London MCQs and Summary

Summary:

“London” is a dark, critical poem by William Blake, published in 1794 as part of his collection Songs of Experience. The poem depicts the suffering and oppression in the city of London during the Industrial Revolution.

The speaker walks through the streets of London and observes misery, poverty, and corruption everywhere. He describes the “marks of weakness, marks of woe” on people’s faces, symbolizing their oppression. The poem criticizes institutional control, including the monarchy, the church, and the government, for failing the common people.

Some of the powerful images in the poem include:

• “Every black’ning Church appalls” – Criticism of the Church’s hypocrisy.
• “The hapless Soldier’s sigh / Runs in blood down Palace walls” – A reference to the cost of war and monarchy’s indifference.
• “How the youthful Harlot’s curse / Blasts the new-born Infant’s tear” – A tragic image of disease and suffering caused by societal neglect.

The poem conveys themes of oppression, corruption, suffering, and the failure of institutions. Blake’s London is a place of despair, controlled by forces that strip people of their freedom and happiness.

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MCQs:

1. Who wrote the poem London?
   A) William Wordsworth
   B) William Blake
   C) Samuel Taylor Coleridge
   D) John Keats
   Answer: B) William Blake
2. Which poetry collection includes London?
   A) Songs of Innocence
   B) Songs of Experience
   C) Lyrical Ballads
   D) Paradise Lost
   Answer: B) Songs of Experience
3. What is the main theme of London?
   A) The beauty of nature
   B) The joys of childhood
   C) The corruption and suffering in society
   D) The greatness of industrialization
   Answer: C) The corruption and suffering in society

   

4. What does the phrase “mind-forg’d manacles” mean?
   A) Physical chains
   B) Self-imposed limitations and oppression
   C) The power of the government
   D) Religious freedom
   Answer: B) Self-imposed limitations and oppression
5. Which institution is criticized in the line “Every black’ning Church appalls”?
   A) The monarchy
   B) The military
   C) The Church
   D) The Parliament
   Answer: C) The Church
6. What does the phrase “Runs in blood down Palace walls” symbolize?
   A) The beauty of London
   B) The power of the King
   C) The suffering of soldiers due to war and monarchy’s neglect
   D) The destruction of nature
   Answer: C) The suffering of soldiers due to war and monarchy’s neglect
7. What is the significance of “the youthful Harlot’s curse”?
   A) A blessing for newborns
   B) The joy of love
   C) The spread of disease and social decay
   D) A magical spell
   Answer: C) The spread of disease and social decay
8. What literary device is used in “marks of weakness, marks of woe”?
   A) Simile
   B) Metaphor
   C) Alliteration
   D) Repetition
   Answer: D) Repetition
9. What does the speaker of the poem do?
   A) He celebrates London’s prosperity
   B) He walks through the streets and observes suffering
   C) He writes a letter to the King
   D) He describes a happy childhood
   Answer: B) He walks through the streets and observes suffering
10. What type of poem is London?
    A) Sonnet
    B) Ballad
    C) Lyrical poem
    D) Dramatic monologue
    Answer: C) Lyrical poem