthisrepetition:thus"mark,"betweenthethirdandfourthlines,changesfromaverbtoapairofnouns--fromanactofobservationwhichleavessomeroomforimaginativeelaboration,toanindelibleimprint,brandingthepeople'sbodiesregardlessofthespeaker'sactions.Ironically,thespeaker's"meeting"withthesemarksrepresentstheexperienceclosesttoahumanencounterthatthepoemwillofferthespeaker.Allthespeaker'ssubjects--men,infants,chimney-sweeper,soldier,harlot--areknownonlythroughthetracestheyleavebehind:theubiquitouscries,thebloodonthepalacewalls.Signsofhumansufferingabound,butacompletehumanform--thehumanformthatBlakehasusedrepeatedlyintheSongstopersonifyandrendernaturalphenomena--islacking.Inthethirdstanzathecryofthechimney-sweepandthesighofthesoldiermetamorphose(almostmystically)intosootonchurchwallsandbloodonpalacewalls--butweneverseethechimney-sweeporthesoldierthemselves.Likewise,institutionsofpower--theclergy,thegovernment--arerenderedbysynecdoche,bymentionoftheplacesinwhichtheyreside.Indeed,itiscrucialtoBlake'scommentarythatneitherthecity'svictimsnortheiroppressorseverappearinbody:Blakedoesnotsimplyblameasetofinstitutionsorasystemofenslavementforthecity'swoes;rather,thevictimshelptomaketheirown"mind-forg'dmanacles,"morepowerfulthanmaterialchainscouldeverbe.Thepoemclimaxesatthemomentwhenthecycleofmiseryrecommences,intheformofanewhumanbeingstartinglife:ababyisbornintopoverty,toacursing,prostitutemother.Sexualandmaritalunion--theplaceofpossibleregenerationandrebirth--aretaintedbytheblightofvenerealdisease.ThusBlake'sfinalimageisthe"Marriagehearse,"avehicleinwhichloveanddesirecombinewithdeathanddestruction."TheLamb"LittleLambwhomadetheeDostthouknowwhomadetheeGavetheelife&bidtheefeed.Bythestream&o'erthemead;Gavetheeclothingofdelight,Softestclothingwoolybright;Gavetheesuchatendervoice,Makingallthevalesrejoice!LittleLambwhomadetheeDostthouknowwhomadetheeLittleLambI'lltellthee,LittleLambI'lltellthee!Heiscalledbythyname,ForhecallshimselfaLamb:Heismeek&heismild,Hebecamealittlechild:Iachild&thoualamb,Wearecalledbyhisname.LittleLambGodblessthee.LittleLambGodblessthee.SummaryThepoembeginswiththequestion,"LittleLamb,whomadethee?"Thespeaker,achild,asksthelambaboutitsorigins:howitcameintobeing,howitacquireditsparticularmanneroffeeding,its"clothing"ofwool,its"tendervoice."Inthenextstanza,thespeakerattemptsariddlinganswertohisownquestion:thelambwasmadebyonewho"callshimselfaLamb,"onewhoresemblesinhisgentlenessboththechildandthelamb.Thepoemendswiththechildbestowingablessingonthelamb.Form"TheLamb"hastwostanzas,eachcontainingfiverhymedcouplets.Repetitioninthefirstandlastcoupletofeachstanzamakestheselinesintoarefrain,andhelpstogivethepoemitssong-likequality.Theflowingl'sandsoftvowelsoundscontributetothiseffect,andalsosuggestthebleatingofalamborthelispingcharacterofachild'schant.CommentaryThepoemisachild'ssong,intheformofaquestionandanswer.Thefirststanzaisruralanddescriptive,whilethesecondfocusesonabstractspiritualmattersandcontainsexplanationandanalogy.Thechild'squestionisbothnaiveandprofound.Thequestion("whomadethee?")isasimpleone,andyetthechildisalsotappingintothedeepandtimelessquestionsthatallhumanbeingshave,abouttheirownoriginsandthenatureofcreation.Thepoem'sapostrophicformcontributestotheeffectofnaiveté,sincethesituationofachildtalkingtoananimalisabelievableone,andnotsimplyaliterarycontrivance.Yetbyansweringhisownquestion,thechildconvertsitintoarhetoricalone,thuscounteractingtheinitialspontaneoussenseofthepoem.Theanswerispresentedasapuzzleorriddle,andeventhoughitisaneasyone--child'splay--thisalsocontributestoanunderlyingsenseofironicknowingnessorartificeinthepoem.Thechild'sanswer,however,revealshisconfidenceinhissimpleChristianfaithandhisinnocentacceptanceofitsteachings.ThelambofcoursesymbolizesJesus.ThetraditionalimageofJesusasalambunderscorestheChristianvaluesofgentleness,meekness,andpeace.TheimageofthechildisalsoassociatedwithJesus:intheGospel,Jesusdisplaysaspecialsolicitudeforchildren,andtheBible'sdepictionofJesusinhischildhoodshowshimasguilelessandvulnerable.Thesearealsothecharacteristicsfromwhichthechild-speakerapproachestheideasofnatureandofGod.Thispoem,likemanyoftheSongsofInnocence,acceptswhatBlakesawasthemorepositiveaspectsofconventionalChristianbelief.Butitdoesnotprovideacompletelyadequatedoctrine,becauseitfailstoaccountforthepresenceofsufferingandevilintheworld.Thependant(orcompanion)poemtothisone,foundintheSongsofExperience,is"TheTyger";takentogether,thetwopoemsgiveaperspectiveonreligionthatincludesthegoodandclearaswellastheterribleandinscrutable.Thesepoemscomplementeachothertoproduceafulleraccountthaneitheroffersindependently.TheyofferagoodinstanceofhowBlakehimselfstandssomewhereoutsidetheperspectivesofinnocenceandexperienceheprojects.WillaimBlakeisprotestingabouthowcruelsocietyisandhowithasturnedinnocentpeoplenomatterwhatageorgenderintocooperatingwithdominantideology.TheChurchsandtheRoyalswhorunthecountryareresponsibleforthesufferingandpollutinginnocentpeoplelives,hearguespeoplearesocialisedintoaterriblecycleweretherehealthisinjeopardy.Summary

ThespeakerwandersthroughthestreetsofLondonandcommentsonhisobservations.Heseesdespairinthefacesofthepeoplehemeetsandhearsfearandrepressionintheirvoices.Thewoefulcryofthechimney-sweeperstandsasachastisementtotheChurch,andthebloodofasoldierstainstheouterwallsofthemonarch'sresidence.Thenighttimeholdsnothingmorepromising:thecursingofprostitutescorruptsthenewborninfantandsulliesthe"Marriagehearse."

Thepoemhasfourquatrains,withalternatelinesrhyming.Repetitionisthemoststrikingformalfeatureofthepoem,anditservestoemphasizetheprevalenceofthehorrorsthespeakerdescribes.

Commentary

Theopeningimageofwandering,thefocusonsound,andtheimagesofstainsinthispoem'sfirstlinesrecalltheIntroductiontoSongsofInnocence,butwithatwist;wearenowquitefarfromthepiping,pastoralbardoftheearlierpoem:weareinthecity.Thepoem'stitledenotesaspecificgeographicspace,notthearchetypallocalesinwhichmanyoftheotherSongsareset.Everythinginthisurbanspace--eventhenaturalRiverThames--submitstobeing"charter'd,"atermwhichcombinesmappingandlegalism.Blake'srepetitionofthisword(whichhethentopswithtworepetitionsof"mark"inthenexttwolines)reinforcesthesenseofstricturethespeakerfeelsuponenteringthecity.Itisasiflanguageitself,thepoet'smedium,experiencesahemming-in,arestrictionofresources.Blake'srepetition,thuddingandoppressive,reflectsthesuffocatingatmosphereofthecity.Butwordsalsoundergotransformationwithinthisrepetition:thus"mark,"betweenthethirdandfourthlines,changesfromaverbtoapairofnouns--fromanactofobservationwhichleavessomeroomforimaginativeelaboration,toanindelibleimprint,brandingthepeople'sbodiesregardlessofthespeaker'sactions.

Ironically,thespeaker's"meeting"withthesemarksrepresentstheexperienceclosesttoahumanencounterthatthepoemwillofferthespeaker.Allthespeaker'ssubjects--men,infants,chimney-sweeper,soldier,harlot--areknownonlythroughthetracestheyleavebehind:theubiquitouscries,thebloodonthepalacewalls.Signsofhumansufferingabound,butacompletehumanform--thehumanformthatBlakehasusedrepeatedlyintheSongstopersonifyandrendernaturalphenomena--islacking.Inthethirdstanzathecryofthechimney-sweepandthesighofthesoldiermetamorphose(almostmystically)intosootonchurchwallsandbloodonpalacewalls--butweneverseethechimney-sweeporthesoldierthemselves.Likewise,institutionsofpower--theclergy,thegovernment--arerenderedbysynecdoche,bymentionoftheplacesinwhichtheyreside.Indeed,itiscrucialtoBlake'scommentarythatneitherthecity'svictimsnortheiroppressorseverappearinbody:Blakedoesnotsimplyblameasetofinstitutionsorasystemofenslavementforthecity'swoes;rather,thevictimshelptomaketheirown"mind-forg'dmanacles,"morepowerfulthanmaterialchainscouldeverbe.

Thepoemclimaxesatthemomentwhenthecycleofmiseryrecommences,intheformofanewhumanbeingstartinglife:ababyisbornintopoverty,toacursing,prostitutemother.Sexualandmaritalunion--theplaceofpossibleregenerationandrebirth--aretaintedbytheblightofvenerealdisease.ThusBlake'sfinalimageisthe"Marriagehearse,"avehicleinwhichloveanddesirecombinewithdeathanddestruction.ComparingThePoems‘London’&ComposedUponWestminster’sBridge’

WilliamBlake’spoem“London”,dealswiththedifficultandhardlifeinLondonatthattime.HedescribeshowdirtythestreetsandtheThamesisandhowthepoorpeoplesufferhopelesslyandhowtheyareindireneedofmoney..Hehascreatedadarkatmosphere,that’sdullandtiring,whereasin‘ComposedUponWestminster’sBridgeByWilliamWordsworthhistonehistoneispositive,calmandromantic.ThepoemdiscussestheviewfromWestminster’sBridgeandexplainshowovercomehehisbythebeautyonLondonisfromthisview.

Themainideasin‘London’thatBlakeistryingtoputacrossarethatLondonisahorrible,grottyplace.HealsosuggeststhatthepeopleinLondonliveinfearandmisery.Forexample‘everycryofeveryman’.Thissuggeststhateveryoneisupsetandasaresultofthistheyarecryingandalsotherepetitionof‘every’reallyemphasiseseveryoneofLondon.

Healsousesrepetitionof‘every’toemphasisetheideathateverymanofLondonissuffering.

Wordsworth’s‘ComposeduponWestminster’sBridge’createstheideaofawonderful,beautifulplace,that’scleanandcalm.Wordsworthhasusedpersonification,’ne’ersawme;neverfeltsodeep…DearGod!Theveryhousesseemasleep!

Thisexampleofpersonification,whichsuggeststhatLondonissopeacefulthatthehousesseemasleep.ThissuggeststhatLondonispeacefulbecauseeverythingissocalmandquitethatobjectsseemliketheirinapeacefulsleep.HealsoputanexplanationmarkattheendofthestanzawhichemphasisesWordsworth’spointthatLondonisawonderfulplace.

ThelanguageBlakehasusedin‘London’ismainlynegative,becauseheusesdark,gloomyadjectives,suchas,‘blackening’.Thissuggestsadark,evilandcorruptscene.HedoesthistocreateanegativepictureofLondon.BlakeshowshisdisgustandhatredoftheLondonhelivedin.forexample,hementionstheidea‘Plague’forexample,’BlightsWithPlaguesthemarriage-hearse’.Thissuggeststhateventhehappiestthings,suchasmarriagearetarnishedwithdisease.Blakealsousesdarkimagerytocreateadarktoneofthepoem.Thereisalsoanexampleofjuxta-positionin‘London’whenBlakeput‘marriage’and‘hearse’together,suggestingmarriagethendeath.Theeffectofplacingasymbolofdeathnexttomarriage–ahappyeventissayingbasicallythathappiestthingsinlifearetarnishedbydisease,suchastheplague,causingdeath.

‘ComposedUponWestminster’sBridge’byWilliamWordsworthhasacompletelydifferenttoneandatmospheretothepoem.Wordsworthusespositiveadjectivestoreflectbeautyandpeace,suchas,beauty’and‘bare’.TheseadjectivesreflectapeacefulandcalmsceneofLondoninthattime.Heusesromanticimagery,‘Neverdidthesunmorebeautifullysteep’whichbasicallymeans;neverdidthesunshinemorebeautifullythanitshoneuponLondonthatday.WordsworthusespositivelanguagebecausehewantstocreateapositivenameuponLondonandtoshowthatthenegativesceneonLondoncansometimesnotbetrue.

Wordsworthhasalsousedcleanadjectivesandimagerysuchas‘smokelessair’andquietsoundslike‘silent.HeusesthistypeoflanguagetoshowthecalmnessofLondon.Theword‘smokeless’meansthatbasicallytheairisclean.

Thepoem‘London’iswritteninfourstanzas.Thepoemusesan‘A,B,A,B’rhymingpattern,whichisrestrictedtothatbeat.Blakealsousesassonanceforexample‘flow’and‘woe’;whereasinWordsworth’spoem‘ComposedUponWestminster’sBridge’isasonnet.Ithas14linesandiswritteniniambicpentameter.Tiger,y