Commentary on London Essay

19th Century Poetry Essay

Compare Wordsworths, Composed upon Westminster Bridge and Blakes, London. You may like to consider the differences in perspective, time of day, sights and sounds. What do these poems suggest about each poets view of London?

In their poems Composed upon Westminster Bridge (September 3rd 1802) and London (1794) both Wordsworth and Blake are clearly describing their interpretation of the city of London yet upon comparison they appear to be seeing two completely different cities. To understand why this is the case we must first look at the technical effects Wordsworth and Blake apply and how they are used to reflect their perception of London, we must also explore the link with the time of day and whether it merely contributed to their view at the time or if it was a deliberate choice and finally we need to analysis the visual and audio nature of each poem to recognise the effects achieved by both.

Its important to understand how Wordsworth and Blake use technical effects such as structure, pace and tone to control the mood that is portrayed in each poem. Wordsworths structuring of Composed upon Westminster Bridge is set out in Petrarchan sonnet form, which is commonly used by poets as a declaration of love for someone; this instantly helps the reader ascertain Wordsworths feeling toward the city and gives a positive mood for the poem while also allowing it to flow at a natural pace. Throughout the poem Wordsworth emphasises the theme of nature and even though London holds towers, cathedrals and theatres he inserts the city into the scenery as if it is as natural as the fields that surround it which gives the reader a feeling of tranquillity and peace that is not commonly associated with capital cities. Wordsworth also uses some more subtle techniques to bring the poem to life and make his affection for this city relatable such as implementing pathetic fallacy when describing the city as wearing the morning beauty like a garment and the very houses seem asleep. By doing this he personifies the city so as the readers can relate to it. However Blake goes down the opposite trail of thought as he structures London in four stanzas which reflect the repetitive monotony of the citys inhabitants and from the beginning he writes in a bitter and disillusioned tone as though he doesnt see any of the beauty Wordsworth writes about. The theme throughout London is one of misery, suffering, death and oppression which Blake uses to control the atmosphere of the poem a give his readers an insight of the feelings the citizens of London would have been experiencing at the time, this is an extremely effective way to draw the reader into the situation and is Blakes way of reaching out and saying that the people of London are dying and something must be done. Blake lived in London for most of his life and offers the reader a first-hand account of life in the city at the time and when looking at the passion and closeness with which he describes the city it is clear that he does love London but he is so devastated and appalled with the situation that he is heartbroken. Literary critic and biographer of William Blake E. P. Thompson points out that Blake's "London" is not seen from without as spectacle. It is seen, or suffered, from within, by a Londoner. This supports the view that not only was Blakes feelings for the city spoiled but he was addressing the citizens directly stating that only a Londoner of the time could empathise with the situation they faced. However Wordsworth is a tourist in comparison who is passing through and his love for the city is more like lusting after a beautiful woman at a distance without knowing what she is truly like which gives the impression that Wordsworth is either nave or completely ignorant of the suffering and disease that infects London.

A major factor in both Composed upon Westminster Bridge and London is time as both Blake and Wordsworth make verbal references to the time of day which has a huge effect on the mood and atmosphere of the poems. In the fourth stanza of London the time is revealed when Blake writes thro midnight streets I hear and this reflects directly to his modus operandi which is to create a sense of fear, suffering and loss of hope which can all be related to and amplified by the darkness of night. Blake intentionally set his poem in the night as it suits his needs however Wordsworth on the other hand spontaneously composed his in The beauty of the morning which, similarly to Blake, acts as a perfect counterpart to the theme and tone he puts across as the early morning is often affiliated with peace, silence and newness. To reinforce this with the reader he remarks Never did the sun more beautifully steep in his first splendour. This helps Wordsworth portray the image of a picturesque sunrise which adds to the calm mood of the poem and is an iconic symbol of the start of a new day.

The use of audio and visual imagery is something Wordsworth and Blake implement brilliantly in these two poems and the affect it has on the atmosphere is essential. In Composed upon Westminster Bridge visual descriptions are ripe and Wordsworth uses them to invite the reader to view the striking landscape as if painting a mental picture. He makes direct reference to the visual nature by describing images with sight and saw and emphasises this by not just leaving out any audio descriptions but actually mentioning the lack of sound silent, bare, still, asleep, calm. These words all reinforce Wordsworths aim to share with us this natural wonder that optimises tranquillity and by using visual imagery he allows the reader to float through the landscape as easily as the city itself. Blake however takes the route of audio imagery which is ideal for London as it guides the reader to form their own idea of the sordid streets and by doing so enables people to apply their own personal stories to the suffering making it hugely empathetic with the inhabitants of London at the time. Blake uses strong audio words such as cry, sigh, blasts, curse and tear to help the reader create a noisy, negative image which links with the suffering of the people when used in the context of the poem. The last line of the second stanza The mind-forgd manacles I hear is a metaphor for the mental oppression the citizens of London suffered from the middle and upper classes and how their suffering goes well beyond the fight against disease and starvation; by adding these reminders Blake doesnt let the readers ideas wonder off topic and helps relate the noise to the misery.

Even though their views couldnt differ more both Blake and Wordsworth give an accurate portrayal of the city of London but it is what they are describing that opens a chasm between them. Wordsworth offers the reader a visual image of the city untainted by its occupants as the rising sun and surrounding landscape create a meditative and tranquil impression allowing the very bricks to be perceived as natural as the fields. Blake however has a message that he wants to deliver and uses audio imagery and symbolic metaphors to force the reader to have an emotional response to the suffering and to spread unity through awareness.

References

* E. P. Thompson, 'London' inWitness Against the Beast: William Blake and the Moral Law(1993).

* William Blake, London inSongs of Experience, (1794).

* William Wordsworth, Composed upon Westminster Bridge in Poems in Two Volumes (1807).