London in “Composed Upon Westminster Bridge” and “London” Essay

William Blake and William Wordsworth were twain key figures of the Romantic era. Characterized by its emphasis on passion, emotion and creativity, the Romantic Movement occurred in europium in the late eighteenth, and early nineteenth centuries. Blakes capital of the United Kingdom(1794) and Wordsworths peaceful upon Westminster keep going(1803) atomic number 18 good examples of meters from the Romantic era, as some(prenominal) poets grapple a sensation of emotional involvement in their works.However, similarities amid the twain do non debase beyond their common theme capital of the United Kingdom. Blakes Acherontic and bitter portrayal of the city contrasts sharply with Wordsworths astonishment-struck account of a sunrise viewed from Westminster Bridge. Contrasts discharge be found in any tones of the ii metrical compositions, and both poets usanced a variety of techniques to effectively deliver mail their actually different feelings active the suspirets a nd sounds of capital of the United Kingdom.The tang in Blakes capital of the United Kingdom is one of bitterness and negativity, with him development such oral communication as weakness and excruciation. The theme of the verse form is a wide rendering of capital of the United Kingdom, that also specifically foc wasting diseases upon the mass and how they embody their lives. The human facet of the poem is introduced early on with in each face. The poet has a really subtle approach at getting his message of corruption across to the reader, but the feeling that is genuine from the poem is one of a voiceless personality.capital of the United Kingdom consists of four quatrains (four line alternately rhyming stanzas), with relatively short lines, emphasising the lack of embellishment and emotion in the poem. There is a rigid structure and frost aim throughout the poem. The rhyme abstract is set d witness (ABAB CDCD EFEF GHGH) and the rhyme itself is strong, rhyming such words as curse and intoxicatese together, thus corresponding with Blakes approximative views on London life. Blake affairs iambic pentameter, except for the leash quatrain, where dactylic pentameter is workd instead. This view ass the poem a strong and steady rhythm as it is read, which helps to try the sameness and affair of the lives Blake describes.The lyric poem is relatively easy to understand, and is non archaic, for example in all(prenominal) city of every man. However, some spoken communication is used that is not in use in the present day cadence e.g. woe, blights and har ring. The language is surprisingly fond for a poem that was written over two hundred years ago. Many emotive words are used such as vociferation, fear, blood and encrusts. utilise of the word plague would have been particularly strong at the time of writing, as the poem was written altogether one hundred fifty years after the Great Plague itself. Blake uses a good deal of adjective s e.g. offspringful Har gang and hapless spend, swelled a fetch picture of what he thinks London is about.The imagery that is used is mainly human, hapless passs sigh for example. When reading the poem, a clear picture is depicted of London without referring directly to London, but instead through the description of people and sounds. deal of sound imagery is used I hear is mentioned twice, the word call in is repeated three measure and in that respect is a soldiers sigh. Also, by describing the human situation, Blake leads the reader to infer that London is not a very nice place, because, for example, there are youthful har rafts, which demonstrate how innocent youth has been corrupted by the city. This is also evident when it says every infants cry of fear. The soldiers sigh, which runs on blood down castling walls is Blakes way of exposing the guilt and responsibility of the laden (palace), ruling classes.Repetition is used a lot every is used atomic number 23 times, to emphasise the detrimental situation that Blake is alluding to is widespread and affects everyone. The use of the word cry three times to stress sadness and swearlessness of the situation. The repetition of lines five to seven ensures that the reader is awake(predicate) of the seriousness of the situation Blake is describing. The punctuation in the poem is quite simple. Stanzas end with an end stopped line. dear stops and commas are used widely, but no exclamation marks. Simplistic punctuation and lack of embellishment adds to the cold, realistic portrait of Blakes London. An elision is an remissness of letters to supporter rhythm. Blake uses a lot of elisions I wander thro , each chartd way . This demonstrates the greatness of rigid structure and rhythm to the sentiency of this poem.In Wordsworths Composed Upon Westminster Bridge the tone is positive and there is a sense of awe and respect for the city demonstrated by the use of such words as majesty and magnificen ce in the poem. The general theme of the poem is once much of London, but this time focussing on aestheticism, nature and architecture, which can be follow throughn from the view from Westminster Bridge at dawn.Composed Upon Westminster Bridge is a sonnet. The rhyme scheme used is ABBA ABBA DEDEDE. The rhyme is generally clear and regular, although Wordsworth does use para-rhyme in lines two and threeDull would he be of mortal who could pass byA sight so touching in its majestyAlthough the rhyme scheme is regular, Composed Upon Westminster Bridge does not feature any apparent rhythm pattern, and the poem has an almost prose-like quality, which makes the reader think of the indwelling, aerodynamic, harmonious images Wordsworth is describing.Wordsworths language is in places quite old fashionThis city now doth, like a cut back ,wearThe bang of the morningThe language is also more clarify than Blakes, for example, Blakes Thames does flow, whereas according to WordsworthThe rive r glideth at his own sweet willWordsworths language is also very emotive e.g. majesty, glare and mighty heart, and he uses a lot of adjectives, e.g. smokeless air, bright and glittering. Wordsworth uses a lot of pictorial imagery in the poem e.g. Earth has not a thing to appearance more fair, the beauty of the morning, the palm and the sky. This helps to convey a sense of symmetry between the urban and the natural. Further, through personification and silly error, Wordsworth is able to give human characteristics to the city, adding to the sense that London is a living organism, a part of the natural environment. Personification is evident in lines four to fiveThis city doth, like a change state, wearThe beauty of the morningIn lines nine to tennever did sun more beautifully steepin his first splendourIn line thirteen the very houses seem asleep. In the drop dead line of the poem, Wordsworth speaks of the mighty heart of the city, which further adds to the sense that London is a living organism. Pathetic fallacy can be seen in line twelve, The river glideth at his own sweet will.Wordsworth uses a lot of enjambmentDull would he be of soul who could pass byA sight so touching in its majestyThis lends a smooth, flowing and gentle quality to the poem, and supports the emphasis placed upon nature in the poem. Similes are also used, e.g. the morning is expound as being like a garment. In this way, Wordsworth is able to detract from the commonly held intellect that London is grim and threatening, and instead promote the belief that the city is friendlier and more harmonised with nature. Wordsworth also uses contrasts to emphasise this harmonyShips, towers, domes , theatres, and temples lieOpen unto the fields, and to the sky.Use of punctuation in this poem is very interesting. Wordsworth only uses one full stop throughout, preferring instead semi-colons and commas, all of which help the poem to run smoothly. The poem also features three exclamation marks, which help to exaggerate the commutation idea. This effect is amplified by the inclusion of the expression nigh God. All this helps Wordsworth to express how strongly he feels about London.The differences between these two poems are clear. For example, whereas Blakes tone is dark and bitter, Wordsworths is awe-struck and celebratory. Differences also exclude in terms of the theme or central idea of each poem. London deals with the human aspect of the city. It is set at night, and virtually ignores the environment of London. In this way, Blake is able to shine up the effect the city has on its people, and, by leaving the city itself un depict, emphasises its position as a cold, uncaring place. In contrast, Wordsworth focuses entirely on the aesthetics of London at dawn, and the relationship between the urban environment and nature. By removing the human aspect of the city, Wordsworth can ignore the difficult lives of its people (as described by Blake) and repress solely on the physiologic and natural aspects instead (note the smokeless air).The two poems are also structured differently, and feature variations in terms of rhythm and rhyme. Composed Upon Westminster Bridge is a sonnet, with a generally clear rhyme scheme and no apparent rhythm pattern. By using a single stanza, and an almost prose-like style, Wordsworth is able to express a flowing, smooth quality, mirroring the free, unrestrained natural aspects he deals with in the poem. London, on the other hand, features four quatrains, and is bolt structured in terms of rhythm and rhyme. This allows Blake to highlight the monotony of the lives he discusses in the poem, and reflects the sense of duty and lack of free will involved in the struggles faced by the citys inhabitants (note the inclusion of a soldier, some one with no control over his own life).Blakes language is generally simple and easily comprehensible. By avoiding the elaborate language preferred by Wordsworth, Blake emphasises the lack of hope or joy in his city. Wordsworth, in contrast, favours a very convoluted style of language, which adds to the celebratory musical mode of the poem. In both cases, the poets use language to effectively convey their opinions about London. Also, both poets use a lot of adjectives, which is characteristic of the involved, creative style of the Romantics. vision is central to both poems.However, Blake and Wordsworth use different methods to prepare a detailed picture of London for the reader. Wordsworth chooses to concentrate on natural, familiar images, and through the personification of these natural images, gives London a softer, less threatening identity. Blake chooses to tonality a picture of London by describing the sounds which can be heard, and by giving details of the people that live there. Interestingly, Blake is able to give a very comprehensive image of London, without discussing the city directly. In this way, London is portrayed as nothing more and so an influe nce on its people. Blake, unlike Wordsworth, does not see the city as an organism in its own right, and this is emphasised by his use of imagery.Finally, literary devices both Blake and Wordsworth employ clever use of literary techniques to aid the expression of their feelings towards London. Wordsworth uses enjambment to give Composed Upon Westminster Bridge a flowing, natural feel, and punctuation is used to exploit the celebratory tone (i.e. only one full-stop, use of exclamation marks). Blake uses repetition to emphasise his idea of the level hardship and misery of the people of London. His use of simple, unmingled punctuation helps to further convey this idea, by highlight the rigidity and restriction which govern the lives of Londons inhabitants. Elisions are frequently employed to aid the rhythm, which demonstrates the importance of a rigid structure to the sense of London, in complete contrast with Composed Upon Westminster Bridge.Although London and Composed Upon Westmin ster Bridge both deal with the subject of London at a similar time in history, they share very little common run aground beyond this. Blakes grim, desperate city seems a million miles away from Wordsworths elaborate festivity of a city at dawn. Although both poets use similar techniques to express their very different feelings about the sights and sounds of London, these techniques, such as imagery and literary devices, give different effects in each poem, depending on how they have been used. These two poems may seem to be very similar, but Blake and Wordsworth have used lots of different methods to demonstrate beyond doubt their very different feelings about the sights and sounds of London.