A Comparative Analysis of the Motif of Flânerie in William Blake’s London and Mary Robinson’s January, 1795

Abstract

This research presents a comparative analysis of the motif of flânerie in William Blake’s “London” and Mary Robinson’s “January 1795”. Both of these romantic poets assume the persona of a wanderer in their poetic exploration of the city of London in the late eighteenth-century England. Moreover, they express their empathy with the marginalized individuals. However, there are shades of a Juvenalian satire in Blake’s diatribe against the shortcomings of his society. The poet expresses his righteous anger against the miserable condition of various individuals, including chimney-sweepers, hapless soldiers, and harlots. Similarly, Robinson records a period of significant social, cultural, and political upheaval in “January, 1795”. In particular, the writer highlights the social, cultural, and economic divide between the privileged and the unprivileged social classes. However, she adopts a more light-hearted attitude in referring to various forms of social injustice in the city. In this respect, she pairs an amusing tone with her critique of the city’s shortcomings; therefore, her voice has close affinities with that of a Horatian satirist. Blake’s vision of London is more penetrative while that of Robinson is more panoramic.