“This City now doth like a garment wear the beauty of the morning; silent, bare” (Lines 4-5)
In both poems, William Wordsworth and Robert Bridges use images to help express the view of the city. They mention what they are able to see around them. For instance, in ‘Composed on Westminster Bridge’, William Wordsworth describes the sights that he can see before him:
“Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie” (Line 6)
And in ‘London Snow’, Robert Bridges, acknowledges St Paul’s Cathedral:
“Standing by Paul’s high dome, spread forth below, His sparkling beams, and awoke the stir of the day” (Lines 29-30)
The difference between the two poems is that ‘London Snow’ is set in the winter whereas ‘Composed upon Westminster Bridge’ is set in the early autumn. Also, in ‘London Snow’, Robert Bridges begins the poem, with the description of London during the night, and builds it up by describing the reaction of people when they see the snow in the morning:
“When men were all asleep the snow came flying, in large white flakes falling on the city brown” (Lines 1-2)
When the men have awoken, their reaction to the snow is nothing but obvious shock and pleasure. The boys also react in the same way:
“Then boys I heard, as they went to school, calling” (Line 19)
On the other hand, in ‘Composed upon Westminster Bridge”, it begins in the early hours of the morning, where the elegance of London is described:
“All bright and glittering in the smokeless air Never did the sun more beautifully steep” (Lines 8-9)
An obvious similarity between the two poems is that they are both set in and describe London. Westminster Bridge is a landmark of London and also the name of the city where both poems are set is mentioned in the title. Also, both poems have a rhyme scheme of ab, ab, and a smooth rhythm throughout. The rhyme scheme, illustrates enjoyment of the scenery which they are witnessing. I think that both poets decided to use a regular rhyme scheme, as they wanted to point out the joy that nature is able to bring.
Nevertheless, ‘Composed upon Westminster Bridge’ is a sonnet, which indicates that it is a love poem. This that William Wordworth is a romantic poet. We know this as he is expressing his love for the nature that is before him, whereas, ‘London Snow’ is an extended poem.
Both poems include alliteration. In ‘Composed upon Westminster Bridge’ Wordsworth uses very little, but he does include:
“A Sight so touching in its majesty” (Line 3)
In ‘London Snow’ more alliteration and metaphors are used:
“In large white flakes falling on the city brown, stealthily and perpetually settling and loosely lying” (Lines 2-3)
The effect that metaphors have in the poem is that they succeed in comparing the effect that the snow has on London.
In ‘Composed upon Westminster Bridge, William Wordsworth refers to his faith. In the poem, he is celebrating God’s power which gives nature such beauty:
“Dear God! The very houses seem asleep; and all that mighty heart is lying still!” (Lines 13-14)
This shows that William Wordsworth sees this as a spiritual experience and that he has great faith in God. By including his faith in his poem, I think that he has made London appear exceptionally beautiful, but I also think that Robert Bridges doesn’t achieve this as freely and adequately. In my opinion, in his poem ‘London Snow’ he has to use more metaphors, similes, and also personification in order to be able to achieve what Wordsworth was able to do so easily. He used metaphors such as ‘strange’ and unheavenly. He is comparing the winter dawning to an unheavenly glare:
‘Of the winter dawning, the strange unheavenly glare’ (Line 14)
From both of the poems, I have more compassion for ‘Composed upon Westminster Bridge’. I prefer this poem, as it was able to grasp Romanticism. The way that Wordsworth was able to address the morning sky, was done in a way, which I had never thought was able to be done:
‘Dull would he be of soul who could pass by A sight so touching in its majesty This City now doth, like a garment, wear’ (Lines 2-4)
William Wordsworth had a sense of the morning to being a ‘Fresh start, a new day’:
‘The beauty of the morning; silent, bare’ (Line 5)
He disowned the traffic noise and brought out the little things. He made the buildings feel free and not just something that ‘stands’ This poem, for me, showed me the aspects of nature more easily than ‘London Snow.’
Both poets, William Wordworth and Robert Bridges wrote the poems about London at a time that it was being industrialised. Composed Upon Westminster Bridge was written in the nineteenth century. Cars were first introduced at the end of the nineteenth century, but higher class people were the ones that mostly used them as they were able to afford one. However poorer people had to make do with the use of carts for their transportation.
From ‘Composed upon Westminster Bridge’, I learnt the true meaning of certain aspects of life. Wordsworth was able to turn nature into something blissful, peaceful. He showed me that there is more than meets the eye. He showed me that nature is there to provide us with understanding. I realized that our modern lives don’t have any harmony. These were the main reasons why I preferred ‘Composed upon Westminster Bridge’ over ‘London Snow’. I was able to learn more. William Wordsworth has a way with words. He uses words that are able to reach out and fill me with music:
“Ne’er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep! The river glideth at his own sweet will’ (Line 11-12)
It urges me to take that one step outside and to stand next to Wordsworth and share what he sees. He shows me reality, something that ‘London Snow’ was unable to show me.