An analysis of Marxist views present in William Blakes poem London

Marxist views can be frequently found within William Blakes poem London. The poem itself
was both written and published in 1792, a full half a century before Karl Marx would publish his
Marxist theory in 1848. Despite this his views can definitely be described as Marxist, even
though he did not have the blueprint for Marxism at that point in time.
The theological similarities between the views expressed in the poem London and Karl Marxs
beliefs are easily found, for example Karl Marx believed that the proletariat would one day rise
up against the bourgeoisie. We see this written in Karl Marxs notes the working class must
seize political power internationally through a social revolution whilst in the poem London
William Blake notes that the working class could easily rise up against the ruling elite but do not
because of their mind-forged manacles.
The strongest evidence supporting the claim of Marxist views being found in London is
William Blakes criticism of an institutionalised world or as we call it capitalism. For example in
the poem William Blake speaks against several institutions including the Church and the Army.
Evidence of this is in the quotes Blackening the churches appals and the hapless soldiers
sigh. Both of these institutions would have been incredibly powerful during both William
Blakes and Karl Marxs time and both of them are key features of a capitalist society. One of the
key and strongest features of Marxism is Karl Marxs critique of capitalism, with Marxism often
being described as the polar opposite to capitalism. Evidence of this can be found in Karl Marxs
notes. In capitalist society, an economic minority, dominate and exploit the working class
majority. The army is a powerful institution within a capitalist society and the the Hapless
Soldiers Sigh could be a silent protest against fighting to uphold a system which ultimately
forces his friends, family and social kin to live a life of hardship and poverty. A silent protest
against defending capitalism. When Blake describes the Soldier as Hapless he is probably
referring to him as miserable, this would connote that a soldiers life is not full of courage and
valour as the proletariat were led to believe.
The next line Runs in blood down the palace walls could carry on from this, noting their silent
protests against the system does nothing to prevent the domination of the working classes and
could even be a reference to the soldiers being forced to keep the proletariat in line. This ties in
with Marxism strongly as Karl Marx stated that the proletariat revolutions will be successful
when the soldiers of the bourgeoisie abandon them and join their fellow proletariat. It could also
be reference to soldier dying, Runs in blood, in order to defend an indifferent monarchy,
palace.
Economic power is another key ideal that is engraved into Marxism. Karl Marx believed that
because the proletariat produced the worlds goods and material riches, the economic rights
belonged to the proletariat and not the ruling elite. For example Karl Marx wrote The mode of
production of material life conditions the general process if social, political and intellectual life.
In the poem London we see William Blake express similar views. When he wrote In every
infants cry of fear and Blood down the palace walls he could be referring to the conditions of
the manual work force through out Britain. The first quote seems to relate to child labour, at the
time gruesome, and mostly true, stories circulated amongst the populace about fatal accidents

involving factory machinery and children. The second seems to refer to the extraordinary lengths
workers had to go to, basically become slaves to the ruling elite. Both their blights are directly
caused by their uncaring and capitalist employers. Here William clearly emphasizes sympathy
for the working classes blight as even though they supply the bourgeoisie with a much needed
and essential work force they are still exploited and ill treated by the ruling elite, when it is them
earning them their fortune.
One of the strongest lines from Williams Blakes London is the line The mind forged
manacles I hear. This line refers to the view accepted by Karl Marx, William Blake and many
other socialists of that time and modern day. It refers to the idea that the proletariat population do
not stand up for themselves against the bourgeoisie, and simply accept their fate. Karl Marx
famously believed No mind is free, they only perceive to be. It would seem from the quote
The mind forged manacles I
hear that William Blake believed in the same opinion, that working class do not rise up because
the bourgeoisie have convinced them that they are free, and that society cannot be changed.
London also speaks of the Church. When he says the Church is Blackening it is possible he
is referring to the irony of the Church itself. Based around a religion that supposedly promotes
high morals, the Church of the time was a dark business. At the time the church enjoyed much
influence and power and it was not afraid to flex its muscles. It at the time supported several
industrial businesss which were heavily involved in Child Labour and often commandeered
from these businesss child chimney sweeps. The Life of the Chimney sweep was seen as a great
hardship, and these children went into the hearts of churches, and came out all the same into a
life of poverty. By talking about both Chimney-sweeps and the role of the church How
chimney-sweepers cry/Every blackening church appals. William Blake is bluntly criticizing the
church. By doing so he is also expressing another Marxist Ideal of atheism. Karl Marx famously
proclaimed Religion is the opium of the masses.
Exploitation is another key theme within Marxism, Karl Marx stated that the ruling elite exploit
the working class through use of labour, making their subjects produce much more produce than
is actually needed. In the time of William Blake and Karl Marx men were forced to work long,
almost un-endurable shifts with very little pay. In London we see William Blake describe the
sexual exploitation of women by the higher classes. He talks about the spread of sexually
transmitted infections STDs amongst prostitutes. Prostitution was a common practice in the
late 18th century, as working class women were undermined and had very little education so had
limited options. In the final stanza William Blake writes How the youthful harlots curse/Blasts
the new-born infants tear this can be seen as reference to the bourgeoisie using working class
prostitutes and unfortunately impregnating them. It could also be telling the reader these women
will never get a chance fully love and become attached to their children for they were fathered by
someone unknown and uncaring. The spread of STDs was also rife so these children would have
been born already infected. When William Blake writes How the youthful harlots curse, the
Harlots Curse could be an STD given from a prostitute to a member of the ruling elite and the
New born infants tear could be the child of the bourgeoisie however infected because his father
sexually exploited working class women and as a result infected his wife also.

Symbolically this sexual exploitation could refer to the exploitation of the working class. Their
negative circumstances are greatly multiplied by being both metaphorically and literally raped by
the ruling elite, like how the rights and lives of the working class are raped and used by the
ruling elite. This could also mean that symbolically the STDs mentioned in London could be
the emerging socialism of the late 18th century infecting both working and higher classes, which
could be deadly if the socialism caused the proletariat to rise up, like during the French
revolution. The Harlotts Curse could be considered a threat to the higher classes.
The question does arise however that if this poem was written half a century before Marxism was
founded how can this poem express Marxist ideals? The simple answer is that Marxism is a
collection of ideals that already existed; it then progressed upon these already existing ideals.
When William Blake expresses views that relate to Marxist ideals he is not intentionally writing
with Marxism in mind. Despite this the late 18th century was a time of great change in
ideological thinking and sympathy for the blight of the working classes. The first forms of
socialist ideological thinking were coming into being and many creatives were expressing their
own form of socialist messages through literature and art. At the specific period in time France
had been gripped by revolution from below, and many British both feared and hoped for some
kind of similar proletariat revolution. Because of these extreme events on continental Europe
ideas of reform would have crept into many peoples heads.
This poem has been interpreted in several different ways, some similar to my own interpretation
that I have shown above and some different. The most widely accepted interpretation, favoured
by critics such as E.P Thompson is that London is a Socialist Protest against the blight of the
working classes. However some argue other interpretations for example Harold Bloom who
argues this is a response to biblical prophecies. Personally I would agree with the view that this
poem is a Socialist Protest as I think here is more evidence to support this.
In conclusion I think it is safe to say that William Blakes London expresses many Marxist
ideals, despite the fact it couldnt have been written with Marxism in mind. I say this because I
believe William Blake wrote this poem to protest against several problems (Institutions,
exploitations, etc etc) that was present within the current capitalist system, which is almost the
same reason why Karl Marx did in fact write his theory of Marxism. In the very first stanza
Blake writes And mark in every face I meet, Marks of weakness, marks of woe, connoting a
class of people who living in poverty and misery. William Blake with his poem is expressing
another Marxist ideal, Marxism predicts that every nation will one day succumb to a proletariat
revolution. William Blake seems to warn the bourgeoisie, And blights with plagues the
marriage-hearse. He could be saying here that some way some how, if you push the working
class too far they will eventually push back.