Sonnet Composed Upon Westminster Bridge

SUMMARY
The persona in this poem is reflecting on the perfection of the city. He believes that there is nothing on
Earth so beautiful as the city in the morning. Only a dull person would not appreciate such a majestic
sight. He is awed by the calm of the city.
LITERARY DEVICES
1. SIMILE
The persona compares the manner in which the beauty of the morning settles over the city, to that of
a garment on a body. This emphasizes the perfection of the beauty of the morning, just as a garment
flows smoothly over a body.
2. PERSONIFICATION
Lines 9-10: The sun is referred to as a male who rises sharply and beautifully. This emphasizes the
beauty of the city in the morning. The use of this personification also helps the reader to personalize
this beauty.
Line 12: Like the sun, the river is personalized as well. This allows the reader to see the river as real,
instead of a thing. It comes alive and we can visualize its movement, gliding, as beautiful.
Line 13: When someone is asleep, they are usually peaceful. Therefore, when the persona describes
the houses as sleeping, he is emphasizing the peace that exists in the city in the morning. The
inhabitants of the houses are asleep, therefore the houses are quiet and peaceful.
IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES
4. ‘fair’
The word fair, in this context, literally means beautiful. The persona is setting the stage for the reader,
introducing the fact that the city is beautiful.
5. ‘majesty’
This word implies that the city is regal in its splendour. Therefore, it is beyond beautiful and has
become stately.
6. ‘steep’
This word describes the way in which the sun ascends into the sky. It is stressed that it does so in a
beautiful manner.
MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE
The mood of the poem is pensive, or thoughtful. The persona is expressing his thoughts, and reaction
to, the city in the morning.
TONE
The tone of the poem is one of awe.
THEMATIC CATEGORIZATION
Nature, Places.
 Popularity of Composed upon Westminster Bridge: William
Wordsworth, a great romantic poet, wrote “Composed upon
Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802”. It is a superb composition
about natural beauty. It was first published in 1807, in The Collection
Poems, In Two Volumes. The poem speaks about the speaker’s
beautiful encounter with nature in a fine morning. It also illustrates
how it puts a sweet pause in our busy lives and provides us with a
chance to breathe in harmony. The poem tells about nature and its
pivotal role in man’s life.
 “Composed upon Westminster Bridge” As a Representative of
Nature: This poem is an expression of wonder. The poem begins
with a phenomenal view of London city and the River Thames. The
speaker, being a silent observer, says that there is nothing more
blissful than this enchanting sight. He adds, anyone who passes
without enjoying this lovely view, surely possesses a dull soul. To
him, this beautiful morning appears like a blanket over a calm city. He
lists the things he sees around in a pollution-free environment.
Stunned by the bounties of nature, he tells the reader that the sun
has never sprinkled its rays on the earth like this. Also, he has not
experienced such peace and joy before this. The poem unfolds
man’s connection with nature in this short piece.
 Major Themes in “Composed upon Westminster Bridge”: Man
versus nature and amazement are the major themes of this poem.
The speaker, being a lover of nature, not only stops to adore the
glories of nature. However, he also feels sorry for those who have
missed this delight. He catches these wonders early in the morning
when the world is at rest, and there is no hustle or bustle around.
Moreover, the uncontaminated environment allows him to get a clear
glimpse of theatres, temples, ships, domes, and natural objects.
While venturing out to take in that special atmosphere, he says that
he has never felt so much calm in his life before.
Summary
In this 14-lined Italian sonnet, the persona is crossing the Westminister bridge and
sees a sight that he never has before. The city before him now seems to be more
beautiful than he ever had considered it to be before, in the early morning air. He
notices the small details all around him, and is awed by the stillness and beauty all
around. The sonnet overall is an expression of the persona's admiration of the world
around him. The theme is natural beauty, and the tone is reverent and somewhat
celebratory of the beauty of nature. The mood could be described as amazement,
serenity or wonder.
Analysis
"Earth has not anything to show more fair:"
This is a hyperbole used by the poet to show exactly how incredibly 'fair' the sight
before him is. He thinks that this must be the greatest that the world has to offer
simply because of how he feels in this moment observing it.
"Dull would he be of soul who could pass by a sight so touching in its majesty:"
The persona continues on his admiration of the sight before him by remarking that
anyone able to simply walk past the beautiful sight would be "dull... of soul." The
persona also indicates how elevated above the ordinary this scene is by using the
word 'majesty.' The persona feels genuinely touched by the majesty of the scene.
"This City now doth, like a garment, wear the beauty of the morning; silent, bare,"
Using simile, the city is said to wear the morning's beauty like a garment. This gives
the impression of a dress or similar item of clothing settling smoothly over a person's
body. Hence, the beauty of the morning settles over the city perfectly, the silence
and emptiness of the morning being ascribed to the city signalling the beginning of
the new day.
"Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie open unto the fields, and to the sky; all
bright and glittering in the smokeless air."
The structures of the city, though manmade and different from the natural elements,
seem equally beautiful and sublime when adorned by the glory of the morning air. All
is beautiful. Even the air is clear, since factories and vehicles haven,'t begun to spit
smoke into the air yet.
"Never did sun more beautifully steep in his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill; "
The persona continues with his hyperbole in expressing his adoration, stating that
the sun has never looked this beautiful, and makes the magnificence of the valleys
and hils more apparent. He uses the word 'steep,' which usually describes how a
teabag is left to soak in boiling water when making tea. However, here, it seems to
describe the sun at sunrise, and how it seems to be soaking slightly under the
horizon like a teabag.
"Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!"

The persona's admiration seems to reach its highest point here, where the wonder of
seeing the allure of the world around him is overwhelming. He says (in what could be
considered hyperbole) that he has never felt such a deep calm before.
"The river glideth at his own sweet will"

The poet personifies the river to describe how it seems so casual and tranquil in its
slow flow. The river, usually disturbed by boats and vessels, is now free to glide at
his own leisurely pace.
"Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;"

The persona is overwhelmed and exclaims, likely acknowledging the presence of
God in such a serene scene. Even the houses, who he personifies to say they are
sleeping, seem at peace- quiet, with the people in them unmoving.
"And all that mighty heart is lying still!"

This line of the poem likely refers to the heart of the city, or the constant throb and
stir of people that would occur later in the day is absent- all is still, restful and silent.
Figurative Devices
Personification
Line 12- "The river glideth at his own sweet will"
The poet personifies the river to describe how it seems so casual and tranquil in its
slow flow. The river, usually disturbed by boats and vessels, is now free to glide at
his own leisurely pace.
Line 13- "Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;"

The poet personifies the houses to say they are sleeping, seeming at peace- quiet,
with the people in them unmoving.
Simile
Lines 4-5-""This City now doth, like a garment, wear the beauty of the morning; silent,
bare,"
Using simile, the city is said to wear the morning's beauty like a garment. This gives
the impression of a dress or similar item of clothing settling smoothly over a person's
body. Hence, the beauty of the morning settles over the city perfectly, the silence
and emptiness of the morning being ascribed to the city signalling the beginning of
the new day.
1. Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the

same line. For example, the sound of /o/ in “Dull would he be of soul
who could pass by” and the sound of /i/ in “All bright and glittering in
the smokeless air.”
2. Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in
the same line such as the sound of /l/ in “splendour, valley, rock, or
hill;” and the sound of /h/ in “And all that mighty heart” and /s/ sound
in “Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie.”
3. Enjambment: It is defined as a thought in verse that does not come
to an end at a line break; instead, it rolls over to the next line. For
example,
“Dull would he be of soul who could pass by

A sight so touching in its majesty.”
4. Hyperbole: Hyperbole is a device used to exaggerate a statement

for the sake of emphasis. Wordsworth has used this device in the
opening lines poem as he exaggerates about the beauty of London
city. For example,
“Earth has not any thing to show more fair:

Dull would he be of soul who could pass by.”
5. Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving

their five senses. For example, “The river glideth at his own sweet
will” and “This City now doth, like a garment, wear.”
6. Personification: Personification is to give human qualities to
inanimate objects. In the fourth line “This City now doth, like a
garment, wear”, the city is personified.
7. Simile: It is a figure of speech used to compare an object or persons
with something else to make the meanings clear to the readers. For
example, “This City now doth, like a garment, wear

Sonnet Composed Upon Westminster Bridge

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Sonnet Composed Upon Westminster Bridge

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Sonnet Composed Upon Westminster Bridge

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

SUMMARY

IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES

The tone of the poem is one of awe.

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

"The river glideth at his own sweet will"

"Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;"

"And all that mighty heart is lying still!"

Line 13- "Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;"

1. Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the

“Dull would he be of soul who could pass by

4. Hyperbole: Hyperbole is a device used to exaggerate a statement

“Earth has not any thing to show more fair:

5. Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving

You might also like