When the French Revolution first began, a general panic took hold over the people which is known as the Great Fear (Great Fear). Riots broke out consistently which were caused by “economic concerns, rural panic and the power of rumour” (Great Fear). Through the multiple riots which took place during this period, the “French citizens razed and redesigned their country’s political landscape, uprooting centuries-old institutions such as absolute monarchy and the feudal system” (History), resulting in …show more content…
As a result of burning coal, rather than wood, the need for regular cleaning greatly increased. The coal leaves soot deposits within the walls of the fireplaces and chimneys, resulting in these repeated cleanings. If chimneys did not remain clean from soot, the coal residue would cause the chimney to pollute the home with the fumes. Due to the narrow chimneys and the small space within these fireplaces, the job of the sweeping chimneys was left to young boys, who were usually orphans struggling to earn money.
In a separate poem William Blake has written, titled “The Chimney Sweeper” (1789), he states “so your chimneys I sweep & in soot I sleep” (The Chimney Sweeper, 4) in order to show the readers just how filthy this job is. Due to how dirty the chimneys were, children often developed respiratory problems due to the repeated work, and fatal falls from the chimneys were not uncommon either. While there were many deaths in the era, for many different reasons, Blake specifically mentions these young boys as chimney sweepers, showing his audience the cruelty and hardship of this time