Composed Upon Westminster Bridge || CSEC ENGLISH B POETRY LESSON

Summary

In this analysis of William Wordsworth's *Composed Upon Westminster Bridge*, the speaker reflects on the profound beauty of London at dawn, as seen from Westminster Bridge. The poem juxtaposes the majesty of nature with human-made structures, highlighting the peaceful coexistence of both. Wordsworth's admiration for the quiet, smokeless air and the stillness of the city contrasts with the chaos of industrialization. The analysis explores themes of nature, civilization, and the fleeting beauty of early morning, concluding that embracing both aspects leads to a deeper understanding of life and harmony.

Takeaways

• 😀 Wordsworth's sonnet 'Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802' captures the beauty of London in the early morning, emphasizing a unique moment in time and place.
• 🌅 The poem highlights the contrast between nature and human civilization, showing how harmony can exist when human activity is absent.
• 🏙️ The city is personified as wearing the morning’s beauty, illustrating how human structures borrow elegance from nature.
• 🖋️ Literary devices used include hyperbole, simile, personification, metaphor, and careful diction to convey awe and admiration.
• 💖 The speaker emphasizes personal emotion and subjectivity, suggesting that anyone who fails to appreciate this view is 'dull of soul.'
• 🌊 Nature is depicted as alive and purposeful, with the river gliding at its own 'sweet will' and the sun imbuing the city with light.
• 🌇 The poem’s structure, an Italian sonnet, divides the content into a problem (octave) and a solution (sestet), showing tension and resolution between nature and civilization.
• 💤 The city, while normally bustling, is described as asleep, emphasizing a fleeting serenity that allows the speaker to fully appreciate the scene.
• ❤️ The metaphor of the city as a 'mighty heart lying still' suggests both vitality and calm, reflecting the harmony of nature and human constructs temporarily achieved.
• 🌿 Wordsworth’s analysis underscores that the true beauty lies in the combination of city and nature, not in the presence of human activity.
• 📝 The poem's irregular meter and slant rhyme highlight the diversity and majesty of the scene, reinforcing the speaker’s sense of wonder.

Q & A

What is the significance of the title 'Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802'?

The title sets both the time and place of the poem. It marks a specific moment in history—September 3, 1802—when the Industrial Revolution was in full swing, and highlights Westminster Bridge in London, which is a key location that serves as the setting for the poem.

How does the speaker view the beauty of nature in the poem?

The speaker describes the beauty of nature as the most majestic and unique sight on Earth, emphasizing that anyone who could pass by without appreciating it must have a 'dull soul.' This expression shows his admiration and deep emotional response to the natural scene.

What does the phrase 'earth has not anything to show more fair' imply?

The phrase emphasizes the speaker’s belief that the scene before him is the most beautiful thing on Earth. It is an exaggerated claim to underline the grandeur of what he is witnessing.

How does the poem juxtapose nature and civilization?

The poem contrasts the beauty of nature with the man-made cityscape. The speaker admires nature's beauty but is acutely aware that he is viewing it from a human-made bridge, suggesting a tension between the two forces. There are moments where human creations are presented as empty or vulnerable, in harmony with nature when uninhabited.

Why does the speaker use personification in describing the city and nature?

The speaker uses personification to give life and agency to both the city and nature. For example, describing the city as 'wearing' the beauty of the morning or saying that 'the river glideth at his own sweet will' suggests that nature and the city are not just passive entities, but active and dynamic forces with their own personalities.

What does the line 'the city now doth, like a garment, wear the beauty of the morning' mean?

This simile compares the city to a person wearing clothes. The city 'wears' the beauty of the morning like a garment, suggesting that nature lends its beauty to the city, and without this natural beauty, the city would be 'bare' or devoid of charm.

What is the significance of the city being described as 'bare' and 'silent'?

The terms 'bare' and 'silent' refer to the early morning tranquility before the bustling activity of the day begins. 'Bare' does not mean the city is physically naked, but rather that it is empty of people and human activity. The quietness of the morning adds to its serene beauty.

How does the speaker view the relationship between nature and the city?

Initially, the speaker sees a conflict between nature and the city. However, as the poem progresses, he recognizes a harmonious relationship between the two, especially when nature is unspoiled by human activity. The beauty of nature and the city seem to enhance one another when people are not present.

What does the phrase 'the mighty heart is lying still' symbolize?

The phrase metaphorically describes the city as a heart—representing vitality and energy—that is now at rest. This could symbolize the peaceful calm of the early morning or imply that the city, though full of life, is temporarily 'asleep' and at peace with nature.

What is the irony in the poem regarding the sun’s relationship with nature and civilization?

The irony lies in the fact that the sun seems to 'steep' or 'bathe' the city in its light more beautifully than it does natural landscapes like valleys, rocks, or hills. The city, a human creation, appears to bask in the sunlight more magnificently than nature, which goes against the expected hierarchy of nature’s supremacy.