* Oppression: The poem highlights the misery caused by the ruling class. The "marks of weakness, marks of woe" on the "chimney-sweeper's" face and the "mind-forged manacles" worn by the "soldier" indicate the constraints imposed on the lower classes.
* Poverty: The "cry of every man, In every street I hear" speaks of widespread suffering. The "black'ning church appalls" implies that even religious institutions fail to offer solace to the impoverished.
* Despair: The repetition of "I wander through each chartered street" and "every cry of every man" underscores the speaker's despair and disillusionment with the city. The "marriage hearse" symbolizes the death of hope and joy, while the "youthful Harlot's curse" represents the hopelessness of a life trapped in poverty and exploitation.
Blake's "London" presents a bleak picture of 18th-century England. The poem uses powerful imagery and symbolic language to expose the social injustices and the suffering inflicted upon the marginalized sections of society.