CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF WILLIAM BLAKE'S POEM “LONDON”

Abstract

This research paper will critically analyze the poem London by William Blake through the lens of Norman Fairclough’s 3D model of discourse analysis. This paper analyzes the poem for its text, context, and the ideologies present within it as portrayed by Blake with subjectivity and intensity in an urban environment. This critical overview considers the ways in which language and imagery of the poem undermine the social and political reality of Georgian London, focusing on the problem of poverty, oppression, and corruption of the institutions. By applying Fairclough’s model, the paper reveals how Blake’s use of stark, emotive language communicates a deep sense of despair, yet also implicitly calls for social change.  The work identifies the purpose of the poem in at least two ways: as a satire of the city condition and as the poet’s ideological platform demanding a change in the existing mentality, system of priorities, societal values and the status quo. This paper demonstrates how Blake’s seemingly simple words contain layers of meaning that challenge the reader's perception of power, inequality, and morality in the context of urban life.