Exploring form in 'London' by William Blake | English

Starter quiz

Which of the following are written in first person perspective?
- You walk through the crowded, dirty streets of London.
- I see the sorrow in every face I meet. ✓
- You notice the blackened walls of the church.
- I feel the oppression in the air. ✓
Which of the following are written in second person perspective?
- You observe the misery of the city's inhabitants. ✓
- You hear the cries of chimney-sweepers and soldiers. ✓
- She sees the sorrow in every face she meets.
- He wanders through the crowded, dirty streets of London.
Which of the following are written in third person perspective?
- You feel the oppression in the air.
- He notices the blackened walls of the church. ✓
- He observes the misery of the city's inhabitants. ✓
- I shudder at hearing the cursing of others.
Which of the following words from the poem rhyme?
- fear
- street
- woe ✓
- man
- flow ✓
The poem 'London' is from which collection of poetry?
- Songs of Experience ✓
- Songs of Innocence
- The Thought Fox: Collected Animal Poems Vol 4
True or false? All poems must have a strong beat and rhythm.
- True
- False ✓

Match the keywords to their definitions.
- form
  
  ⇔
  
  the way that a text can be presented ✓
- perspective
  
  ⇔
  
  the point of view or position from which the poet writes ✓
- repetition
  
  ⇔
  
  the repeated use of sounds, words, phrases or structural elements ✓
What is the rhyme scheme of the poem 'London'?
- ABBA
- ABCB
- ABAB ✓
Which line from the poem is written in first person perspective?
- "In every cry of every man"
- "I wander through each chartered street” ✓
- "In every infant's cry of fear"
Which of the following words are repeated throughout the poem?
- "church"
- "marks" ✓
- "tear"
- "every" ✓
- "Thames"
Which of the following are true?
- The poem has a rhyme scheme of ABAB. ✓
- The poem contains examples of repetition. ✓
- The poem has a rhyme scheme of ABCB.
- The poem does not contain examples of repetition.
Match each example of repetition to the impact that it has on the reader or listener.
- “I hear”
  
  ⇔
  
  shows how the narrator is surrounded by sounds of suffering ✓
- “charter'd”
  
  ⇔
  
  emphasises how controlled everything in the city is ✓
- “every”
  
  ⇔
  
  suggests that the negative experiences are universal ✓

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The poem is a dramatic monologue; this is when one person speaks in a poem or story, sharing their perspective.
The poem has a structured form with a consistent rhyme scheme.
The poem has an ABAB rhyme scheme.
Blake uses repetition to emphasise certain words or phrases or to create a particular effect.
Reader's viewpoints about the impact of the poem may differ as we are all unique.

Pupils may find clapping the beat of the poem challenging.

A metronome could be used to support the reading. This would work best in 4/4 - four beats per measure.

Form - the way that a text can be presented
Perspective - the point of view or position from which the poet writes, influencing the way events or ideas are portrayed and understood
Rhyme scheme - the pattern of rhyming words or sounds at the end of each line in a poem, often represented using letters to indicate the rhyme pattern (e.g., AABB, ABAB)
Repetition - the repeated use of sounds, words, phrases or structural elements that are repeated for emphasis or for a particular effect