SONNET: COMPOSED UPON

WESTMINSTER BRIDGE
WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
COMPOSED UPON WESTMINSTER BRIDGE,
SEPTEMBER 3, 1802
BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
SONNET
Italian English
SONNETS:
WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
Born on April 7th 1770

In Wordsworth house in England in the Lake District Very Scenic

Region

William Wordsworth expresses his feelings about the scenery in his

country as he looks off a very famous bridge the Westminster Bridge.
 SENSE

A scenic view

Looking off Westminster Bridge

Comparison between the city and the countryside

THE TITLE
Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802
By William Wordsworth

Gives the Setting

- London Westminster
Bridge
- Date (3 September 1802)
 The speaker declares that A colon is used to give
emphasis, present
there is nothing more dialogue, introduce
beautiful than the view he lists or text, and
clarify composition
sees from the bridge. titles

Earth has not anything to show more

fair:– Sure of
Confident statement
himself

Hyperbole: The speaker uses hyperbole to emphasize the

beauty of the scene and his emotions about it. He declares
that "Earth has not anything to show more fair," suggesting
that there is nothing more beautiful than what he sees from
the bridge.
 The speaker suggests that
someone who is not moved by
the sight is lacking in emotion or
imagination

Dull would he be of soul who could pass by

Fair – Dull =
Contrast
 A sight so touching in its majesty:
Majesty = Royalty
Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of
Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City
of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the
location of the coronations of 39 English and British
monarchs, and a burial site for 18 English, Scottish and
British monarchs
Personification: The speaker personifies the city,
describing it as "wearing" the beauty of the morning like a
garment

Doth is an old-fashioned third

person singular form of the verb 'do'

This City now doth, like a garment, wear

Simile
The speaker personifies the city
as wearing the beauty of the
morning like a garment.
In the MORNING as he stand on the bridge - The
city is silent and empty at this time.

The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,

 The speaker describes the various structures in the
city that he sees as he stands on the bridge.

Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie

Here there is no flashiness but plain and
simple beauty, despite the man-made origins
of these structures

Contrast – Nature vs City Buildings

 The speaker describes nature that he sees as he
stands on the bridge.

Open unto the fields, and to the sky;

These buildings appear to be adapting to nature: they

‘lie / Open’ to the fields and the sky, those earthly and
ethereal landscapes that sandwich them, as if the
London buildings are between earthly beauty and the
beauty of the heavens, and exist not in contrast to them
but as a natural bridge between them.
Because the workaday world hasn’t started yet and
the wheels of industry (factories) are still, the air is
‘smokeless’ at the moment: clear and clean

All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.


THE OCTAVE (LINES 1-8)
In the first half of the poem the
reader gets a feeling of awe with
descriptions such as “Earth has not
anything to show more fair” and
then listing all the buildings he
could see.

Sets the scene and establishes the speaker's emotional

response to it.
The speaker declares that the view from the bridge is the
most beautiful thing on Earth, and anyone who cannot
appreciate it must be "dull of soul."
He describes the city as wearing the beauty of the
morning like a garment, and he notes how the buildings
and structures of the city are open and exposed to the
natural world. The speaker also highlights the absence of
smoke in the air, which emphasizes the purity and clarity
of the morning light
 The speaker compares the beauty of the sun to
steeping or immersing in its first splendour, which he
has never seen more beautifully than in this view.

Never did sun more beautifully steep

Hyperbole
Wordsworth praises being a nature poet that the sun
never rose so beautifully, not even the natural features
of valleys, rocks, or hills, have looked so beautiful and
the poet felt calm to watch the scales and the outlines
of these city buildings. Wordsworth connects with the
calm of the country’s capital before the business day
begins.

In his first splendour, valley, rock, or

hill;
Hyperbole
Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!
The repetition of "Never" in line 11
emphasizes the poet's sense of awe and wonder,
as if he is unable to express the depth of his
emotion.
Even the Thames(The river) appears to be taking its
time, slowly flowing through the city and under
Wordsworth’s feet. Wordsworth returns to the buildings
of the city in his reference to the houses: the people are
indoors asleep, but the bricks and mortar of the houses
seem to be hypnotized.

The river glideth at his own sweet will:

Personification
The river is given the human quality of having a will
and the ability to move according to its own desire, as
if it were a living being. The use of personification here
helps to create a sense of calm and natural beauty in the
scene described in the poem.
Apostrophe: The speaker addresses God directly in the
final line of the poem, which is an example of
apostrophe. By doing so, he acknowledges the divine
presence in the scene and suggests that the beauty he sees
is evidence of God's handiwork.
Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;

God created ALL.

The poet invokes God in the poem to express

his awe and gratitude for the beauty of the
scene before him.
 The heart of London, the people who make it
what it is, are all lying asleep, still and calm.

And all that mighty heart is lying still!

Metaphor: Compare the city to a "mighty heart."
This metaphor suggests that the city is the lifeblood
of the nation, with its buildings and structures
symbolizing the pulse of the people

In the end, the poet appears to be stunned into complete silence by the
beauty of London. ‘Dear God! The very houses seem asleep; and all
that mighty heart is lying still’, he writes, using the exclamation to
bring to a head the point that he has been labouring towards the entire
poem: the beauty of London in the early morning is a stunning sight,
and one that should be seen to be believed.
 There is a feeling of calmness and
peace throughout the second half of
the poem such as in line 11 where he

THE SESTET (LINES 9-14)

says ‘ne’er have I felt a calm so
deep!’ and then goes on in line 12 to
add to the sense of calmness and
peace ‘the river glideth at its own
sweet will’ and into line 13 ‘Dear
God! The very houses seem asleep’.
Deepens the emotional impact of the scene and expands upon
the speaker's feelings of awe and wonder.
The speaker marvels at the sun's beauty, describing it as never
having steeped so beautifully in any other landscape. He notes
how the river glides smoothly and effortlessly, and he observes
how the buildings seem to be asleep, as if the city itself were
resting.
The final line of the sestet, which is an apostrophe to God,
suggests that the beauty of the scene is evidence of divine
creation and inspires a sense of reverence and gratitude in the
speaker.
THEMES:
Beauty of Nature: The poet expresses his admiration for the beauty of nature, specifically the city of
London in the morning light, and describes it in detail.

The Majesty of Cities: The poem explores the idea of cities as places of wonder and beauty, with their
structures and features providing a sense of awe and majesty.

Appreciation of Simple Moments: The poet reflects on a simple, quiet moment in time and finds
beauty and value in it.

Spiritual Experience: The poet invokes God in the poem, suggesting a sense of spiritual experience and
awe in the face of the beauty he is witnessing.

Contrast: The poem highlights the contrast between the bustling, noisy city that London is during the
day and the serene and peaceful beauty it presents in the early morning
TONE:
Joyful, appreciative, and contemplative.
The poet expresses a deep appreciation for the
beauty of London in the early morning,
describing it as a sight that touches the soul. The
use of phrases like "Earth has not anything to
show more fair," and "Never did sun more
beautifully steep" convey a sense of wonder and
admiration for the city. The poet also expresses a
contemplative tone, reflecting on the stillness of
the city and invoking God in the line "Dear
God!" to emphasize the beauty of the scene.