Representations of London in William Wordsworth’s “Composed Upon Westminster Bridge” and William Blake’s “London”. A Comparison

Seminar Paper , 2019 , 6 Pages , Grade: bestanden

English Language and Literature Studies - Literature

This paper compares the poems “Composted upon Westminster bridge, September 3, 1802” by William Woodsworth and the poem “London” by William Blake.

This comparison arises from their common ground about the topic London but also the discrepancy between their perspectives of London. Both artists show London from different point of views and state of minds which creates a London being accomplished. Additional to the presentation and comparison of the city London, the authors intentions same as their authenticity must be discussed and compared.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• The representation of London in Woodsworth's Composed upon Westminster bridge, September 3, 1802
• The representations of London on Blake's London
• The Comparison of both poems
• Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper aims to compare and contrast the representations of London in William Wordsworth's "Composed Upon Westminster Bridge" and William Blake's "London." The analysis will focus on the different perspectives of the two poets, the impact of industrialization on their views of the city, and their overall intentions in portraying London.

• The impact of industrialization on London
• The contrasting perspectives of Wordsworth and Blake on the city
• The role of the lyrical "I" in both poems
• The portrayal of the Londoner society in both poems
• The use of imagery and language to create atmosphere and meaning

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The first chapter provides an introduction to the comparison of the two poems, highlighting their shared focus on London and the discrepancies in their perspectives. Chapter two delves into Wordsworth's "Composed Upon Westminster Bridge," exploring the poem's focus on the beauty of London in the morning hours, its contrast with the industrialization, and the lyrical "I" as a reflection of Wordsworth himself. Chapter three analyzes Blake's "London," examining the poem's portrayal of the negative impacts of industrialization on Londoner society, the role of the lyrical "I" in reflecting Blake's own feelings, and the poem's overall tone of sadness and depression. Finally, chapter four compares the two poems, contrasting their perspectives on London, their uses of imagery and language, and the overall atmosphere and meaning they create.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This paper focuses on the representations of London in Wordsworth's "Composed Upon Westminster Bridge" and Blake's "London," examining themes of industrialization, social class, urban beauty, and the individual's perspective on the city. It explores the contrasting voices of the lyrical "I" in both poems, analyzing their use of imagery, language, and tone to create different perceptions of London. The paper also considers the historical context of both poems and the poets' personal experiences with the city.

• College: Bielefeld University
• Grade: bestanden
• Author: Lara Witt (Author)
• Publication Year: 2019
• Pages: 6
• Catalog Number: V991582
• ISBN (eBook): 9783346357182
• Language: English
• Tags: representations, london, william, wordsworth’s, composed, upon, westminster, bridge”, blake’s, london”, comparison