Compare and Contrast the ways in which Blake and Wordsworth write about London, paying attention to the social and literary context of the poems.

Authors Avatar

Compare and Contrast the ways in which Blake and Wordsworth write about London, paying attention to the social and literary context of the poems

Both Wordsworth and Blake belong to the Romantic tradition. They each rely on their imagination and spontaneous instincts to create a piece of writing. A substantial amount of inspiration for their work coming from nature and the freedom of people. The poems, ‘London’ by Blake and ‘Composed upon Westminster Bridge’ by Wordsworth, illustrate classic Romantism but give very different expressions to the same ideals. Wordsworth views London sitting on Westminster Bridge at dawn. He personifies London and considers it human creation at its best. Wordsworth’s romantic interest in nature helps him write such positive poetry. Blake gives a much more personal account of London, instead of seeing the beauty and nature of the city, as he is walking along the streets he only observes the pain and suffering of the people. Blake has a very bleak view of the city and implies that the human nature is being tortured and trapped. Blake believes that the people all have very stagnant futures and that the society is being ruined by prostitution and divorce. All of his emotions are portrayed through his poetry.

‘Composed upon Westminster Bridge,’ is a magnificent sonnet showing Wordsworth appreciating and demonstrating the idealised beauty and panoramic view of a great city. It is a characteristic of his love for solitude that it is set in the early morning, when there is no bustle and noise.

  Wordsworth personifies London, presenting it as a royal being, ‘The city now doth, like a garment, wear,’ clothed in exquisite garments. This makes London seem superior to nature, divine and royal and the best place for such a magnificent monarchy.

   The first line is making a very powerful claim as Wordsworth is saying that there is nowhere in the world that is more beautiful, using a superlative, ‘Earth has nothing to show more fair.’ He then adds that if anyone is able to pass London without thinking how stunning and divine it is then they must have no soul, ‘Dull would he be of soul who could pass by/ A sight so touching in majesty.’ However if we refer to Blake’s poem this line is ironic as it is very apparent that Blake has a soul, as he is actively involved with the people of London and really suffers with them and yet he does not see any majesty in London at all.

Join now!

  From Wordsworth’s point of view all the major landmarks, ‘ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie/ Open unto the fields, and to the sky.'  This implies that London appears to blend with nature as it dominates everything.

  As the poem is written at dawn, rather than later in the day, the air seems to be very fresh and smokeless, which makes the buildings seem dazzling, ‘All bright and glittering in the smokeless air,’ this gives a sense of the purity of London. However, this is contrasted by Blake as he writes, ‘How the chimney–sweepers cry,’

   When Wordsworth ...

This is a preview of the whole essay