Concetti Chiave
- Wordsworth, in "Composed upon Westminster Bridge," portrays London as beautiful and peaceful when free from human activity and pollution.
- The poem by Wordsworth is unusual for the Romantic age, as it finds beauty in a city rather than solely in nature.
- Blake's poem "London" presents a stark contrast, highlighting the city's negative aspects such as poverty and exploitation.
- Blake uses vivid examples like child chimney-sweepers and suffering soldiers to emphasize social injustices.
- The atmosphere in Blake's poem is one of disillusionment, criticizing the control and mental 'manacles' imposed by society.
Wordsworth's positive view of London
In both of these compositions the author described the city of London.
"Composed upon Westminister Bridge" is a sonnet written by William Wordsworth in which he described London in a positive way.
It was very unusual during the Romantic age because poets thought only nature could offer consolation.
The poet wrote even London could be beautiful, it happened early in the morning when there wasn't the presence of man the city seemed to be asleep.
In fact all the factories were closed, there wasn't pollution and the river could flow freely, because there weren't boots that changed the movement of the waves.
So the atmosphere is beautiful and peaceful.
Blake's critique of London
At the other hand Blake, in his composition "London", described all the negative aspects of the city.
The speaker wanders through the streets of London and reports his observations such as the misery of poor people.
He used three examples:
1.The chimney-sweeper to criticize the exploitation of children.
2.Soldiers to describe the suffering caused by the Revolution.
3.Prostitutes who ruined the Marriage hearse.
Blake says also that men wanted to control everything but they forged manacles for their minds.
So the atmosphere of the poem is disillusioned.
Domande da interrogazione
- How does Wordsworth's depiction of London differ from typical Romantic views?
- What are the key criticisms Blake highlights in his poem "London"?
Wordsworth's sonnet "Composed upon Westminster Bridge" presents London in a positive light, which was unusual for the Romantic age as poets typically found solace only in nature. He describes the city as beautiful and peaceful in the early morning when it is free from human activity and pollution.
In "London," Blake critiques the city by highlighting the misery of its inhabitants. He uses examples such as the exploitation of child chimney-sweepers, the suffering of soldiers due to the Revolution, and the impact of prostitution on marriage, portraying a disillusioned atmosphere.
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