A sonnet is a 14 lined poem associated with romance. Wordsworth uses this form for his poem; he describes his love for London. In contrast, Blake has chosen a rigid structure of four stanzas of four lines each; this reflects the dark, gloomy and desperate landscape he sees London to be. He portrays this in the first stanza by the ‘marks of weakness’ and ‘marks of woe’ in ‘every face’ being neglected, also by repetition of ‘cry’ and ‘every,’ which indicate that those who are despairing receive no help. Conversely, Wordsworth describes a wealthy and peaceful London; he establishes this by creating a mood of elevation; ‘bright and glittering’ and ‘splendour’. The effect Wordsworth created makes the reader aspire to visit the exultant and enlivened city, where as the forceful structure of Blake’s poem is a complete contrast, as it causes the reader to think that the inhabitants of London led lives full of anguish and affliction.
In Blake’s ‘London’, the metaphor ‘mind-forged manacles’ refers to a cycle of poverty in which the poor found themselves trapped. The French Revolution was taking place in the poets’ lives; both became rebellious as young men; Wordsworth changed to being very conservative as he lived in the society being fought – the aristocracy. Blake did not change because of the poverty that surrounded him. In the last stanza Blake talks about the ‘youthful Harlot’s curse...blights with plagues the Marriage hearse.’ In Blake’s times harlots were rife along with sexually transmitted diseases, like syphilis, which were easily passed from one to another. Wives therefore became infected and so did children, they were condemned to death, although some may have seen it as a way to escape from the trap they found them selves in. Also, ‘manacles’ could be symbolic. In another of his works ‘A Poison Tree,’ Blake writes ‘my wrath did grow,’ showing the dark side of human nature, and how it can be dispelled by goodwill; similar to the restrictions of ‘mind-forged manacles’ chains are constricting and so is the mind, nevertheless chains can be broken. The reader recognises the inevitability of the monotonous strife to survive and is led to feel sympathetic towards the people of London, but also understands Blake’s anger.
In ‘Composed Upon Westminster Bridge,’ Wordsworth is witnessing the sun rising in early morning, hence ‘never did the sun more beautifully steep...in his fist splendour,’ perhaps this is why the sonnet is very passive – ‘never did.’ Blake, on the other hand chose to write a very active poem, as if he was a part of ‘every cry’ and ‘every voice,’ examples of this are: ‘I meet’ and ‘I wander,’ he is deeply involved with the people’s fear. Wordsworth describes his fondness for the scene he sees through hyperbole and personification; ‘this city now doth like a garment wear’ is a simile with human features – generating enthusiasm. Comparisons of symbolism in both poems contrasts the differences; ‘the river glideth at his own sweet will’ verses ‘the marriage hearse’ – the river will never end it is continually gliding; uncontrollable, but ‘the marriage hearse’ is a metaphor for death, which ends and is permanent. Wordsworth’s effect upon the reader was to make the city have everlasting freedom, however, in contrast, Blake portrays to the reader that the city was dying.
Blake’s poem has a structured and repetitive rhyme pattern of alternating lines ‘ABAB’, reinforcing the feeling of tediousness. The rhyme scheme of this poem is restricted like ‘the charter’d street’ and ‘the charter’d Thames.’ These phrases also pinpoint the changing location of Blake’s poem, making it apparent that Blake is moving around London on foot; ‘wander.’ Although ‘Composed Upon Westminster Bridge’ has a loose rhyme arrangement that changes half way through, therefore connecting with Wordsworth’s opinion of London - free and serene. The line ‘dull would he be of soul who could pass by,’ is the only reference to people in Wordsworth’s sonnet; it is from a theoretical perspective. He is only affected by what he sees, not how it operates; therefore giving the impression to the reader that the city is always calm and tranquil.
In ‘Composed Upon Westminster Bridge’ the iambic rhythm produced is slow and smooth, this comes from the emphasis on soft sounds in the sonnet; ‘soul,’ ‘pass’ and ‘sight’ carry the flow of the river Thames. This may also relate to ‘all that mighty heart is lying still,’ this metaphoric term conveys Wordsworth’s love through exaggeration and signifies that people are dependant for protracted life; Wordsworth could be referring to the quiescent factories. Wordsworth uses enjambment to seal this effect. Where as in ‘London’ the iambic pentameter structure constructs a sharp and abrupt staccato to the lines configuring a rigid poem, denoting Blake’s judgment of a constrained London façade. The effect that Blake sought to have on the reader was to introduce the feeling that London was a desperate and isolated place to live.
Both poems evaluate very different views of the same city. Through out his sonnet, ‘Composed Upon Westminster Bridge,’ Wordsworth expresses his elated and ecstatic love of London by using an array of techniques particularly personification, enjambment and metaphors. Blake on the other hand displays ridged techniques in his poem ‘London:’ he uses difficult metaphors, iambic pentameter and critical analysis of the upper classes and church to create a forceful and deterred representative of London. In displaying their individual perspectives the poets create contrasting works, Wordsworth displays an idyllic city where as Blake describes a place of disaster.
