London: Central Purpose of the poem

William Blake describes a battered London as a result of the horrors of society. Descriptions of "every cry of every man" being heard illuminate a sad tone to the poem. Also, Blake depicts the "youthful Harlot's curse" as destroying the sanctity of marriage and the lives of children. However, blame is not placed upon the Harlot. The adjective "youthful" reveals that the Harlot is not the sinner but a tragedy of the unjust society caused by an out of touch "black'ning Church" and neglectful government. Through these details, Blake reveals the central purpose of the poem. Its purpose is to reveal a warnful tone of the horrors that can injure the people of a nation if they are not respected by their government or if religion and morality become out of touch with the people. If these atrocities are enabled in society, Blake conveys the inevitable outcomes that coincide with them.