‘London’s “charter’d Thames” is a direct contrast to how William Wordsworth describes the River Thames in ‘Composed upon Westminster Bridge’. “The river glideth at his own sweet will” personifies the river and conveys its absolute freedom, as if it is able to go where it pleases. “Open unto the fields, and to the sky;/All bright and glittering in the smokeless air” conveys a unpolluted image of London, surrounded by the countryside and nature. The mention of “smokeless air” is a sharp contrast to the “black’ning” image of London created by Blake. Use of words such as “majesty”, “splendour” and repetition of “beauty” give the city a powerful elegance and gracefulness. The man-made creations: Wordsworth lists “Ships, towers, domes and theatres” in excitement, as he is appreciative of their splendour, whereas Blake associated the “Church” and “Palace” with an oppressive evil.
In Blake’s “London”, the presence of human figures allows for a focus upon the suffering of the people within the city, and the corrupt nature of the authorities. The “mind-forg’d manacles” represent the notion that the oppression is caused by fear, selfishness and despair and is the fault of the people themselves because they have not resisted. The repeated use of the word “mark” demonstrate both “marks” of suffering and distress the people are suffering but on another level, they are also associated with the 'Mark of the Beast', or Antichrist from the New Testament in the Bible. Many dissenters saw the rule of the rich powerful commercial interests as the rule of the Antichrist.
There is an absence of human figures in Wordsworth’s “Westminster Bridge” and instead the focus is on the scenery and the place itself. This is the main reason for the tranquil aura of the London morning that Wordsworth describes, with no human activity to disturb the graceful calm. However, through personification, Wordsworth conveys the beauty of the city, the river, and the landscape. “This City now doth, like a garment, wear/The beauty of the morning” uses both personification and a simile to describe the serene nature of London in the morning and at the same time providing an insight into the transient nature of London, as the atmosphere of the city changes at different stages of the day, much as a “garment” could be.
Although both poems are about London, they both have very different perspectives. William Wordsworth sees London as being a very picturesque place. This can be show here ‘Earth has not anything to show more fair.’ William Blake sees London as being a city of hypocrisy and exploitation. ‘Runs in blood down Palace walls.’ The poems explore London at different times of day; in Upon Westminster Bridge it’s the morning, just as the sun is rising, and there is no activity whatsoever. William Blake’s poem is set well into the night, where evil lurks unseen in the “midnight” darkness and cries of woe can be heard.
In ‘Upon Westminster Bridge’ alliteration and repetition are used to emphasise the vision of “beauty” he sees. Wordsworth usually wrote poems concerning nature, so it is unusual for him to be describing and listing the beauty of “Ships, towers, domes…” because they are all man-made constructions. Blake employs a striking use of repetition with “In every cry of every man”, which is emphasised by the rhythm, and iambic tetrameter. The melancholic words such as “woe”, “weakness” and “cry” and in particular the repeated use of “marks” in the first stanza, create a sense of destitution.
Blake's poem is structured in a methodical and measured tone, in keeping with the depressing tone of the poem. It is written in to a steady beat in four stanzas, with most lines conforming to iambic tetrameters. This, together with a regular rhyme scheme, symbolises there is no escape for the people of London. In the first two stanzas, Blake makes generalisations of the people of London such as “in every cry…in every voice”, but in the final two stanzas he concentrates on the suffering of individuals within London.
Wordsworth's “Westminster Bridge” is altogether more positive and uses more flamboyant language to reflect his enthusiastic attitude to what he sees. An unusual aspect of this poem is that it is written in the form of a Petrarchan sonnet, a style predominantly used in poetry of a romantic nature. In the first octave of the poem, emphasis is placed on the physical impressions Wordsworth is given and there is a celebratory tone. In the remaining sestet, Wordsworth details his emotional response to the inspiring surroundings, using a gentle rhythm to bring the poem to a close.
