Interpreting William Blake’s ‘London’: A Deep Dive into 18th Century British Society

In this post, we’re delving into the depths of the London scene portrayed by William Blake, the renowned 18th-century British romantic poet. His evocative poem, “London”, paints a stark picture of urban life at the onset of the Industrial Revolution, a time when the agrarian society was fading into history, making way for the hustle and bustle of city life.

Original Print of Blake's "London"

Blake’s poem is a potent social critique, where the language is economical, yet the power of his word choice is profound. He makes use of repeated phrases and words, drawing attention to the dichotomy of city life and nature, the man-made versus the natural, the stark reality versus the fairy tale expectation.

“London” is not a mere depiction of city life. Rather, it presents a narrator wandering through its streets, observing and internalizing the miseries of humanity he encounters. There’s an aura of loneliness and unhappiness, a sense of disconnect despite being surrounded by others, which resonates with anyone who has ever experienced the anonymity of urban life.

Blake’s narrator points to the marks of weakness and exhaustion on the faces of those coming from factories, critiquing the exploitative labor conditions of the time. The poet also highlights societal apathy towards the suffering of young chimney sweepers, a tragic reminder of the city’s dark secrets. The chimney sweepers, who were often children, worked in deplorable conditions, their plight remaining unnoticed or ignored by the very society that benefitted from their labor.

Blake doesn’t hold back in his critique of institutional indifference. The Church and the State, he argues, are indifferent to human suffering and injustice. The poem illustrates the plight of soldiers shedding blood for the interests of the state and the harlots who were often inflicted with diseases, only to pass them onto their customers who would unknowingly bring them back home.

The poem doesn’t offer a solution. Instead, it acts as a protest, crying out against societal ills and apathy. Blake presents a vivid picture of a society manacled by its own despair, bound by the chains of its inaction. By voicing out these atrocities, the poet forces us to confront our own complacency and challenges us to question what we would do in the face of such human misery.

Blake, who was also a skilled printmaker, often supplemented his poems with visual imagery. For “London”, he illustrates a young boy leading an old man and a child warming up by a fire, which further highlights the pervasiveness of suffering in the city.

In essence, Blake’s “London” is not just a depiction of city life, but a thought-provoking critique of society and a plea for empathy and action. Although it doesn’t end on a note of hope, it prompts us to reflect on our role in society and to consider how we can alleviate the suffering around us.

Hey, Teachers!

Teach the poem "London" to students in middle and high school with a jam-packed teacher resource on William Blake's London and the Industrial Revolution.

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Poem: The Bars Closed / So Are We

Most mornings, I rouse myself—

today, the clock glares at 4:22,

propped up in my temple-bed.

Mornings always feel so hard,

but I’m determined—

I fish for clothes in the hamper

and push myself out into bleak, wet Queens.

You know, after 4 AM is a switch point:

New York City’s bars have closed,

spilling a puddle of people

onto the damp streets—

Megan, all curves on Roosevelt Avenue,

and denizens of the club,

shouting loudly and hugging each other

in their glaring halter tops

and early spring jerseys—

like completing a ritual, inebriated but satisfied,

reluctant to return

to whatever fragile domesticity waits.

I’m with them—

just trying to catch a train.

And in that crowd,

something inside me steadies,

as though I’ve found a handle

on the world for a moment,

glad not to be alone

in my own head.

By the time I meet Joshua at Penn Station,

I’m more myself,

a quiet song building in my mind.

He’s already awake,

his T-shirt too tight but somehow easy on him.

I grin at how polite he is

to the train attendant,

asking where coach class is—

I could have told him,

but I’m busy weaving stories

in my head, barely hearing him say,

“I’m glad you’re with me.”

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Unlocking Greek Mythology: Fresh Vocabulary Lessons Your Students Will Love Before Spring Break!

I bet you are ready for Spring Break (or maybe it has already started)—especially if you teach middle and high school. I know I am. Whether you are teaching mythology to middle school students in an ELA class, or you are diving into Homer's epics with high school students—the weeks before spring break are an effective time to do something different with all those myths you are reading. Bernard Evslin, in his fantastic book of Greek myth, has a chapter on vocabulary called "When Myth Becomes Language". I have created a slew of resources to connect the murky, enigmatic myths we read with kids to how these stories are part of our everyday life and language. Check it out, and I guarantee your students will appreciate the fresh look (while helping them build academic vocabulary).

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Bring Greek Mythology into Everyday Life: Engaging Lessons on How Myth Becomes Language!

Are your students fascinated by Greek myths but wondering how these ancient stories relate to their lives today? Inspired by Bernard Evslin's insightful exploration of myth and language, these classroom-ready resources vividly demonstrate how mythology permeates our everyday vocabulary and expressions.

Perfectly suited for middle school ELA classes or high school students diving into Homer’s epics, this collection offers an exciting shift from traditional teaching—especially ideal for the energizing weeks leading up to Spring Break!

Your students will:

✓ Explore engaging vocabulary activities that directly link mythical stories to modern language.

✓ Discover how common words and expressions originated from the rich tapestry of Greek mythology.

✓ Participate in interactive exercises that build essential academic vocabulary skills aligned with Common Core Standards.

✓ Make meaningful connections between ancient texts and contemporary life, deepening their appreciation and understanding of literature.

Students love working with these myth-related vocabulary cards.
Buy them on the Stones of Erasmus TpT store.

Classroom-tested and designed for active engagement, these lessons turn mythology into accessible, intriguing, and highly relevant content your students will love. Boost student enthusiasm and vocabulary retention with this dynamic, practical resource set.

Digital Download: Comprehensive, easy-to-use materials guaranteed to add depth and excitement to your ELA and Humanities curriculum.

Free Mythology Resource

Not sure what to teach next? Here's a freebie to get you started. I compiled some of my most popular reading cards from units I have assembled for Stones of Erasmus.

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Flash Fiction: Hashtag Smart (A Story Out of School)

I wrote a flash fiction piece—called 'Hashtag smart'—about a teacher, Mr. Stanley, in an 11th grade English class overrun every morning by a group of 10th grade boys. Discover quirky student banter, T.S. Eliot echoes, and a nostalgic, witty classroom vibe.

Mr. Stanley and His Second Period English Language Arts Class

Hashtag Smart

Tuesday morning, 8:56 AM. My second-period English Language Arts class. My class is 11th graders—some already seated, a copy of T.S. Eliot’s “Journey of the Magi” scattered neatly on every particleboard desk. Adolescents shuffle in, earbuds firmly planted, eyes downcast, looking like they just tumbled in from sleep. It’s an unusually tepid March day, and the AC in my room is blasting like it’s the middle of July. Why? My classroom still has these ancient 1950s grill heaters that think it’s their job to keep us all toasty—even in March.

“It’s a sauna in here,” I say out loud, but to no one in particular. Allan, a mobile gamer aficionado, who’s always a beat behind—like he’s buffering—enters the room. 

“Hi, Allan,” I offer.

He responds, “Huh?”

“Hi,” I say. I wait a beat. And then—“Oh, hey, Mr. Stanley.” Robbie, the athlete, is already dribbling an imaginary basketball. A mess of them. But these boys are not in my class. “Feral golden retrievers,” I dub them—left teacherless for a few minutes because their real teacher is perennially late, trekking from her homeroom on the top floor. So, these 10th-grade boys have taken to nesting in my room until she arrives. It’s become a bit of a ritual, and who am I to ruin their squatter status?

 

There are ditches I no longer die in.

Enrique, stabbing Quentin with the blunt end of a ball-point pen, tells me, “Mr. Stanley, did you know the teacher who’s going to replace you did like a lesson in Ms. Patil’s class yesterday?” I was quitting after teaching in the same school for sixteen years. I had broken the news to the kids just a few days prior. But it still felt raw. Premature. But I offered demurely, “Oh, really? How’d it go?” Enrique grins, “He kept saying ‘hashtag smart’ every time someone answered a question.” Marsha, one of my quirkier students, and actually on my second-period roster, chimes in, “Hashtag smart? That’s so stupid.” 

I secretly relished her response. A kind of commiseration. 

A tinny voice from the hallway—“Don’t be tardy, y’all,” and the stragglers, reluctant, evacuate.

Flash forward. June.

I’m packing up books, and those loitering-sophomore boys from second period show up in my room. They’d just finished their finals, and here they were as if it were two minutes before second period. We chat about summer plans—Anton’s off to summer camp, Robbie might visit family in Belize, and Yuvraj, the one I call “The Prince,” is still insisting he’s a better writer than I am.

Then silence. I take the initiative. And walk towards the door. And like a dismissal, the boys depart. And I stood there in my vacant room. But one of the boys—Yuvraj, the Prince, pokes his head back in—“Hey, Mr. Stanley. Hashtag smart!” And before I can rejoinder—he’s gone. I cross my arms across my chest. A wan smile settles there. And, as T.S. Eliot might say, it was satisfactory.

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My Journey of Personal Growth: A Forty-something’s Self-Reflection

As a kid, I dreamed of becoming an adult. Join me on a reflective journey of personal transformation—through youth, monastic life, teaching, and the Nietzschean notion of amor fati—as I navigate the complexities of turning forty with hope, introspection, and an unyielding embrace of life’s uncertainties.

Me in a family Christmas photo—I'm like nine or ten (circa 1989)

As a kid, I dreamed of becoming an adult. From my early adolescence to the present, my life has been marked by transformative periods of personal growth and self-discovery. I see these phases as chapters, each contributing to my evolving identity as an individual and as an educator.

Me in the Late Nineties Entering Ms. Decker's Freshman Biology Class
Image Credit: Mandeville High School Yearbook

Youthful Exploration (Ages 12 to 18)

Between the ages of 12 and 18, I was in a stage of youthful exploration, where my interests spanned from joining the book club and library club to participating in theater. I started understanding my identity better, acknowledging my sexuality, and embracing my “Louisiana-ness.” This was also a period of profound spiritual exploration as I deeply engaged with Catholicism. At the same time, I was fortunate enough to travel and broaden my perspectives, continually feeding my voracious appetite for reading and learning.

The ‘Monastic Period’ (Ages 18 to 28)

The next ten years, from 18 to 28, I describe as my “monastic period.” I embraced a life of simplicity and devotion as a Benedictine in the seminary. Besides living in Europe, I completed my undergraduate and graduate studies during this time. The benefits were many: a carefree existence without the worry of rent or expenses. However, this period also marked a time of suppressed sexuality—an important aspect of my identity.

Shifting Gears: Teaching and Life Changes (Age 28 and Onward)

At 28, I decided to leave the monastic life and ventured into the world of teaching high school. This marked the beginning of another transformative chapter that spanned 14 years. During this time, I earned a second master’s degree, taught in various New York neighborhoods, and I finished an advanced certification to teach adolescent English from Hunter College. It’s a defining moment as I’m equipped with a robust educational background and valuable experience.

Me in my early 30s

Comparing Generations, Embracing the Future

Reflecting on these experiences in my 40s, on the cusp of turning 45 years and one month old (tomorrow), I can’t help but make comparisons to my mother’s life at my age—hers was marked by tumultuous times. Today, Mom sent me a sweet text message (funny how when she was in her 40s, she had a pager):

“I pray you are having a good day. Stay safe!! I’m proud of the hard work you do. Love you!—Mom!”

Mom had it tough—both of her parents had died before she graduated high school. She divorced bitterly from my father after a marriage of twenty years. She had Cancer, then a series of other health setbacks—and then a diseased aorta—but she made it through strong each time. Mom attributes it to her faith. I attribute it to her tenacity and very strong ego (but not egotistical).

As I consider my own future, and think of my own troubles, they pale in comparison. I live a single life; I am a high school English teacher, and I don’t own a house or a car (but I live in New York City, so that’s normal). I still hold onto the belief that I can cultivate a happier existence than the generations before me. I am excited about making decisions that align with my aspirations and moving forward, free from self-imposed limitations.

But it is scary.

Navigating the Complexities of Adulthood

The last 14 years have been a challenging journey—one where I truly learned to navigate the complexities of adulthood. I went from hoping and dreaming for financial independence to living in different cities, with a host of different living situations along the way (and did I mention I was once a Benedictine monk?). These experiences have empowered me to set ambitious goals for myself and instilled the confidence that I am the architect of my own destiny.

Nietzsche’s Amor Fati and the “Loneliest Loneliness”

Is it Nietzsche who wrote about amor fati—loving your fate, your destiny, embracing one’s limitations not as weaknesses but rather as signs of fallibility, yet also a freedom from illusion? I am finite. Attempting to contemplate the infinite. Now—of course, those are nice philosophical musings. It is easier to embrace amor fati when all goes well—but what about that “loneliest loneliness” Nietzsche writes about? Even then, my response must be, romantically, “yes!”

Yet I find myself more like an outlier—where the excitement of my days are in the peripheries: the early morning hours when I wake up, the brief encounters with commuters on the Q66 bus, or the after-work hours of talking to a friend, or sipping a Coke Zero while watching the sun set at the World’s Fair Marina in Flushing. The rest of my days—work—seem like ephemera. It is the off-days, the in-between things that really matter. But the log of the everyday gets to me. Isn’t that what modernists call the “rat race,” epitomized in comedy form with Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, and Jane Fonda in Nine to Five?

Me in my room in New York City in My 40s

On Being “Over the Hill”

No one has pity on you any longer when you’re over the hill—especially if you’re employed, salaried, and confine yourself to the creative profession or some other form of non-manual labor. “Be happy. Suck it up. You could have it worse.”

But I still think—now that I am an adult, I dream of becoming a kid.

Final Thoughts

Turning forty-something—and inching toward 45—feels like standing on a precipice. It’s a moment filled with fear, excitement, and the relentless drive to keep going. Nietzsche’s philosophy of amor fati resonates deeply: Embrace all that life offers, the joys and the hardships alike, while acknowledging our finite nature. Yes, it’s scary. Yes, it’s lonely at times. But this is the space where growth, meaning, and genuine contentment can flourish. And, perhaps, it’s also where the childlike wonder hidden inside us can reemerge, guiding us to rediscover the spark we once knew in youth.

Postscript

Thank you for reading, my dear readers of Stones of Erasmus. May this reflection inspire you to keep dreaming, keep questioning, and keep embracing all that comes along the path of growing older—and, indeed, growing up. If you are a newbie to my blog, drop a follow. If you are someone who has been with me a long time—let me know. If you are a teacher, and want my resources, go to my humanities-based store on TpT.

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The Surprising Roots of “Community” and the Hidden Boundaries We Create

Have you ever wondered why some everyday words seem to carry hidden layers of meaning? By taking a closer look at the etymology of “community,” we discover fascinating tensions between togetherness and exclusion. The prefix co- means “with” or “together,” reflected in words like cooperate and coexist. However, the root muni stems from the Latin concept of walls and military defense—think “munitions” or “municipality.” In other words, while “community” conveys unity, it also implies boundaries that protect insiders and keep outsiders at bay. This duality raises crucial questions about who belongs and who does not, revealing how even the simplest terms can encode profound social and cultural forces.

On "Community"

One thing I’ve learned from examining words closely is how revealing they can be—and how often they point to tension between binary forces we tend to take for granted. Consider “community.” We typically see it as a positive term for belonging, yet when we deconstruct it, we uncover both unity and the idea of separation.

The co- prefix (from Latin) means “together” or “with,” as in cooperate (to work together) or coexist (to exist alongside). Then there’s the muni element. It likely stems from the Latin munire (“to fortify” or “protect”), which in turn relates to moenia (Latin for “defensive walls”). We see this military flavor in words like munitions (armaments or weaponry).

So while “community” conjures an image of people coming together, its deeper linguistic roots hint at building boundaries or fortifications to keep threats out. This creates a subtle tension—every act of inclusion or togetherness can imply an outside that’s excluded. By probing the origins of everyday words like this, we see how language itself encodes a push-and-pull between openness and defense, raising important questions about who belongs and who remains on the outside.

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