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Comparison between the poems "London" by William Blake and "composed upon Westminster Bridge" by William Wordsworth
Comparison of london by blake and wordsworth composed upon westminster bridge
Compare london by blake with westminster bridge by wordsworth
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Recommended: Comparison between the poems "London" by William Blake and "composed upon Westminster Bridge" by William Wordsworth
Different people see things with different perception. Some people may look up to the better and brighter side whilst others look down to see the deeper and darker side. This is exactly what the two poems “Upon Westminster Bridge” and “London” show us. The two poems both depict the scenery and sights of the city London, but they are written in two different perspectives. Wordsworth’s “Upon Westminster Bridge” describes the majestic and splendid Westminster Bridge sitting along with the calm and serene River Thames on a Sunday morning. It is almost as if the city had worn ‘a garment’ that reinforces its beauty and grandeur. On the other hand, in “London” Blake portrays London as ‘chartered’ and ‘blackening’, with both adjectives used in a negative way. These two diverse interpretations can be related to the varying backgrounds of the two poets. The huge differences in imagery help create different tones and moods throughout the pieces, and by using poetic techniques and structure it can assist the poets in conveying their different attitudes to London.
“Upon Westminster Bridge” was written in 1802, which was a significant year as this was at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. The revolution had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions in the UK. Wordsworth was from a wealthy family who lived in Lake District. He was greatly interested in poetry, and soon became the Poet-Laureate – a poet of the Queen. This background of his can be said to have a huge relationship with his poem “Upon Westminster Bridge”. Wordsworth did not have many social or financial problems, which in turn made him learn to appreciate more of nature and the real world. It was said that Wordsworth loved to tour around and did no...
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In conclusion, the two poets of “London” and “Upon Westminster Bridge” use different ways to present their diverse attitudes towards London. Different techniques like repetition and personalization are used in the two poems to show the contrasting opinions between the two poets. The structure and form of the poems are also of much significance in helping the poets to achieve the tone and mood they have wanted to create. The backgrounds of the poets help readers in understanding why and how they have written about London in such different perspectives. “Upon Westminster Bridge” is written in a rather tranquil and peaceful tone while “London” has a rather harsh and depressing mood throughout the whole piece. By using different structure and techniques, both poets have presented their diverse attitudes towards London in a clear and detailed way.
There are many things that shape a city such as culture, demand, and the vision of the city from the designer, but none are more instant and long lasting then disasters. London is one city that in this it is apparent and thus it is the topic for this essay. In order to demonstrate that the impact that disasters have on a city are the greatest shaping tools, I will focus of the Great London fire of 1666 and the Great Stink of 1858 and compare them to the Industrial revolution of 1760. I will give a short background history of the disasters combined with the direct effects that the disaster had on the city then continue to how the city then changed to combat that type of disaster.
angered him and inspired him to convey his ideas and feelings through the poem 'London'. In the poem, Blake travels through London and describes what he sees. And as a result, he sees a severely oppressed society that is caused by the authority, such as royalty, and the church. This is as Blake sees. that even the streets and the thames are 'chartered' and governed.
In "London", William Blake brings to light a city overrun by poverty and hardship. Blake discards the common, glorifying view of London and replaces it with his idea of truth. London is nothing more but a city strapped by harsh economic times where Royalty and other venues of power have allowed morality and goodness to deteriorate so that suffering and poverty are all that exist. It is with the use of three distinct metaphors; "mind-forg'd manacles", "blackning Church", and "Marriage hearse", that Blake conveys the idea of a city that suffers from physical and psychological imprisonment, social oppression, and an unraveling moral society.
Essay topic #7: Write an essay examining how The Lonely Londoners documents the process of disillusionment for the migrants.
...paper gave a technical analysis of the “London” poem by William’s Blake. Careful analysis of Blake’s choice of word. He stated that "The use of the word "charter'd" in the first line is rich in imagery. It introduces imagery of mankind in bondage--showing that oppression, not freedom or individuality is the condition of the London that Blake writes about. "Charter'd" also means hired out, or leased, and shows that the city is in the hands of the merchants, and even the streets and the river Thames is being controlled for profits."
The Victorian Era, which lasted from 1837 until 1901, was one of the most prosperous periods of the British Empire. During the Victorian period, London became the world’s largest city. Because of the overwhelming growth of the city, inhabitants of London were beginning to feel anxiety, dullness and tiredness. The great city seemed to exhaust the people and thus resulted to the gloomy atmosphere of London.
Comparing the Two Pictures of London, Illustrated by Wordsworth and Blake in Their Two Poems
William Wordsworth existed in a time when society and its functions were beginning to rapidly pick up. The poem that he 'Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey, on Revisiting the Banks of the Wye', gave him a chance to reflect upon his quick paced life by taking a moment to slow down and absorb the beauty of nature that allows one to 'see into the life of things'; (line 49). Wordsworth's 'Tintern Abbey'; takes you on a series of emotional states by trying to sway 'readers and himself, that the loss of innocence and intensity over time is compensated by an accumulation of knowledge and insight.'; Wordsworth accomplishes to prove that although time was lost along with his innocence, he in turn was able to gain an appreciation for the aesthetics that consoled him by incorporating all together, the wonders of nature, his past experiences, and his present mature perception of life.
Comparing the Poets' Use of Language To Present Their View of London in Composed Upon Westminster Bridge by Wordsworth and London by Blake
His poem recognizes the ordinary and turns it into a spectacular recollection, whose ordinary characteristics are his principal models for Nature. As Geoffrey H. Hartman notes in his “Wordsworth’s poetry 1787-1814”, “Anything in nature stirs [Wordsworth] and renews in turn his sense of nature” (Hartman 29). “The Poetry of William Wordsworth” recalls a quote from the Prelude to Wordsworth’s 1802 edition of Lyrical ballads where they said “[he] believed his fellow poets should "choose incidents and situations from common life and to relate or describe them.in a selection of language really used by men” (Poetry). In the shallowest sense, Wordsworth is using his view of the Tintern Abbey as a platform or recollection, however, this ordinary act of recollection stirs within him a deeper understanding.
The first industrial revolution, evolved in London, allowed many advances in many scopes for the British capital. Actually, those upheavals give her the access to the world’s market, her power spread worldwide, its networks of influence never stopped extending. Now, those stamps pin down London. That’s why, today, London is considered as Europe’s capital, London is a global city, attracting nowadays diverse strategic activities.
Memories, adventure, and travel. I must have told this story a dozen times to anyone who was interested. This story is quite memorable for me for a multitude of reasons. How illness alters my thinking. How taking chances makes for a great story. It also reinforces my hesitations about traveling alone. For the obvious safety concerns, but, also, I now have a memory that is unique to me and one other person. This is something that can never be recreated by any other two people.
William Wordsworth is a British poet who is associated with the Romantic movement of the early 19th century. Wordsworth was born on April 7, 1770, in Cockermouth, Cumberland, England. Wordsworth’s mother died when he was seven years old, and he was an orphan at 13. This experience shapes much of his later work. Despite Wordsworth’s losses, he did well at Hawkshead Grammar School, where he firmly established his love of poetry. After Hawkshead, Wordsworth studied at St. John’s College in Cambridge and before his final semester, he set out on a walking tour of Europe, an experience that influenced both his poetry.
We can find an indirectly accuse of industrialisation. Only when the factories are closed, ships, towers and theatre are bare and when the town is silent, it is beautiful because industrialisation and pollution do not spoil it. " Upon Westminster Bridge" is written in the form of an Italian sonnet. It is divided into an octet and sestet. In the octet the poet tells us what he sees before him and describes to us the beauty of the scene.
The interest in the common man and childhood is a Romantic characteristic in which the natural goodness of humans is hindered by the urban life of civilization. In the poem, “Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802,” Wordsworth uses this Romantic characteristic to connect the nature with common man. An example is “Dull would he be of soul who could pass by/ a sight so troubling in its majesty.” (2-3) In the example, the speaker is questioning people’s sense of beauty and feelings towards nature by saying how they could miss such a breathtaking view of the Westminster Bridge in the morning. Wordsworth considers a common man, who ignores such a majestic view as “dull” soul or weak in the heart.