London by William Blake and Upon Westminster Bridge by William Wordsworth

London by William Blake and Upon Westminster Bridge by William Wordsworth

This essay aims to compare and contrast the differences and

similarities between the two poems 'London' and 'Upon Westminster

Bridge'. They both create powerful, contrasting images but are both

similar in the use of language and exaggeration. The first poem to be

commented upon is 'London' by William Blake, written a couple of

decades before the second poem written by William Wordsworth.

William Blake negatively describes London and uses the first person

narrative to make it seem as if it were him wandering the lonely

streets of London. He creates a woeful and miserable impression of the

capital city of England.

"I wander thro' charter'd street,

Near where the charter'd Thames does flow"

Looking at the first two lines of the first stanza, he brings the

negative theme to life by repeating the word 'charter'd' which

suggests a feeling of restriction among the people, as if they are

bound by the government or new laws. He uses the first person as if he

is miserably strolling through 'each charter'd street' beside the

flowing river. The marks of woe he describes in line four of this

stanza could actually be referring to facial scars as most people at

this time in history suffered from various diseases.

"And mark in every face I meet,

Marks of weakness, marks of woe"

The second stanza continues the idea of restriction and being

controlled. Perhaps this is about the strict charter placed upon

London at this time. Blake uses the repetition of the word 'every' to

attract attention to the misery and to create both a sense of fear and

of interest...

... middle of paper ...

...spects, but majorly different in

others. Both of the poets describe London in great detail with much

exaggeration but each focussing on either the extreme positive or

negative point of view.

Obviously, these two poems are opposite and contrasting, both

exaggerating the extreme points of view, but they are also similar in

some aspects. Both the poets describe the river Thames as free, but

for totally different reasons. Both William Blake and William

Wordsworth are visitors to the city and both poems are of extreme

exaggeration. Overall, I prefer the second poem 'Upon Westminster

Bridge' by William Wordsworth as it is an optimistic and positive

sonnet. I prefer the structure and rhyming sequence of the first poem,

but the positive and uplifting language used in Wordsworth's poem has

ultimately made it my favourite.