1. charter’d: The word “charter’d” is refering to maps. Maps are an attempt to impose order on nature, as in this poem order is being placed on society.
2. Marks of weakness, marks of woe: This line reveals that the people of London are not happy with the order imposed on them, nor with the social constraints that they cannot escape. The chimney sweepers, along with other members of the working class’ human condition is being negatively affected both physically and emotionally.
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3. Mind Forged Manicles: In this stanza, the poet refers to the society as a whole by using the word every. What he is implying by saying mind forged manicles is that every person is under the socail constaint of the higher class and that this higher class has complete control over the society to the point of controling how they think.
4.Chimney Sweeper’s cry: The chimney sweeping profession was employed by people, normally young boys, of the lower working class. Chimney sweeping was perfect for the young workers because they fit into the small space of the chimney and in return accepted small payment. The chimney sweeper’s cry reveals that although they were sad to the point of crying inside, they were too frightened to show their emotion because they did not want to be punished. Some also didn’t even realize the repression that they were put under, and saw their profession as an ordinary part of daily life.
5. Every blackening church appalls: The blackening of the church was due to the soot from the chimney. This is a vital part of the poem, because it reveals that even the church, the holiest part of the entire city, used the poor innocent boys to clean their chimneys. Even religion played a role in the repression of the lower class.
The OED Definiton of “Appalls”: To make pale, to cause to lose or change colour. (www.oed.com). Blake uses the word appall to refer to the actual whitening and cleaning of the church. “Appall” also means to become white and pale in shock. It is shocking that even the church stoops so low as to go along with the wrongs of society.
6. Blood: The goverment and the monarchy declared war, and therefore soldiers were forced to give their lives for their country. Blake says that the palace walls are covered in blood. They are both literally stained with blood, and symbolically stained with a reminder of the monarcy’s wrong doings.
7. Harlot’s curse: According to the OED, a harlot is “an unchaste woman; a prostitute; a strumpet.” (www.oed.com). A Harlot’s curse refers to the concept of a woman’s role as a prostitute, as outweighing her other roles (mother, daughter, wife) as a woman. She is cursed by the fact that she has no other choice but to be a whore. She is literally cursed by STD’s. The unwanted children of harlots have to live with the consequences of their mothers’ actions.