PPT(London).ppt

William Blake1757-1827 Life story Background information about the poem Characteristics of the Poem London Translation and paraphrase of the poem Life Story William Blake was born in a business family in London in 1757. He educated himself through self-study. When he was 14, he was apprenticed to be an engraver and then made his living by engraving to illustrate the works for various publishers. He wrote romantic poems and supported the French Revolution. In his old age Blake gave up poetry to devote himself to painting and engraving. In 1827, Blake died in poverty and loneliness. London I wander thro’ each charter’d streets, Near where the charter’d Thames does flow, And mark in every face I meet Marks of weakness, marks of woe. ? In every cry of every Man, In every Infant’s cry of fear, In every voice, in every ban, The mind-forg’d manacles I hear. ? How the Chimney-sweeper’s cry Every black’ning Church appalls; And the hapless Soldier’s sigh Runs in blood down Palace wall. ? But most thro’ midnight streets I hear How the youthful Harlot’s curse Blasts the new-born Infant’s tear, And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse. ? About the poem Background: After the French Revolution broke out, the English government felt so alarmed that it strengthened the suppression of democratic activities in England. London, the English capital appeared quite different from before. It was filled with gloom, terror and misery. The speaker wanders through the streets of London and comments on his observations. He sees sorrow and despair in the faces of the people he meets and hears fear and repression in their voices. The woeful cry of the chimney-sweeper stands as a chastisement to the Church, and the blood of a soldier stains the outer walls of the monarchs residence. The nighttime holds nothing more promising: the cursing of prostitutes corrupts the newborn infant and sullies the Marriage hearse. Features of London Internal External Internal character