Romantic Poets, language
Compare the way at least two Romantic Poets use language to show their response to their surroundingsIn comparing William Blake's "London" and William Wordsworth's "Composed Upon Westminster Bridge" and the way they use language, we can first look at the Poets very dissimilar attitudes at the time the poems were written as I feel that they were the biggest influence. As they are writing about the same subject we may expect their poems to be similar were it not for their own, personal beliefs. They are also both Romantic poets, which means that in theory they revolt against the rigidity and the structure of classicism. They attacked the rich and exalted the individuals. Essentially they struggled for personal freedom of expression and I feel this is what both these poems are based on, personal freedom of expression and opinions. It is interesting to look at these personal opinions as they differ so greatly and I feel it is this that makes the poems so very different. Wordsworth's approach is calm and upbeat. The atmosphere that he creates is one of a dreamy manner. He is slightly biased as he is only visiting London and does not live there. He is leaving and often as we are leaving situations or places behind we can remem
When we read "London" we are left with a mixture of feelings; realisation, misery and guilt are among them. The ambience created by Wordsworth's poem is entirely different. It creates guilt because there is not a lot we can do about it and it creates a feeling of misery because it is generally a depressing poem and thinking about terrible situations usually makes people feel unhappy. Blake's poem can be deciphered as an argument. Wordsworth also uses symbols but obviously, due to the temperament of his poem, much more less grim ones. Blake is trying to urge everyone to blame the social institution for the fact that soldiers, in particular, are treated appallingly. Blake uses bleak and dismal language to describe his feelings of London whereas Wordsworth uses positive, optimistic language to demonstrate his opinions on London. Blake is actually in London and he can see exactly what is going on in his surroundings. Maybe he is hoping that his poem will open people's eyes to the fact that although it is thought that London is a free city and the people living there are free and happy they are not. He uses symbols in his poem to represent the horror in London, again, as an argument against the lack of freedom. This generates a feeling upon the reader unconsciously that something distressing will happen at the end of the drumming, much like when people were going to be hanged years ago; when the drumming stopped the stool under the prisoner's feet was kicked away. My personal favourite is "London" because it seems to have more point to it. As the form of the poem is one large verse, a petrachen sonnet, it all flows together rather than being cut up into sections by verses, which would interrupt the peaceful train of thought. Blake is actually in London, not viewing it from high above and he can see the unpleasant details that are actually on display for example a "blood running down the palace walls" and the "Marks of weakness and woe in every face". I think that he could almost be trying to make the social institution feel guilty, that he is saying them that they have the soldiers' blood on t heir conscience.
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