Year 10 - English
Understanding the poem 'London'
'Power and Conflict'
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Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupis explore 12 of the 15 poems from the 'Power and Conflict' anthology. Pupils complete two lessons about each poem: one on understanding and one on analysis. Pupils study the poems in three groups, and they pause after each group to compare how those poems present common themes.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain how Blake presents oppression and corruption in society in his poem 'London'.
Key Notes
- Blake explores the tensions between the human passions and the repressive nature of social and political conventions
- 'Songs of Innocence and Experience' investigates how society corrupts innocence
- Blake was critical of social inequality created by institutions: the Church, Government, the monarchy
- Across 'Songs of Innocence and Experience' he highlights the effect of the inaction of callous leaders on the vulnerable
- Blake was a radical, inspired by Rousseau and the French Revolution, to warn about the restrictions on freedom
Vocabulary To Learn
- Oppression: when people are governed in an unfair, cruel way
- Corruption: illegal, immoral behaviour by those in power
- Complicit: involved in immoral activity
- Chartered: land that was once held in common but is now privately owned and controlled
- Manacles: another word for handcuffs; used to restrain prisoners
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils might first read the poem as entirely literal. e.g. "black'ning church" refers to pollution of the industrial revolution.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
Blake explores the tensions between the human passions and the repressive nature of social and political conventions. 'Songs of Innocence and Experience' investigates how society corrupts innocence.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'Oppression'
when people are governed in an unfair, cruel way.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: Pupils might first read the poem as entirely literal. e.g. "black'ning church" refers to pollution of the industrial revolution. Correction: Several ideas are metaphorical or symbolic in the poem. E.g. Blake refers to the corruption of the church (the church is also symbolic of religion as a whole).
More Lessons In This Unit
- An introduction to themes in the Power and Conflict poetry anthology Study Guide
- Analysing ideas of power and conflict in Blake's 'London' Study Guide
- Analysing the concept of power in Shelley's 'Ozymandias' Study Guide
- Analysing the poem 'Bayonet Charge' Study Guide
- Analysing the poem 'Charge of the Light Brigade' Study Guide
- Analysing the poem 'Exposure' Study Guide
- Analysing the poem 'Extract from The Prelude' Study Guide
- Analysing the Poem 'Kamikaze' Study Guide
- Analysing the poem 'My Last Duchess' Study Guide
- Analysing the poem 'Poppies' Study Guide
- Analysing the Poem 'Remains' Study Guide
- Analysing the poem 'Storm on the Island' Study Guide
- Analysing the poem 'War Photographer' Study Guide
- Comparing 'Poppies' and Duffy's 'War Photographer' Study Guide
- Comparing 'Power and Conflict' war poems Study Guide
- Comparing conflict in war poems from the Power and Conflict anthology Study Guide
- Comparing Romantic poets' attitudes to nature Study Guide
- Comparing the presentation of power in 'My Last Duchess' and 'Ozymandias' Study Guide
- Developing interpretations of 'Remains' with Simon Armitage Study Guide
- Power and Conflict poetry: developing comparative essay writing skills Study Guide
- Understanding the connections between Romanticism and Shelley's 'Ozymandias' Study Guide
- Understanding the poem 'Bayonet Charge' Study Guide
- Understanding the poem 'Charge of the Light Brigade' Study Guide
- Understanding the poem 'Exposure' Study Guide
- Understanding the poem 'Extract from the Prelude' Study Guide
- Understanding the Poem 'Kamikaze' Study Guide
- Understanding the poem 'My Last Duchess' Study Guide
- Understanding the poem 'Poppies' Study Guide
- Understanding the poem 'Remains' Study Guide
- Understanding the poem 'Storm on the Island' Study Guide
- Understanding the poem 'War Photographer' Study Guide
- Writing introductions and topic sentences for poetry comparison Study Guide
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