This study notes covers Anchor Quote: "Marriage hearse" within London (Blake) for GCSE English Literature. Revise London (Blake) in Power and Conflict Poetry for GCSE English Literature with 10 exam-style questions and 16 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 6 of 15 in this topic. Use this study notes to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
🗣️ Anchor Quote: "Marriage hearse"
And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse
Why this quote matters: Blake ends with a shocking oxymoron: a "Marriage hearse" fuses a wedding (life, love) with a hearse (death). He argues the corruption is total — even love and new life are poisoned by the disease the "youthful Harlot" spreads, itself a product of a society that drives the young into prostitution. Blake leaves no hope at the close.
Use this quote when answering: the endings of poems; how Blake makes suffering total/cyclical; the corruption of innocence; comparison with bleak closings (Exposure's "nothing happens").
Practice questions for London (Blake)
In Blake's poem 'London', what does the word 'chartered' most closely mean?
Identify ONE structural or formal feature Blake uses in 'London' and explain how it contributes to the poem's meaning. (2 marks)