Through repetition, the speaker introduces us to systemic oppression in the capital of the British Empire. "London," by William Blake, highlights deplorable living conditions in the city at a time when the Empire was flourishing. The poem takes us through a journey of what is seen and heard to give us a clear understanding of life for the poor people who lived in the shadows of the striving economy. The word "charter'd" means ownership and with it the speaker takes issue with how the roads and the river Thames are controlled by the wealthy. The speaker observes people as he wanders along the…