Which line is the hopelessness quote?

• A. In every cry of every man, In every infant's cry of fear...
• B. The mind-forged manacles I hear
• C. I see the sun
• D. The river flows

Answer: (B)

That line expresses hopelessness most directly through the metaphor of “mind-forged manacles.” It suggests that people are held not just by physical chains but by mental constraints—shared beliefs, social pressures, and systems that make them feel trapped and powerless. The image conveys a sense that change seems impossible because the prison is in the mind, which is why it reads as a strong statement of despair.

In the poem’s context, Blake is critiquing how society imposes oppression on people’s thoughts as well as their lives, so the hopelessness comes from recognizing these internalized limits. The other lines describe suffering or use bright or neutral imagery, which doesn’t capture the same depth of internal constraint and resignation.