Wordsworth’s shows his feelings for London in a figurative way. He engages the reader by forcing them to change from what they are thinking to what the writer wants them to think. He personifies the sun, the river and the city. From reading the poem one can feel nothing but tranquil, picturing yourself there. He allows them to perform human functions such as wearing clothes. He continues this simile giving the river a
“will”, something which is unique to people. He says, “ This City now doth like a garment wear.” This gives the impression that the city’s alive, not just an inanimate collection of buildings. Wordsworth really turns the City into a romantic dreamland. Wordsworth describes the sight as “ touching in its majesty.” It makes us think of royalty and makes us think that London is the heart of wealth and power. He comments on the architecture “ Ships, towers, domes etc.” You can almost visualize the skyline surrounded with impressive man made achievements. Throughout the poem it uses imagery and praises both nature and mans achievements. The first line Of Wordsworth’s poem is “ Earth has not anything to show more fair.” This is hyperbole, as Wordsworth has not seen the whole world so he can’t say there is no better sight in the world than London. It is a strong comment and shows that the beauty of the scene strikes the poet.
It sets out how the poet feels in the line “ Dull would he be of soul who could pass by,” implying that the sight of London would evoke strong views in everyone who sees it.
Wordsworth describes London as “ glittering in the smokeless air,” and having a calming aura. “ Glittering” is onomatopoeia and you can almost picture the sun creeping though the city in the early morning.
“ The very houses seem asleep,” is personification and suggest there is no sound of people or not even a noise so it seems as if the houses are sleeping.
“ That mighty heart” is a metaphor and suggests London is the centre of the World, the main function just like the heart at the centre of the body pumping blood.
The Wordsworth poem is changed in the penultimate line where he says
“ Dear God.” Wordsworth is overwhelmed by the tranquility of London that he feels the need to invoke God’s name.
“ The Daffodils” is also written by William Wordsworth but is very different both in structure and content. “ The Daffodils” has four stanzas. Each stanza has six lines. There is a simple rhyme scheme. At the end of each stanza there is a rhyming couplet which creates a rhythm. In the opening statement “ I wondered lonely as a cloud.” Wordsworth uses a simile to compare his loneliness to a cloud drifting through the sky. It suggests the poet is dreamy and wondering “ o’ver vales and hills” with no real purpose or direction. The cloud is not bound by any obstacle but can go wherever the whim of the wind takes it. The poet is astounded to see “ A host of golden daffodils.” This is personification and it makes the daffodils less impersonal. The word “crowd” brings to mind an image of the daffodils chattering amongst each other leaning their heads near each other in the wind. The word “host” makes them seem like their golden petals are shimmering like golden halos on angels. It creates the impression that they are everywhere “ Beside the lake, beneath the trees.”
The imagery Wordsworth uses is very visual; he mentions daffodils are
“ fluttering” and “ dancing”. These terms make the lines flow with musical eloquence as the syllable “ ing” is repeated. He is able to make the daffodils come to life using personification in a joyous movement. The poet also thinks of himself as being a cloud in the sense of being free and being able to look at such beauty. The extent of his joy is among the daffodils.
In the second stanza the poet compares the daffodils using a simile
“ Continuous as the stars that shine/And twinkle on the milky way.” The poet is obviously stimulated by the beauty of the daffodils as he considers them as special just like stars. This line creates the image of the wind blowing the tops of random daffodils up and down in haphazard matter, so they appear to glint momentarily as their faces catch the sun. He uses onomatopoeia “ twinkle”. It creates harmony and overall Wordsworth tries to portray a bright and illuminating landscape. The poet also uses enjambment “ They stretched in never ending line/Along the margin of a bay.” This creates an impression of the endless numbers of the daffodils. Wordsworth says “ ten thousand saw I at glance.” It seems slightly exaggerated but you can see the picture the poet is trying to create. The poet is giving you the picture that wherever he looks he can see them, bunched together in-groups. In the last verse the daffodils are “ tossing their heads in sprightly dance,” we recognise that the daffodils are working together in unison with no trouble at all. Their “dance” is in complete coordination.
The poet can not help being happy in such a joyful company of flowers. “ A poet could not but be gay/ In such jocund company!” In the last stanza Wordsworth says he feels “ vacant” or “ pensive” the memory flashes upon “ that inward eye/ That bliss of solitude,” and his heart fills with pleasure and he “ dances with the daffodils.” Returned to the industrialised world the speaker is vacant of the joy that he found in nature- especially the daffodils. So when he recalls the daffodils he is reunited with the pleasure which he can not find amongst people.
I prefer “ The Daffodils”. I like this poem because it shows what joy the memory can bring to the poet in times of contemplation, grief and loneliness. This poem is very touching and moving. We can see Wordsworth’s use of imagery and emotion at its best. We can see that the poet holds daffodils and nature in high regard. The poem has a lot of nature images that you can practically see: the trees, the water, the stars and the daffodils. Unlike “ Upon Westminster Bridge” which I feel is slightly sarcastic. In “ The daffodils” Wordsworth’s tone is merry and flows quickly and nicely; it’s like he is creating a painting not a poem.
