Comparing Composed Upon Westminster Bridge by William Wordsworth and London by William Blake

In ‘London’ Blake presents the theme of power through a reportage. The narrator wanders through a ‘chartered street’ and by ‘the chartered Thames’. This shows that in the narrator’s eyes the streets are owned and even an aspect of nature such as the River Thames is in ownership of someone. These owners that Blake refers to is the state who are believed to have acquired so much power that they can own natural landmarks. Due to this power, the people in ‘London’ wear metaphorical ‘manacles’ that are ‘mind-forged’ which shows they have trapped themselves due to the pain and suffering the higher class has caused them. Also, the repetition

In the poem “William Street” Slessor explores the poverty within the streets of Kings Cross that demonstrates the everyday struggles that people within the community go through searching for employment. This is shown through, “the dips and molls with flip and shiny glaze (death at their elbows, hunger at their heels)” uses imagery and slang to depict the criminal activity due to poverty. This creates a visual representation of the pickpockets, drunks and

In William Blake’s sixteen-line poem titled “London,” the speaker appears to draw from his personal observations to describe the people who live in the city of London. He describes the people at the bottom of the society such as the chimney-sweeper’s and the harlots. The people with some authority that belong to a higher class, such as

William Wordsworth begins his poem by calling out to another poet of an earlier time period, “Milton! Thou should’st be living at this hour:”(1). Wordsworth calls forth Milton because he knows that London is need of serious revisions. Wordsworth then portrays London, “she is fen of stagnant waters: altar, swords, and pen, fireside, the heroic wealth of hall and bower”(3-4). With a combination of both word play and imagery Wordsworth is able to express his perspective of London. He displays how the growth in beginning to plateau as he uses, “she is fen of stagnant waters”. He then uses words like altar, sword, pen, fireside, and heroic wealth of hall and bower to represent larger pieces of London. The altar represents London’s religious practices, sword represents the military engagements, pen represents the literature, fireside is the society that he sees himself in, and the heroic wealth of the bower is the economic struggle of London. Wordsworth is afraid that the citizens are in too much of a haze to remember their goals, “Have fortified their ancient English dower of inward happiness. We are selfish men”(5-6). He then makes another call to Milton to help the city recover, “Oh! Raise us up, return to us again; And give us manners, virtue, freedom, power”(7-8). Wordsworth then begins to further complement Milton, “ Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea: Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free”(10-11). Wordsworth portrays a city that is no longer able to recover without a great leader. He speaks very highly of Milton and believes that he would be the right man for the task and that he would be able to bring the “ancient English dower” back into London. Milton was a man of his word and paid great attention to all classes of individuals in London, “ In cheerful godliness; and yet thy heart the lowliest duties on herself did lay”(12-13).

A Comparison of Poems About London 'London', by William Blake, and William Wordsworth's untitled poem, composed on Westminster Bridge, are two different poems written with different styles and techniques to portray their feelings towards London. They are both written in the romantic era and are very passionate in the way they convey their (as both are written in first person) differing opinions on London. Wordsworth's sonnet shows all the positive points and that in his opinion London is an admirable place. However, Blake speaks of a much bleaker London, which contrasts greatly in opinion. Rather than writing his poem on opinion, he uses fact to inform and protest against what he feels is wrong

William Blake’s poem “London” takes a complex look at life in London, England during the late seventeen hundreds into the early eighteen hundreds as he lived and experienced it. Blake’s use of ambiguous and double meaning words makes this poem both complex and interesting. Through the following explication I will unravel these complexities to show how this is an interesting poem.

The Wasp Factory is about a disjointed Scottish family who live in a secluded area of Scotland which consists of a strange father, a psychotic brother and sixteen year old Frank. Ian Banks discusses the key issues of life in The Wasp Factory, (published in 1984). Identity is a prominent theme and it is presented in many ways. This text offers interesting comparisons and differences to The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, like Frank, Gatsby’s search for identity is continuous throughout the novel whilst the characters attempt to protect the images that they have created for themselves. Published in 1925 and set during the prosperous 1920’s in the fictional town of West Egg in Long Island, The Great Gatsby helps present the idea that identity

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” (Lincoln Handout). This famous speech was given at Gettysburg Pennsylvania after the horrific battle at Gettysburg. Lincoln gave this powerful and motivating speech in an attempt to inspire a nation that had become divided. Lincoln knew that to fulfil the Manifest Destiny of this Country, Americans had to become unified once more. When people read the poem “London” they get a sense of a country that is unhappy and depressed. “How the chimney-sweeper’s cry, every black’ning church appalls, and the hapless soldier’s sigh, runs in blood down the palace walls” (Blake 741). This poem is about a country where the poor are always going to be poor. The people of Great Britain during this time were unable to better themselves. People that were born into poor families would always remain poor. It was for this reason that so many families came to America. These immigrants wanted better for themselves, and their families. Had Blake lived in America during that era, his poem would more likely than not have a different tone. This is why geography and era play such a major role in authors

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.

Wordsworth can see as far as St Paul’s Dome and he can see a lot of

London by William Blake is a poem characterised by its dark and overbearing tone. It is a glimpse at a period of England's history (particularly London) during war and poverty, experienced by the narrator as he walks through the streets. Using personification it draws a great human aspect to its representation of thoughts and beliefs of the narrator.

Published in 1807, William Wordsworth reflects the many voices such as his attitude and values towards the Industrial Revolution and how it was a big turning point in history. This inevitable transition included going from hand production methods to machines. Wordsworth has described the world as being too overwhelming, for example instead of appreciating beautiful events such as the moon shining over the ocean; people began to use all their energy on being concerned about time and money. Technology and modernization effect this poem as ‘The World’ in fact has become advanced for us to handle; cities have increased in size, merchandise has become for sale, Blake implies that the advancement has a heavy price. Wordsworth’s tone of the poem created an effect of depression and sadness; the poem is elegiac, the speaker is ‘forlon’. William Wordsworth conveys the new progress of machines, contrasting the stress of the importance of nature and its importance to society.

"All bright and glittering in the smokeless air" (line 8) is a romantic view of the city of London. William Blake's perception is different. "Marks of weakness, marks of woe" (line 4) shows that London is corrupt and unhappy. The two poets, hence, have contrasting views of the city London.

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

The final stanza begins as the speaker wanders through the “midnight streets” (13). The purpose of the dark choice of diction is to further illuminate the death surrounding the people of London. Furthermore, the speaker hears a “youthful Harlot’s curse” (14). By considering the word choice of “youthful” it reveals that prostitution was beginning at a very young age, according to Blake, a time in life when people were supposed to be innocent (14). This choice of diction illuminates that the loss of innocence early leads to trials throughout one’s life. In continuation, the connotation of the word “Harlot” is harsh, which parallels with the treatment of prostitutes (14). Finally, the prostitute curses their baby by bringing him/her into this world. This point is continued in the next line as the speaker witnesses an “infant’s tear” (15). The baby represents the beginning of the cycle. The tears the baby cries are essentially marks foreshadowing a short life of darkness and despair. A life that is supposed to be innocent is marked with experience, conveying this cycle of darkness is everlasting. The poem concludes with the oxymoronic phrase, “marriage-hearse.” Marriage is connected with unity and children, while a hearse is the vehicle of death. By joining these two ideas Blake elucidates how people in oppressed circumstances believe