London
In London± and Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802,± the authors both have similar attitudes to the city of London but they express them in different ways. Even though they focus on different part-Blake focused on miserable people who are repressed by authority and Wordsworth criticizes the lack of vitality of the city itself- the dominant tone of both poems is pessimistic and criticizing. This is supported by their words such as charter'd± (line1 and 2), the mind-forg'd manacles± (line8) in London± and smokeless± (line8), heart± (line14) in Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802.± However, whereas Blake expresses his ideas clearly, Wordsworth hides his real thoughts about London. London± has a pessimistic attitude about London. Freedom is suppressed by authority in London. Blake uses the word charter'd± (line1 and 2) twice that means legally defined and constricted literally, we can assume that the authority controls the street of London, the Thames River and even people. Therefore he can see marked weakness and woe in every face
Even though they have similar attitudes to London, they use different way to reveal their ideas. Moreover Blake uses first person point of view, it refers that not only narrator but also all oppressed characters in this poem are isolated. It seems that smokeless air means the fresh and pure air but it makes sarcastic remarks to this word. Even though it seems that he admires the beauty of the London, these are just belongings that laid on nature, the fields and the sky. In fist stanza he says that the street and the river are charter'd even though it's nonsense because they can not be controlled or conquered. As he repeats never several times,- Never did sun more beautifully steep± (line9), Ne'er saw I, never felt± (line11)-he emphasizes his thoughts paradoxically. Thus he is involving deeply in the city while Blake displays his idea objectively. Especially the mind-forg'd manacle± (line8) has an image of enslavement, imprisonment and lack of freedom. Also Blake compares the narrator with others. cry± (line5), fear± (line6) and ban± (line7) signify suffering, pain and pressure. The last part of this poem represents clear contrast between nature's energy and lack of vitality of the city. Furthermore, in his poem, Blake represents what he sees and hears as an observer of the city but Wordsworth expresses his own feeling intensively but ironically. In second stanza, he expresses his thoughts more clearly. The hearse± (line16) relates with death and coffin literally but in this line it is used for marriage.
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Acceptance Essays
