Composed upon Westminster Bridge is a beautiful romantic poem written by William Wordsworth. Composed upon Westminster Bridge Poem Analysis is here for complete understanding of the poem. Word notes and annotations will help you to get a complete idea about the poem.
Composed upon Westminster Bridge Poem Analysis
OCTAVE [1ST QUATRAIN]
Earth – the world in which we live
has not anything – has nothing
has not anything to show – has nothing to show
Perhaps ‘to show’ has the meaning ‘to display valuable objects in a showcase in such a way that they can be looked at without being touched.
more fair – more beautiful
to show more fair – the earth feels proud to present something more beautiful
Dull – foolish
Dull would he be of soul – a foolish person without having any feeling of consciousness
pass by- pass without noticing anything
a sight – view so touching so impressive majesty – impressive quality
the sight is so beautiful that it is really appealing to all. Only a dull person can ignore this splendour.
This City – Here, the city of London is referred to
doth wear- does wear
doth like a garment wear- wears something like a garment
The city of London here is imagined as a fair lady. The poet imagines that the city wears a garment.
Composed upon Westminster Bridge Poem Analysis
SESTET [2ND QUATRAIN]
The beauty of the morning – the beauty of the city of London at dawn
silent – quiet
bare – uncovered The poet wants to say that the beauty of the city is open to all eyes.
Ships – large vessels carrying people and goods by sea
towers – tall narrow building
domes – rounded roofs on buildings
theatres – huge halls for holding dramatic acts
temples – buildings used for the worship of gods.
The poet here makes a list of buildings looking very beautiful from the bridge. There are man-made things. It is a perfect blending made by Man and Nature.
open unto the fields – extended up to the fields one can see so far
to the sky – open to the sky
The city of London is depicted in all three dimensions as it crosses the fields’, the sky’. The poet wants to say that the natural elements and the objects made by man add to the beauty of the city.
glittering- sparkling
smokeless air -air which is free from smoke All bright and glittering in the smokeless air .
By using the words ‘glittering’ and ‘bright the poet wants to emphasize that the city is clean and tidy. He also says that the city looks still and beautiful because there is no sign of pollution in the early morning.
Composed upon Westminster Bridge Poem Analysis
SESTET
steep- immerse
Never did the sun more beautifully steep – The sunlight never immersed everything so beautifully before that particular day
In order to emphasize how attractive the sunlight is, the poet uses this metaphor. He wants to show how everything in the city is immersed in sunlight. It is as if every object bathes in the sunlight. As a result, the city of London is glowing in its radiating first splendour – In his first brilliance. Here, the sun is personified. The sun is shining in its full radiance.
valley – vale
rock – a large natural mass of stone
hill – a small mountain
valley, rock, or hill – These are the natural things of the world. The poet mentions these to show the extreme beauty he is enjoying.
Ne’er- never
Ne’er saw– the poet never saw
Never felt– The poet never felt
calm –tranquillity
The poet is speaking here in the first person to express his feelings Ne’er saw I, never felt a calm so deep! The poet never saw such a beautiful sight and never felt such a deep tranquillity. He repeats the word ‘never’ to highlight the special moment of that beautiful sight.
Composed upon Westminster Bridge Poem Analysis
SESTET
The river Here, ‘the river’ refers to The Thames.’ The Thames is a river of Southern England.
a glideth– glides, flows
The river glideth – the river flows at his own sweet will at its own free will
Here; The River Thames is personified, for as if he is in charge of his own movement
Dear God ! – it is an exclamation
the very houses –the houses themselves
the very houses seem asleep – the houses appear to be in deep sleep
Here, houses are personified as ‘asleep. The houses are asleep for the members are sleeping. So the houses are calm and tranquil. Hence the poet exclaims that even the houses seem to be sleeping in all tranquillity.
mighty- large, gigantic
mighty heart – huge heart
Here, the city has been compared to a giant with huge heart. When the city is full of commercial activity, it assumes an ugly shape like that of a mighty heart is lying still – the busy activity has not yet started.
We all know that London is known as the commercial capital. In the early morning, the city is enjoying its stillness. That is, the city appears so tranquil that its heartbeat is not at all sensed.