2.

4 UPON WESTMINSTER BRIDGE

About the Poet
William Wordsworth (1770-1850) was an English Romantic poet who with
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English
literature with their joint publication Lyrical Ballads (1798).

One of the England’s most beloved poets and a pioneer of Romanticism,

William Wordsworth was made Poet Laureate in 1843 and remained on the
position till alive.

About the Poem

Wordsworth's Composed poem, Upon Westminster Bridge, (September 3)
shares his impressions of the view from, Westminster Bridge. The poem
takes shape as the speaker describes the sights and feeling of a quiet early
morning before the city springs to life. It is a Petrarchan/ Italian sonnet.

The speaker begins by asserting that the view before him just might be the
best thing in the world. It would be a very 'dull' person who could pass by
without stopping to appreciate the 'majesty' of what he sees. And what is this
splendid sight? That of a mighty city, full of the amazing accomplishments of
man. 'Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples,' spread before the
speaker.
But these man-made marvels have yet to come to life in the early morning.
The buildings and ships are seen as part of the greater setting: the natural
landscape. The sun rises over the quiet scene, and the river moves along on
its natural path. For the brief time between sunrise and the beginning of the
workday, the speaker feels 'a calm so deep.' For at this moment, civilization
sleeps, and the beating heart of man-made constructs is 'lying still.'

Introduction
Upon Westminster Bridge is a sonnet composed by William Wordsworth,
describing London and River Thames viewed from the Westminster Bridge
in the early morning. The poem’s speaker observes the city at dawn, seeing
it for its breathtaking beauty while also acknowledging the industrial forces
transforming it.
The title, ‘Upon the Westminster Bridge’ is significant as it directly takes the
reader to the scene which has inspired the poet to admire the natural beauty
around the city of London at dawn and to write the poem.

Glossary
fair: beautiful
dull: lacking intelligence, uninteresting
majesty: grand and
impressive
doth: does
garment: clothing
bare: without decoration or makeup, plain
domes: ceiling or roof similar to the hollow upper half of a
sphere
glittering: shining
steep: rise from high to low
splendour: grand, impressive
glideth: to move smoothly
mighty: extremely great

Paraphrase
The poet says, no sight on Earth is more beautiful than the view from the
Westminster Bridge. Only someone suffering from a severe spiritual deficiency
could walk by without noticing the view, which is emotionally stirring in its all-
encompassing magnificence. London is wearing the clear, soft light of dawn like a
piece of clothing. Undisturbed by human activity (calm and inactive), the city’s
many different buildings stretch outward and upward, until they blend into the
surrounding farmland and overarching sky. The city shines like a diamond, and the
air is clear. (absence of fog)

The sunlight has never shone on any feature of the natural landscape more
beautifully than it now shines on the city as a whole. The poet has never seen nor
felt such pure and unwavering tranquility. The river flows easily, guided only by the
forces of nature. He addresses God- the creator of this beauty and expresses his
wonder. The whole city which is otherwise a hub of activities in this moment of
inactivity has turned into an epitome of beauty as it is asleep.

Figures of Speech
1. Earth has not anything to show more fair:

Hyperbole: The sentence has been exaggerated for poetic effect

Personification: The earth is given the human quality of showing something special.

2. Dull would he be of soul who could pass by

Inversion: The order of sentence not in proper prosaic order

Correct order: He who could pass by would be a dull soul.

3. This City now doth, like a garment, wear

Simile: Direct comparison between the beauty of the city in the morning to the
garment on a body.

Personification: The city is treated like a person wearing a garment.

4. A sight so touching in its majesty:

Alliteration: The sound made by the letter; ‘s’ is repeated pleasingly for poetic
effect.

5. The beauty of the morning: silent, bare

Personification: The beauty of the morning is given the human quality of being
silent.

6. Never did sun more beautifully steep In his…

Personification: The sun is given the human quality of stooping.

Hyperbole: The line has been exaggerated for poetic effect

7. Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!

Inversion: The order of sentence not in proper prosaic order

The correct prose is, ‘I never saw or felt a calm so deep.’

Repetition: The word, never is repeated pleasingly for emphasis.

8. The river glideth at his own sweet will:

Personification: The river is personified as gliding.

9. The very houses seem asleep;

Personification: The houses are personified as sleeping

10. And all that mighty heart is lying still!

Personification: The city is personified by giving it a heart.

Paradox: Contradictory statement, mighty heart cannot be still but the poet
describes it as inactive.

Metaphor: Indirect comparison of the houses to a creature that sleeps

11. Line no 4-10, 12 & 13

Imagery: The detail description of the activities or any scene is used creating
picture in the reader’s mind.

Mrs. Nisha Thomas

Vani Vidyalaya