UPON THE WESTMINSTER BRIDGE: WILLIAM WORDSWORTH \POEM \ W B B H S E \ CLASS 11

 

Earth has not anything to show more fair  (a)
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by (b)
A sight so touching in its majesty: (b)
This City now doth, like a garment, wear (a)
The beauty of the morning; silent, bare, (a)
Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie (b)
Open unto the fields, and to the sky; (b)
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air. (a)
 
 
Never did sun more beautifully steep (c)
In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill; (d)
Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep! (c)
The river glideth at his own sweet will: (d)
Dear God! the very houses seem asleep; (c)

      And all that mighty heart is lying still!  (d)

 

·         Date of composition : September 3, 1802 ( July 31, 1802 in another opinion)

·         Year of publication : 1807 in “Poems in Two volumes”

·         Westminster Bridge : It is a bridge in England crossing the river Thames near Westminster Abbey and leading to the road to Dover.

·         Occasion of composition: While going to France, on his way from London to Dover, Wordsworth looked at the city of London from Westminster Bridge. It was early morning and he was moved by the beauty of the city. He stopped his horse carriage on the bridge and wrote the poem.

·         Poet’s companion : Dorothy, the poet’s sister.

·         Type of the poem : It is a Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet having 14 lines divided into Octave (first eight lines) and Sestet (last six lines). The Octave follows the rhyme scheme abba-abba while the sestet keeps to cdcdcd.

·         Use of Personification ==> The city of London wears a new garment. The river Thames is gliding on his own free will. The houses of London are fast asleep.

·         This city = The city of London.

·         Garment = The beauty of the morning covers the city just as a dress covers the body.

·         Domes : The dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral.

·         The river : The Thames, a river of Southern England flowing from the Costworlds in Gloucestershire through London to the North Sea.

·         Steep : to submerge or cover; to radiate; to immerse.

·         Bare ...clothed : The city of London has been described as both ‘bare’ and ‘clothed’. This is a case of paradox.

·         Dear God ! : The poet addresses God out of joy and wonder. It is an exclamation.

·         Glittering : Dazzling

·         Majesty : Magnificence

·         Will : Desire

·         Still : Silent

·         Mighty: Large, gigantic.

·         Mighty heart : Huge heart [Here, the city has been compared to a giant with a huge heart. When the city is full of commercial activity, it assumes an ugly shape like that of a giant. It is an example of a metaphor.

·         Glideth : Flows

·         The city now doth like a garment wear: The city of London here is imagined as a fair lady. The poet imagines that the city wears a garment. It is a grand example of simile.

·         The very houses seem asleep : Here, houses are personified as ‘asleep’. The houses are asleep for the members are sleeping. So the houses are calm and tranquill.

·         The river glideth at his own sweet will : Here, the river Thames is personified, for as if he is in charge of his own movement.

·         In his first splendour : Here, the sun is personified. The sun is shining in its full radiance.

·         Never did the sun more beautifully steep : It is an example of metaphor to emphasise how attractive the sunlight is. He wants to show how everything in the city is immersed in sunlight. As a result, the city of London is glowing in its radiating beauty.

·         Earth has not anything to show more fair : It is an example of hyperbole. Here we find Wordsworth is exalted in ecstasy.

 

 THE SOURCE:

  The poet William Wordsworth was greatly charmed by the early morning beauty of London He watched London bathed in the first light of sun from a coach while crossing the Westminster Bridge on the way to Dover on 31^st July, 1802. He immediately drew a pen picture of his personal feelings, perceptions and fascinations. The poem was Upon the Westminster Bridge. The poem got its final form when Wordsworth and Dorothy were returning from France on 3^rd September, 1802. Dorothy Wordsworth’s Journal supports these facts.

 

Q.WHAT IS SONNET: The word sonnet is derived from the Italian word “sonetto,” which means a “little song” or small lyric. In poetry, a sonnet has 14 lines. It  is written in iambic pentameter. Each line has 10 syllables. It has a specific rhyme scheme, and a volta ,a turn of thought or argument, or a specific turn.

Generally, sonnets are divided into different groups based on the rhyme scheme they follow. The rhymes of a sonnet are arranged according to a certain rhyme scheme. The rhyme scheme in English is usually abab–cdcd–efef–gg, and in Italian abba–abba–cde–cde. Sonnets can be categorized into six major types:

1. Italian Sonnet
2. Shakespearean Sonnet
3. Spenserian Sonnet
4. Miltonic Sonnet
5. Terza Rima Sonnet
6. Curtal Sonnet

Q. What is personification? Give examples.

As defined in our glossary, personification is a figure of speech in which an inanimate object or abstraction is given human qualities or abilities. Here, The city of London wears a new garment is an example of personification because inanimate city London has put on garment of sunrays. Besides, the city of London here is imagined as a fair lady. The poet imagines that the city wears a garment. It is a grand example. The river Thames is gliding on his own free will. Here, the river Thames is personified, for as if he is in charge of his own movement.

 

CENTRAL IDEA: Upon Westminster Bridge opines Wordsworth’s feeling touched by the overwhelming beauty of morning London. The description might have exaggeration, but the grand sight of the city from Westminster Bridge moved him to intense pleasure and awe. The poet was compelled to praise by the beauty, the unique calmness and serene peace reigning in the morning captivated the romantic heart. All his words are justified when his words complemented the rare, exquisite and highly sensational sights. He was totally moved by the grandeur and majesty of the panoramic London. Being obliged to the mesmerizing beauty, he compared them with everything charming in Nature and natural aspect. In short, Wordsworth finds himself able to connect with the transcendent sublime in an urban environment. It has a life of its own; it is a living, breathing entity with a mighty, beating heart and sounds utterly astonished at the sheer vitality that the city displays as it basks in the early morning glow.

THEME \ MESSAGE

London during the day was rude and dirty. It is a living, breathing entity with a mighty, beating heart. A walk across a bridge or through streets and alley-ways confronted  with smoke, dust, grimy urchins, clacking carts, ringing hammers, barking dogs, jostling shoppers, smelly fish, rotting fruit etc. But at dawn on a cloudless morning, when London was still asleep and the fires of factories had yet to be stoked, the city joined with nature to present the early riser a glistening waters, majestic towers, unpeopled boats on the River Thames. Having a romantic heart Wordsworth’s feeling touched by the overwhelming beauty of  London basking in first sunray. The message here is that even an ugly, quacking duckling can become a lovely, soundless swan.

 Q. Earth has not anything to show more fair : – Explain.

  In the opening line of Wordsworth’s Petrarchan sonnet the speaker loudly declares that he has found the most beautiful sight on this planet.The line celebrates the serene and tranquil charm of London in the first light of the day. The romantic heart and mind of poet is captivated by the very mesmerizing beauty and fairness. He may be accused of exaggeration. But, at this particular state and condition of mind, he cannot imagine of any second place more beautiful than the place he is standing. It is indeed an expression of mood than of the outside world. Being surprised by the grand spectacle of the city, London in a pure, soothing, glittering morning sunlight Wordsworth ends line with a colon(:) letting us know that he is going to tell us, what he is witnessing, after the line breaks.

 Q. Dull would he be of soul who could pass by – Explain.

Here, Wordsworth, the poet priest passionately worships the beauty of the city London. The bright and glittering city with its shaped towers, domes, theatres and temples are mesmerizing. The comparison with valley, rock and the hill expresses the intense pleasure and awe. Moreover, the gliding river, the sleeping houses and the mighty heart lying still give off the essence of romanticism. The poet skillfully turns down the artificial sophistication of the humdrum city life. He brings out the serene tranquil charm of the morning London that captivated the romantic heart and mind. He justifies this phrase by stopping and enjoying the rare  splendor. So he justly commented that who merely passes by with an indifferent glance would definitely be-”dull of soul”.[120 words]

 

    Q. This City now doth, like a garment, wear                                                                          The beauty of the morning; silent, bare-Explain.

From these lines we shall learn what time it is and London wears morning attires. The word ‘now’ shows that the beauty depends on the time of day. It is a fleeting transient beauty. May be when the morning is over London may be forced to change the clothes. Besides this skepticism we find how the romantic poet is captivated by the reining splendor of the city. the beautiful mesmerizing morning and entices in all respect and he is phrases justify it. Though in general terms the speaker describes some of the sights that are visible from Westminster Bridge. The words ‘silent’ and ‘bare’ are positioned in the poem, such that they could describe either the morning or the sights. Because of the semicolon before it, sights are the more obvious choice but then the ambiguity must be noted. The setting is "silent" because of the early hour and  ‘bare’ is a very interesting word used here. Above all, these all expresses poet’s surprising state of mind witnessing the morning beauty of London.[175 words]

 

    Q. Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep! – Explain.

    Q. Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;

    Q.   And all that mighty heart is lying still! – Explain.

  

    Q. A sight so touching in its majesty: – Explain.

 The mesmerizing sight from the bridge is "touching in its majesty." The  phrase increases curiosity suggesting  both intimacy and grandeur. "Touching" scenes are often small but indeed intimate. "Majestic" scenes are often large and grand. The view from Westminster Bridge in the pure, soothing, glittering morning sunlight combines both this elements. The serene and tranquil charm of London in the first light of the day captivated  the romantic heart  of  the poet. He justifies hisfeelings by stop his coach along the way to witness  the sight from the bridge and he cannot help saying  that one who would not stop but  passed by with a glance, would be "dull of soul." The phrase sounds harsh  but he feels both awed by and close to the landscape. He uses another colon: maybe now he'll stop keeping us in suspense and describe this amazing view.

 

    Q. Never did sun more beautifully steep

         In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill; - Explain.

     Q. Justify the title of the sonnet Upon Westminster Bridge.

 Q. Consider Upon Westminster Bridge as a romantic poem.

     Q. Write a note on the setting of the poem Upon Westminster Bridge.

     Q. Describe, after Wordsworth  ,the city of London as given in the poem Upon Westminster Bridge.

     Q. How does the poet present London in the beauty of the morning in the poem Upon Westminster Bridge?

     

 

MORE QUESTIONS:

 

1.      The mood in the poem is _________________________

2.      The poet sees London as ______________________________

3.      The poet enhances London by using ________________________

4.      London is seen  in _______________________________________

5.      Upon Westminster Bridge is written by______________________

6.      The poet was upon the West minister Bridge on______________________

7.      Who has not anything to show fairer than London?

8.      What has Earth to show?           ________________________________________

9.      The city wears the garment of__________________________________

10.  The smokeless air makes everything____________________________

11.  How is the beauty of the morning?

12.  What lie bare and where?

13.  Name of the city is____________________________________________

14.  The houses of the city are______________________________________

15.  ‘Dear God ‘ stands for__________________________________________

16.  How does the river glide?______________________________________

17.  What had the poet never felt or seen?______________________________

18.  The gender of the river is__________________________________

19.  ‘mighty heart’ refers to__________________________________________

20.  The city impressed the poet by its__________________________________

21.  What type of poem it is?_________________________________________

22.  The sun never steep before so beautifully over the_______________________

23.  Who would be dull? Why?__________________________________________

24.  The sight captivates the poet for its___________________________________

25.  Give an example of Simile._____________________________________________

26.  Why do Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie open?

27.  Express the phrase ‘….sweet will’.

28.  Explain the phrase ‘….lying still’.

29.  Justify Upon Westminster Bridge as a sonnet.

30.  What type of sonnet it is?_______________________________________

31.  The poet uses words like ‘silent’, ‘bare’, and ‘calm’ in order to describe London. How does this atmosphere give the city a special character?

32.  Wordsworth as a poet of nature in reference to this poem..

33.  How was the poet moved by the sight of London?

34.  Narrate poet’s attitude towards the city in the poem.

35.  How are the senses of solitude drawn in description of London?

36.  How does the poet describe London making in a part of nature?

37.  Discuss the use of personifications in the poem.

38.  Describe the significance of the first line of the poem Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802: