This exactly means the contamination inside the city but is also has a symbolical meaning. It is an obvious critic to religion is because of its corruption and spiritual weakness. Blake in his poem talks about the weakness on people’s faces and the constant crying of people and their fears.
In Wordsworth´ s poem the essential topic is the city’s attractiveness, brilliance of sights, and charisma. He examines concrete images. Wordsworth describes the natural world in London. For example: “sights so touching in its majesty “, it refers at the gorgeous mornings, the smokeless and decontaminated atmosphere, etc. Wordsworth as well refers to fascinating buildings such as temples, theatres, and domes. As he was a tourist and did not live in London, he could rescue the city’s good aspects. He thought and saw London as a calm peaceful place, with a pleasing and charming ambience. He talks about its beauty, landscapes and wonderful atmosphere. It’s a very positive poem and he describes London very optimistically.
Meanwhile, Blake, who had lived in London his whole life, could capture the city’s different periods and has a very different impression on it. Hence, his way of seeing it was with misery and he looks at oppression. He constantly uses terms such as mind-forged manacles, chimney sweeper or charted.
Blake repeats a lot of pessimistic phrases, which evidently confirmed us how tragic and miserable could London had been and how their citizens lived in those times
“Mark in every face I meet, mark of weakness mark of woe”
It refers to how people cried and their constant and strong fear as a way of support to their suffering. Children and cries were a symbol of innocence, vulnerability. Crying showed need for protective paternal love, which they lacked. Small children who did not have a job, had no more option than to work as chimney sweepers, because they were the only people who could climb those thin and high chimneys, a large proportion died because of that. Kids were strongly abused.
In the other hand, we can observe that Wordworth repeated optimistic phrases, and does not concentrate on people, yet it does on atmospheres and ambiences. It does not only use common words to refer to the gorgeous sights and landscapes, but he uses unique phrases that symbolised tranquillity, protection, and serenity.
“Like a garment”
It means “like a clothing” which is used to protect the city, this shows the serenity and the shield.
“The river glideth”,
It means a calmed river which had a sluggish fluent. This represents peace and a feeling of relaxation and rest. To create this effect he uses as well assonance and a long vowel sound.
Mutually, Blake and Wordworth’s moods in which they wrote this poems are totally differing and contrary. Wordsworth had an uplifting and joyful mood. He talks about a serene and silent town. He describes it as a free, peaceful and worm city, and uses words which express gladness. To represent the idea that the city was something authoritative and magnificent he uses the words ‘majesty’ and ‘glittering’, which used in a metaphorical way convey the idea of power and prosperity. It talks about a new day, a new life has grown. He describes the days as having always a sparkling wonderful sun, a quiet morning and it seems that it was summer because of the warm and sunny environment.
Alternatively, Blake’s mode is gloomy, dark and depressing. It is set at midnight which helps to create an oppressing feeling. He talks about ‘charter´d streets’ which links to a captivity and imprisonment atmosphere. He talks and refers to death in many ways, for example when families were destroyed by the death of a new born baby because of the young harlot’s cause, or the horrible sickness of syphilis, a symbol of unsanitary and unhealthy marriage. It also refers at the blackening churches, caused by the pollution which came form the chimneys and that were cleaned by small children who risked their own and innocent lives.
“Composed upon Westminster Bridge” and “London” were written with different structures. “Composed upon Westminster Bridge”’s structure is a patriarchal sonnet, very rigid, regular mainly to convey and express ideas. The first eight lines are where Wordworth describes London, and the six remaining lines are where there is a clear emphasize in the expression of feelings, views and emotions. This poem has a lot of personification and similes which are shown in the poem like for example: “This City now doth like a garment wear.” This means that this city is surrounded by a garment, a very strong shield that represents protection.
“London”‘s structure is pretty different, it was written with alternate line rhyme and four quatrains. In this poem there is a lot of metaphor used to create various points of views and perspectives. Blake insistent used the word “every” to emphasize the idea that everyone in London had a miserable life and were depressing.
Since my point of view, I see both poems very attention-grabbing and interesting. But I definitely prefer Wordsworth’s sonnet, because it contains more description and more optimistic and constructive way of viewing life. Nature is described as splendour and life as enjoyable, relaxing, something to be pleased with. This poem has prettier and stronger message to convey than misery and suffering as Blake’s poem, which I find it pessimistic and unhelpful.
