Two Views of England: A Comparison and Contrast of Wordsworth's Poems:: July 2011

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Final Works Cited / Works Consulted Page

Works Cited

Ackroyd, Peter. London: The Biography. New York: Anchor Books, 2003. Print.

Bibbee, Jeffrey. "City Square Mile of London" Study Abroad Trip, London, England. University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama. July 2011. Lecture.

Bibbee, Jeffrey. “Thoughts on the ‘City” in the poem, ‘Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802.’” EN 496. Study Abroad Trip, London, England. University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama. July 2011. Lecture.

Burra, Peter. Wordsworth. New York: Haskell House, 1972. Print.

Burt, Stephen and David Mikics. “London, 1802.” 108-112. The Art of the Sonnet. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Belknap P of Harvard UP, 2010. Print. British Library.

“Fen.” OED. 15 July 2011. Web.

"Fever." OED. 14 July 2011. Web. 15 July 2011.

“Fireside.” OED. 15 July 2011. Web.

“Footnote 1.” Wordsworth, William. "Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 8th ed. Vol. D: The Romantic Period. Eds. Stephen Greenblatt, M.H. Abrams, Jack Stillinger, Deidre Shauna Lynch. New York: Norton, 2006. 317. Print.

“Footnote 6.” Wordsworth, William. “London, 1802.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 8^th ed. Vol. D: The Romantic Period. Eds. Stephen Greenblatt, M. H. Abrams, Jack Stillinger, Deidre Shauna Lynch. New York: Norton, 2006. 319. Print.

French Revolution Timeline.

http://www.marxists.org/history/france/revolution/timeline.htm Web. 19 July 2011.

Industrial Revolution. Web. 23 July 2011.

http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1981/2/81.02.06.x.html

“Introduction.” Wordsworth, William. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 8th ed. Vol. D: The Romantic Period. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt, M. H. Abrams, Jack Stillinger, Deidre Shauna Lynch. New York: Norton, 2006. 243-45. Print.

Johnston, Kenneth R. The Hidden Wordsworth: Poet, Lover, Rebel, Spy. New York: Norton, 1998. Print.

Marsh, Florence. Wordsworth’s Imagery: A Study in Poetic Vision. London: Yale UP, 1952. Print.

Minor, Lisa. "Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey." EN 212. University of North

Alabama, Florence, Alabama. N.d. Lecture.

---. “Romanticism.” EN 212. University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama. 18 January 2011. Lecture.

Morgan, Peter F. The Poetic and Pictorial Elements in Works by Five Writers in English: Milton, Pope, Wordsworth, Ruskin, Pound. Lewiston; Lampeter: E. Mellen P, 1992. Print. British Library.

"Note 1." "Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey." Wordsworth, William. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 8^th ed. Vol. D: The Romantic Period. Eds. Stephen Greenblatt, M. H. Abrams, Jack Stillinger, Deidre Shauna Lynch. New York: Norton, 2006. 258-62. Print.

“Notes. Kennedy, Patrick J. Lucidas by John Milton. Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey and Ode on the Intimations of Immortality by William Wordsworth. Dublin: M. H. Gill and Son, N.d.. 93-101. Print. British Library. 23 July 2011.

Noyes, Russell. William Wordsworth. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1971. Print. Twayne’s English Authors Ser. Ed. Sylvia E. Bowman.

Perkins, David. The Symbolism of Wordsworth, Shelley, and Keats. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard UP, 1959. Print.

Smith, J. C. A Study of Wordsworth. London: Oliver and Boyd, 1946. Print.

“Stagnant.” OED. 16 July 2011. Web.

Tintern Abbey. 17 July 2011. Web. http://www.castlewales.com/tintern.html

Winchester, C. T. William Wordsworth: How To Know Him. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1916. Print.

Wordsworth, William. “Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 8^th ed. Vol. D: The Romantic Period. Eds. Stephen Greenblatt, M. H. Abrams, Jack Stillinger, Deidre Shauna Lynch. New York: Norton, 2006. 317. Print.

---. “Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 8^th ed. Vol. D: The Romantic Period. Eds. Stephen Greenblatt, M. H. Abrams, Jack Stillinger, Deidre Shauna Lynch. New York: Norton, 2006. 258-62. Print.

---. “London, 1802.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 8^th ed. Vol. D: The Romantic Period. Eds. Stephen Greenblatt, M. H. Abrams, Jack Stillinger, Deidre Shauna Lynch. New York: Norton, 2006. 319. Print.

Works Consulted

“A New Map of London.” 2^nd ed. Printed maps of London circa 1553-1850. James Howgego. Folkestone: Dawson, 1978. No. 231, 176-70. London: Published as the Act directs by Laurie and Whittle, N° 53, Fleet Street, Sept. 13, 1802. British Library Integrated Catalogue. Print.

Abrams, M. H., Ed. Wordsworth: A Collection of Critical Essays. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1972. Print.

Davies, Hunter. William Wordsworth: A Biography. New York: Atheneum, 1980. Print.

EDF Energy London Eye. 14 June 2011. Web. http://www.londoneye.com/

Fausset, Hugh I’anson. The Lost Leader: A Study of Wordsworth. New York: Haskell House, 1966. Print.

“Georgian London.” Understanding London: The Story of London. Fodor’s See It London. Fodor’s Travel Publications. 4^th ed. Eds. Sheila Hawkins, Stephanie Smith. New York: AA Media Limited, 2010. 32-33. Print.

Gill, Stephen. William Wordsworth: A Life. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1989. Print.

Harper, George McLean. William Wordsworth: His Life, Works, and Influence. London: John Murray, 1929. Print.

Knight, William, Ed. Journals of Dorothy Wordsworth. London: Macmillan, 1925. Print.

Moorman, Mary. William Wordsworth: A Biography. The Early Years 1770-1803. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1965. Print.

National Portrait Gallery. Collections. William Wordsworth (1770-1850), Poet Laureate. London: N.p., 2011. 29 June 2011. Web. http://www.npg.org.uk/collections.php

Reed, Mark L. Wordsworth: The Chronology of the Middle Years 1800-1815. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard UP, 1975. Print.

Symington, Andrew James. William Wordsworth: a biographical sketch with selections from his writings in poetry and prose, Volume 1. Google books. 14 June 2011. Web. http://books.google.com/books?id=NkMqAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA175&sig=6nIwlVeMA31NTW2eHPg7KHBqCoU&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false

Whitfield, Peter. London: A Life in Maps. London: The British Library, 2006. Print.

Woodring, Carl. Wordsworth. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1965. Print.

Wordsworth, William. Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey: on Revisiting the Banks of the Wye during a tour: July 13 1798. London: John Lane, 1904. Print. British Library. 23 July 2011.

---. Lines composed a few miles above Tintern Abbey, on revisiting the Banks of the Wye during a tour: July 13, 1798. Edition No. 63 of 150 by Frances and Nicolas McDowall. Llandogo, Monmouthshire, UK: The Old Stile Press, 2002.

Final Blog Entry

"Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey," "Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802," and "London, 1802" are three of William Wordsworth's poems regarding his love for England. Although they are not necessarily biographical, his life and travels are a matter of importance in these poems. He was torn between a love for his country and, possibly, that of a former lover and child (Smith 73). As I stated in my blog, "Tintern Abbey Further Explained," "[n]ature taught him to appreciate the city, as well as remember his love for it" (Introductory Note"). I also stated in the same blog that his poem, "Tintern Abbey" "compares to his Westminster Bridge poem because he can now pause and reflect upon nature with the guidance that it has afforded him." He brought this new found wealth with him to Westminster Bridge as he paused upon it; he was still, even calm, before the hustle and bustle arose within the city itself (Morgan 123). He chose to reflect upon these objects because it reminded him of the spirit of a country, which he loved ("Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802"). "London, 1802" offers a dissimilar view of England for Wordsworth. He references that it has become "stagnant" (3). The spirit of England which he felt and brought back from Tintern Abbey to Westminster Bridge did not exist anymore. The two views of England in his poems, "Tintern Abbey, and "Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802," suggest that it was a place of tranquility, even in a time of unsettled peace; however, "London, 1802" reflects upon a dissimilar view of England, which contrasts with his usual writing style. He "prizes the uncharacteristic tranquility of this urban moment" (Morgan 124). For Wordsworth, the glory of nature, as well as the view of England in "Tintern Abbey" and "Composed upon Westminster Bridge . . .," contributed to his belief of the myth of England as an island nation, this idea was bigger than life itself. Consequently, he basks in that moment.

Part 2 of "London, 1802": A Contrasting View of England

According to C. T. Winchester, Wordsworth's sonnets of 1802 "are a proof that the disappointment of his early hopes for the revolution in France had not dimmed his high ideals of England's duty and mission" (244). I disagree with Winchester. The peace treaty between England and France did not end the unsettled peace which he sought during his visit to Calais in August ("Footnote 1"). Wordsworth possibly felt free to pursue his loyalty to his country, England, since he had ended the relationship finally to Annette Vallon during his month long excursion to Calais ("Footnote 1"). He was to marry another woman in October (Burra 95); however, his duty toward his own country, and the view which he saw on the way to Calais from Westminster Bridge had been altered. "Footnote 6" of the "London, 1802" poem emphasizes this:

One of a series "written immediately after my return from France to London, when I could not but be struck, as here described, with the vanity and parade of our own country . . . as contrasted with the quiet, and I may say the desolation, that the revolution had produced in France. This must be borne in mind, or else the reader may think that in this and the succeeding sonnets I have exaggerated the mischief engendered and fostered among us by undisturbed wealth." (319)

In the poem, "London, 1802," Wordsworth feels that England has lost its spirit, it has become "stagnant" (2-3), which is a very dissimilar view from the view he had of his beloved country in his poem, "Tintern Abbey," as well as "Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802." I will reference another poem, which dates to the same year that he composed the poem from Westminster Bridge: "Composed by the Sea-Side, Near Calais, August, 1802" (Winchester 245). In this poem, he speaks directly to his country, England (Winchester 245):

Fair Star of evening, Splendour of the west,
Star of my Country!-on the horizon's brink
Thou hangest, stooping, as might seem, to sink
On England's bosom; yet well pleased to rest,
Meanwhile, and be to her a glorious crest
Conspicuous to the Nations. Thou, I think,
Should'st be my Country's emblem; and should'st wink,
Bright Star! with laughter on her banners, drest
In thy fresh beauty. There! that dusky spot
Beneath thee, that is England; there she lies. (10)
Blessings be on you both! one hope, one lot,
One life, one glory!-I, with many a fear
For my dear Country, many heartfelt sighs,
Among men who do not love her linger here. (1-14)

In lines 10-14, Wordsworth is at odds with his emotions: ". . . that is England; there she lies. / Blessings be on you both! one hope, one lot, / One life, one glory!-I, with many a fear / For my dear Country, many heartfelt sighs, / Among men who do not love her, linger here." He expresses sorrow for those who do not love England. My blog post, "Tintern Abbey" Further Explained from July 23, 2011, shows Patrick J. Kennedy's analyzation of "Tintern Abbey." Lines 90-93 of "Tintern Abbey" state:

. . . but hearing oftentimes
The still, sad music of humanity,
Nor harsh nor grating, though of ample power (90-93)

Kennedy analyzes these lines as: "Love of nature has brought him into sympathy with man and his sorrows" ("Introductory Note" 97). As I introduced in my blog from July 23, 2011 on "Tintern Abbey," "[t]his 'sympathy with man and his sorrows' possibly explains the return of that spirit for Wordsworth. It also returned when he paused upon Westminster Bridge;" however, it left him in his poem, "London, 1802," when he calls out to Milton: ". . . We are selfish men; / Oh! raise us up, return to us again; / And give us manners, virtue, freedom, power." (6-8). In the poem, "Composed by the Sea-Side Near Calais, August, 1802," he has this sympathy as well, but the difference is that Wordsworth has a love for his country once more; the heartfelt sorrow is for "those who do not linger here." I emphasize this because it also shows that the poem, "London, 1802," is dissimilar from his usual writing style. The tranquility which he obtained through nature in "Tintern Abbey," which restored his view of England in the same poem, as well as "Composed Upon Westminster Bridge . . .," is not evident in "London, 1802." Thus, Wordsworth's reflection upon the view of England in his poems, "Tintern Abbey," and "Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802," suggest that it was a place of tranquility, even in a time of unsettled peace; however, "London, 1802" reflects upon a dissimilar view of England, which contrasts with his usual writing style. Ultimately, he had two views of England: one of which he glorified, and the England which he felt lost its spirit.

Burra, Peter. Wordsworth. New York: Haskell House, 1972. Print.

“Introductory Note.” Kennedy, Patrick J. Lucidas by John Milton. Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey and Ode on the Intimations of Immortality by William Wordsworth. Dublin: M. H. Gill and Son, N.d.. 91-92. Print. British Library. 23 July 2011.

“Notes. Kennedy, Patrick J. Lucidas by John Milton. Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey and Ode on the Intimations of Immortality by William Wordsworth. Dublin: M. H. Gill and Son, N.d.. 93-101. Print. British Library. 23 July 2011.

Winchester, C. T. William Wordsworth: How To Know Him. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1916. Print.

Wordsworth, William. “Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 8^th ed. Vol. D: The Romantic Period. Eds. Stephen Greenblatt, M. H. Abrams, Jack Stillinger, Deidre Shauna Lynch. New York: Norton, 2006. 258-62. Print.

Wordsworth, William. “London, 1802.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 8^th ed. Vol. D: The Romantic Period. Eds. Stephen Greenblatt, M. H. Abrams, Jack Stillinger, Deidre Shauna Lynch. New York: Norton, 2006. 319. Print.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

"London, 1802": A Contrasting View of England

I will begin with reiterating the history of the previous poem, "Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802":

Its occasion was a trip to France, made possible by a brief truce in the war. Wordsworth's conflicted feelings about this return to France, where he had once supported the Revolution and loved Annette Vallon inform a number of personal and political sonnets that he wrote in 1802 ("Note 1").

Wordsworth's journey from Westminster Bridge was to Calais (France) to see his former lover, Annette Vallon, and child, Caroline, in which he stayed a month (Noyes 126). According to Noyes, upon Wordsworth's return "to England, after 'the month's [stay] in Calais,' he saw England very differently now" (127). The view which he saw from Westminster Bridge was not in sight anymore: "the city [which was] a sight 'touching in its majesty' in which all objects, conditions, and moods conspire to bring Nature and humanity into 'an ennobling harmony'"- no longer existed (Noyes 127). His "return to the city" affords a "cry of anguish . . . [and] [h]e calls upon Milton as the supreme example of moral virtue who in the stagnant present could lift men once again to 'virtue, freedom, power'" (Noyes 127-28).

Milton! thou should'st be living at this hour:
England hath need of thee: she is a fen
Of stagnant waters: altar sword, and pen (1-3)

In this poem, Wordsworth is the speaker whom is speaking to Milton. He is saying that England has become like a lowland ("Stagnant" OED). He refers not to the "stagnant waters" in a literal sense, but figuratively (3); it is more about England's spirit that he is referring to ("fen"), which means no activity, no excitement, unwholesome (OED). England and France were at a peace time during the French Revolution (Smith 73); however, for Wordsworth, this peace went a step further in his personal life. He was torn between his former lover, Annette Vallon, and child, Caroline, as well as a devotion for his country ("Footnote 1"); therefore, the England that he had once reflected upon had become "stagnant" (3).

He calls upon other things in the poem, such as: "Fireside, the heroic wealth of hall and bower, / Have forfeited their ancient English dower / Of inward happiness. We are selfish men; / Oh! raise us up, return to us again;" (4-7). In these lines, he refers to the home life, or one's household ("Fireside" OED). The temples, domes, etc., which he saw before had forfeited their inner spirit: this is the spirit and tranquility which he felt does not exist in this new view of England ("Composed upon Westminster Bridge . . ." 6). He cries out to Milton, who is his predecessor, to "raise us up, return to us again," because he does not feel that spirit anymore which made England an island nation for him (7).

Thy soul was like a Star, and dwelt apart:
Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea:
Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free,
So didst thou travel on life's common way,
In cheerful godliness; and yet thy heart
The lowliest duties on herself did lay (9-14)

These last lines of the fourteen line sonnet convey his glorification of a person, Milton, instead of the city as in "Composed upon Westminster Bridge. . .," as well as nature in "Tintern Abbey." Notice the pronouns: "thy," "thou," and "herself" (9-14). These refer specifically to his country, England. He looks to Milton for guidance because the England he knew is now dissimilar; it is "stagnant," or has no spirit (2-3).

According to J. C. Smith, "France, Napoleonic France, was the enemy, and England, with all her faults, the last hope of freedom" (73). Also, "in Wordsworth's hands, as in Milton's, the sonnet became a trumpet, to rouse England from her Mammon-worship and nerve her for the struggle against the tyrant" (Smith 73). I agree with Smith because, as I have stated previously, he felt torn over his love for England; for Wordsworth, England had lost its spirit, its vitality for life, whether for war, or, perhaps, peace. This was a time of personal struggle for Wordsworth, which led to the untranquil feeling that he got from this new view of England; thus my title, "Two Views of England."

Stay tuned for Part 2 of "London, 1802": A Contrasting View of England

“Fen.” OED. Online. 15 July 2011. Web.

“Fireside.” OED. Online. 15 July 2011. Web.

"Footnote 1." Wordsworth, William. "Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 8th ed. Vol. D: The Romantic Period. Eds. Stephen Greenblatt, M.H. Abrams, Jack Stillinger, Deidre Shauna Lynch. New York: Norton, 2006. 317. Print.

Noyes, Russell. William Wordsworth. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1971. Print. Twayne’s English Authors Ser. Ed. Sylvia E. Bowman.

Smith, J. C. A Study of Wordsworth. London: Oliver and Boyd, 1946. Print.

“Stagnant.” OED. 16 July 2011. Web.

Monday, July 25, 2011

"Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802" Analysis: Part 2

Peter F. Morgan states that "[t]he panoramic view which Wordsworth presents is similar to that of Laurence Binyon in his London Visions of 1908, but this poet looks down and around over the city from 'the Golden Gallery at Saint Paul's'" (132). This view which Wordsworth describes in his poem is certainly breathtaking; I looked upon it myself during the same month (July), only two hundred nine years later. Another critic, Burke, suggests that "[b]efore the vastness of the sun, contemplated by the vastness and variety of the city in the prospect before him, Wordsworth gets a sense of the power of God" (Morgan 137). A sense of spirit is certainly here; I have reiterated this in each blog post, and will continue to do so in order to affirm this. A sense of sacredness, or tranquility, came from his reflection upon a love for his country, England. As I stated in my last blog: "Although it is certainly important to the poem, it is not just about the history, or architecture, of England itself." I also stated that "[h]e reflects upon these buildings as sentiment, or glorification of his country: a separate entity." According to Peter Ackroyd in his book London: The Biography, Westminster Bridge is depicted as being constructed in 1750, which changed the interrelation of London, and "this City" became an entity in itself (511-12). "This City['s]" square mile is the City of London, which has a separate government, its own administration, etc. (Bibbee); "this City['s]" square mile is the reason for its capitalization within the poem itself (4).

Having said this, lines 6-7 are appropriate here:

Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky;

These places which he does not specifically name in his poem are amongst nature (6-7). Since he does not choose to name them, I assert that the poem is not just about these historical places; although important, it also brought a glorification of England (myth of England as an island nation) back to the literature as well. My visit to Westminster Bridge early on a July morning, much like Wordsworth, confirms this, which I will discuss at the end of this blog.

According to Peter F. Morgan, he could see Westminster Abbey, which is one of the towers that he references in his poem (145). My reflection includes: "[My] site visit of Westminster Abbey was one filled with emotion. William Wordsworth said that “[e]motions [are] recollected in tranquility,” during his lifetime, which relates to myself ("Introduction"). I am now recollecting my emotions toward this place. I am not quite certain what my preconceived notions of this particular location were. I have never traveled; however, I imagined Westminster Abbey to be an exceptionally religious place, perhaps one which appeared ancient throughout its interior walls. My general knowledge of this site is that kings, queens, as well as monarchs are buried within the Abbey. I also know that William Wordsworth, perhaps, saw the Abbey from his view of Westminster Bridge when he composed his poem, “Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802.” As far as my expectations of Westminster Abbey, I envisioned it to be quite beautiful, as well as sacred; otherwise, my expectations were open to suggestion. I realized that I was going to observe a place where many had gone before, and where memorable events had taken place, such as Princess Diana’s funeral, and more recently, the marriage of her son, Prince William, to Kate Middleton. Westminster Abbey was a sacred place; my analysis of why he chose to include that in his poem is that it provided a place of refuge for him in a time of confliction. I experienced emotions such as this within the Abbey, although in a different way, or is it? No one really knows how Wordsworth felt on that day but the man himself; however, the London that he saw was a place of peace in his unsettled life, which is why he reflected upon the Abbey itself.

In front of Westminster Abbey. London, England. July 2011.

My reflection upon Westminster Abbey shows the glorification of a place, much like I reflected upon during my visit to Hyde Park, which compared to Wordsworth's revisit to Tintern Abbey. The expectations which I brought to Westminster Abbey were those of an England which compares with the myth of an island nation: I glorified it because of royalty, Prince William's wedding to Kate Middleton. The love which I had for Princess Diana, William's mother, brought me to this place; although, when I entered, it not only became about the Royal wedding, but the religious sentiment itself. Wordsworth chose to view places (towers) in his poem (6) figuratively, not necessarily in a historical sense. I have already stated that he does not name them specifically. Of course, I can delve into the actual places through maps, or books; I will even list a few of them in this blog post; however, he reflects upon an England which brought him tranquility in a time of unsettled peace.

Peter Morgan lists some of the places which Wordsworth might have seen so that we, as readers, can envision Wordsworth's view of England. Some of the places which he names are: Tower of London, "tower of St. Clement Danes," St. Paul's Cathedral, "the utilitarian Water Tower at Charing Cross," "tower of the Bridewell prison," "Drury Lane and Covent Garden" theatres, "ancient Temple district by the Thames," as well as "the steeple and towers of the churches dotted about the city" (Morgan 145). "Thomas Malton [observes the following places which Wordsworth might have seen:] . . . the towers and pinnacles of Westminster Abbey . . . the steeple of St. Margaret's," "Lambeth church and the venerable Palace of the Archbishop of Canterbury on the east shore," "the four turrets of St. John's Church in Westminster," "Somerset place," and "the temple buildings and gardens [which] terminate the distance" (Morgan 146). The significance of this list of buildings is to show how they relate to one another. Wordsworth looks to these as a kind of religious sacrament, much like I did to Westminster Abbey, as well as my visit to St. Paul's Cathedral.

The St. Paul's site visit was emotional as well. As I sat through the service, I noticed the interior dome. I pondered my thoughts as to why Wordsworth mentions these places, such as "domes" within his poem (6). These places of England revive his spirit for England; it even keeps it anew; therefore, he glorifies England as an island nation when he looks upon them.

Me in front of St. Paul's Cathedral. London, England.

According to Peter F. Morgan, "[s]ocial history is more concretely present, since Wordsworth is describing an ancient, but rapidly growing and changing city" (142). The next lines of the poem, "All bright and glittering in the smokeless air," reflect on this (8). "It is also present in the comparisons that he suggests between the normal pollution of the air and of the river Thames itself," as stated by Peter F. Morgan (142). David Perkins states the "[e]ven the city, the specific haunt of human stress ad passion, can be contemplated with tranquil serenity from the vantage point of Westminster Bridge, particularly since, with its 'smokeless air' it has not yet awakened and become a city" (41).

The next lines of the poem: "Never did sun more beautifully steep / In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill; / Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep! / The river glideth at his own sweet will:" convey the glory of nature which he sees. The sun rises and gives him peace in this time of unsettled peace (9-12).

The last two lines of the poem are:

Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart is lying still!

According to Peter F. Morgan, "[t]he last word to comment on is 'still'" (176). Morgan "disagree[s] with the reading that 'still' means 'dead,'' [and, instead] "prefer[s] John Beer's comment that Wordsworth is more interested in presenting 'the experience of trance' than that of death' (177). He compares it to the "'still, sad music of humanity' in "Tintern Abbey"" (Morgan 177). I do not assert that "still" means dead (Morgan 176), nor do I think Beer's criticism is correct. Instead, for me, the lines of the poem, "the very houses seem asleep; / And all that mighty heart is lying still!" simply means that the spirit of England is there: it "seem[s] asleep, not conveying that it actually is asleep (13-14). (Notice the use of "seem," which is a simile.) According to Florence Marsh, the city is personified by Wordsworth's language, "mighty heart" (21). This is the heart of England, which is neither dead, nor in a trance (Morgan 17), it is very much alive. "'Mighty" is the key word here in this last line of the poem (14); it relates back to "still," meaning that the spirit of England is still there (14).

Ultimately, this poem conveys that "[t]his City," this country of England, which he overlooks on this July day brings him tranquility (1-14). The England that he sees is his first view. It is an entity all in its own for Wordsworth. He glorifies it, personifies it, and according to Peter Morgan, his " . . . view from the centre of the bridge enables the poet to experience, again momentarily "'a holy calm (Prelude, ii, 367) like that gained from the 'jutting eminence (362) from which he had looked out on another morning'" (144). This "holy calm" is the tranquility that it brought Wordsworth in a time of unsettled peace. The view he got from nature in "Tintern Abbey," as well as that from Westminster Bridge, were the same.

My visit to Westminster Bridge at 6:30 am was worth the trip. I traveled alone, unlike Wordsworth; however, I wanted to be able to see clearly for myself the city in all its majesty. My preconceived notions and expectations of this place were great since I had read the poem many times, as well as did a lot of research on it, and the author himself, before I came to London. I had envisioned this place without traffic for some reason, perhaps because I was delving so much into the research. I had looked online at photographs of Westminster Bridge, which focused upon the foot traffic. I had considered using an online photograph for my research blog; however, I decided against it because it seemed more appropriate to take one for myself, as well as one with me in it. These expectations and preconceived notions are very dissimilar to the quiet morning view from Westminster Bridge which I encountered when I finally arrived, however. Much like the July day when Wordsworth composed his poem, the sky was gray (however, in the poem the sun is referenced (9-10)), the air was cool, crisp, and the water glideth . . . (12). It was a restful feeling, particularly since I awakened at four a.m. this morning. The traffic was already busy when I arrived on the morning of July 19, 2011; people were running, walking to work, etc.. However, I was only thinking about William Wordsworth, and what possibly he could have seen on that July day in 1802 that inspired him to write his poem, “Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802.” I got out my map, and looked at each angle to figure out which buildings that he could have seen, contemplating upon how I could figure out what he saw, especially without knowing all of London’s history. In the poem, he speaks of temples, which were located in red on the map: these refer to places of law, perhaps, such as Inns of Court, as well as Parliament (6). As I stood on the bridge watching the dismal clouds and dimmer light on the beautiful, cool, morning that I beheld, I realized that it was not just about these buildings, or even their historical, or geographical location, I also felt that it was the spirit of England which brought him tranquility in a time of unsettled peace. I felt inspired by a city, a country that I have grown to love so dearly in such a short time. His unsettled peace was that he was going to close relationships ("Footnote 1"). This pause upon Westminster Bridge brought him that tranquility: a peace that cannot be gotten from just anywhere.

(I wrote this in the moment; therefore, I felt that it should be left in present tense). As I leave this bridge, I wonder if I will ever be standing on it again in my lifetime on a morning like this. Many thoughts race through my head . . .; I cannot even write them all down; however, I know that this feeling, this experience, this moment, has changed me forever, and much like William Wordsworth, I stop to compose my thoughts.

Me at Westminster Bridge. London, England. If I could only preserve this moment forever.

Ackroyd, Peter. London: The Biography. New York: Anchor Books, 2003. Print.
Bibbee, Jeffrey. "City Square Mile of London" Study Abroad Trip, London, England. University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama. July 2011. Lecture.

"Introduction." Wordsworth, William. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 8th ed. Vol. D: The Romantic Period. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt, M. H. Abrams, Jack Stillinger, Deidre Shauna Lynch. New York: Norton, 2006. 243-45. Print.

Marsh, Florence. Wordsworth’s Imagery: A Study in Poetic Vision. London: Yale UP, 1952. Print.

Morgan, Peter F. The Poetic and Pictorial Elements in Works by Five Writers in English: Milton, Pope, Wordsworth, Ruskin, Pound. Lewiston; Lampeter: E. Mellen P, 1992. Print. British Library. 25 July 2011.

Perkins, David. The Symbolism of Wordsworth, Shelley, and Keats. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard UP, 1959. Print.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Analysis of "Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802": Part 1

According to Peter F. Morgan, "In the context of the scene before him Wordsworth is indeed concerned with what Bachelard calls 'the sacred instant of contemplation'" (171). Morgan continues to state that "[t]his is the time of absolute peace, the mystic moment proper . the prospect from Westminster Bridge;" "[i]t is the moment when, to use Hartman's words, in commenting on The Prelude, v,389ff and i,305ff, 'a force other than that of personal effort seems to sustain mind and body'" (172). Although I am not comparing or contrasting The Prelude in this blog, this particular analysis ties in with my thesis. Wordsworth indeed felt a sacred moment of peace upon Westminster Bridge, one of tranquility in a time of unsettled peace (Morgan 172). This force was bigger than life itself (Morgan 172). It, like Tintern Abbey, restoreth his soul, led him to a tranquil time, as well as a deep spirit for England.

A reference from a lecture on Romanticism is appropriate for this point in my blog: "Effusions are artant outpourings of feelings; Poetry is meditative; Romantic poets externalized their emotions" (Minor "Romanticism"). Wordsworth "outpour[ed]" his emotions when he composed his poem, "Composed upon Westminster Bridge . . ." (Minor "Romanticism"). These emotions can be interpreted as literal ones; however, my analysis of the poem is more figurative than literal. Wordsworth's emotions for a country, a place, which is England, that he loves so dearly, were restored to him through nature, in his revisit to Tintern Abbey ("Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey"). He pauses upon Westminster Bridge on a trip to France to see his former lover and child ("Footnote 1"), and while doing so, he reflects upon this place, "[t]his City" (4), which he glorifies in his poem, "Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802." The myth of England as an island nation is absolutely relevant for Wordsworth.
To further explain his unsettled peace is that he had "feelings for his lover and his child [that] were being revived and reengaged, along with his conviction that he was the necessary Poet for these unruly times" (Johnston 786). His visit to France was to relieve himself of these emotions, and be free to love the country which he adored. The sonnet that he wrote as he crossed Westminster Bridge not only expresses his view of London, it translates that spirit which he has for England: he is a soul set free. This tranquility, which he experienced in "Tintern Abbey," and that he experiences at Westminster Bridge as well, is his first view of England, and is not dissimilar from his usual writing style. It is not until his next poem, "London, 1802," which he composes after his visit to Calais, that he writes differently ("Footnote 6"). Yet, I will express this more explicitly in future blogs.

The poem's figurative analysis is expressed in the opening lines:

Earth has not any thing to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:
This City now doth, like a garment, wear
The beauty of the morning: silent, bare, (1-5)

In these lines, Wordsworth is describing England (1-5), or the city square mile, itself (Bibbee). The view which he describes is not just about the literal view, it is about the spirit of England. The country which he loved previously in "Tintern Abbey" was clear on this July day for Wordsworth (1-5). He believes that everyone should see his country as he does: "Dull would he be of soul who could pass by / A sight so touching in its majesty:" (2-3). "This City now doth, like a garment, wear / The beauty of the morning: silent, bare," conveys that England ("this City") "now" has this spirit (4-5), which is the restoration of the spirit for his country that he obtained from his revisit to Tintern Abbey, physically, as well as in his mind ("Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey" 1-159). Also, according to Peter F. Morgan, "[t]he significance of light in the sonnet is signalled through the simile in [these lines]" (174). He also states: "[t]his contains an allusion to Psalm 104 where the Lord Himself is covered 'with light as with a garment'" (Morgan 174). The reference to the Biblical allusion conveys the spirit in a figurative sense, which is possibly why he chose to use a simile in this particular line in order to compare it to a sacredness (spirit) (Morgan 174).

According to Peter F. Morgan, the poem is about "[t]he 'wonder of the sudden view,' the sense of peril eluded, the enjoyment of the sight of the city at dawn" (115). Also, he states that "it could be said that the marriage Wordsworth is celebrating is that between nature and the city: comparable to the failed marriage in his personal life between himself and Annette, the illicit marriage between himself and Dorothy, and the not yet achieved of an ongoing relationship with his distant daughter, Caroline" (Morgan 113-14). While this is true on the surface, particularly if you are focusing upon the biographical content behind the poem, I disagree with Peter Morgan. I do not think that Wordsworth is celebrating the marriage between city and nature in a literal sense; he is celebrating it figuratively. The marriage which he refers to is how his revisit to nature inspired him once more for a love for his country, England, much like I recaptured from my visit to Hyde Park (nature), and brought back with me upon my return to the city of London. It recreated a love, a glorification of a place, a country, which is England. This figurative marriage is between Wordsworth and his devotion to his country. To me, Wordsworth believed in the idea of England as an island nation. The poem which he composed upon Westminster Bridge on that July day reiterates this ("Composed upon Westminster Bridge" 1-14). It was a glorification of England as a separate entity, one which brought him tranquility in a time of unsettled peace. While the biographical information is relevant to the unsettled peace in his life, the poem is not about the author himself. It is a glorification of England, which is possibly why he chose to commemorate it as he paused upon Westminster Bridge.

My next blog will focus on my analysis that even though Wordsworth discusses certain places, the poem is not just about the history, or architecture, of England itself. He does not name these places in the poem specifically. He reflects upon these buildings as a sentiment, or glorification, of his country: a separate entity. This view of England gives him tranquility in a time of unsettled peace. I will also convey my experiences at two of the places which Wordsworth possibly saw on that July day in 1802: Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral ("domes" 6), as well as Westminster Bridge itself.

Bibbee, Jeffrey. "Thoughts on the 'City' in the poem, 'Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802.'" EN 496. Study Abroad Trip, London, England. University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama. July 2011. Lecture.

“Footnote 1.” Wordsworth, William. “Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 8^th ed. Vol. D: The Romantic Period. Eds. Stephen Greenblatt, M. H. Abrams, Jack Stillinger, Deidre Shauna Lynch. New York: Norton, 2006. 317. Print.

Johnston, Kenneth R. The Hidden Wordsworth: Poet, Lover, Rebel, Spy. New York: Norton, 1998. Print.

Minor, Lisa. "Romanticism." EN 212. University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama. 18 January 2011. Lecture.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

A Look at "Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802"

Now that I have discussed "Tintern Abbey," I will move along to the next poem for this research blog. The opening lines of Wordsworth's poem, "Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802" state: "Earth has not any thing to show more fair:," and is recognized by most academics (1). This particular line of the poem constitutes a deeper meaning, although one does not have to delve far beyond its surface. To back up a moment in the context of the poem, I will notate its history.

The date of this experience was not September, but July 31, 1802. Its occasion was a trip to France, made possible by a brief truce in the war. Wordsworth's conflicted feelings about this return to France, where he had once supported the Revolution and loved Annette Vallon, inform a number of personal and political sonnets that he wrote in 1802 . . . . ("Footnote 1")

The context of the poem briefly explains the situation at the time the poem was written, thus defining Wordsworth's confliction between a love for his country, England, and a former lover and child ("Footnote 1"). The journey that he makes with his sister, Dorothy, is inspired by a brief moment upon Westminster Bridge ("Composed upon Westminster Bridge . . ." 1-14).

Retracing myself back to the first line of the poem: Obviously, he is speaking of the view from Westminster Bridge (thus, the title of the poem). Lines 2-3 of the poem state: "Dull would he be of soul who could pass by / A sight so touching in its majesty:." The literal content of these lines in the poem suggests that Wordsworth is saying that anyone who views the city from this bridge is "dull . . . of soul" if they do not see the same England which he sees (2-3). "This City now doth, like a garment, wear / The beauty of the morning: silent, bare," suggests that the morning drapes over the city with its silence, baring nothing but its beauty (4-5). (I will begin to analyze this in my next blog post.) Lines 6-7 of the poem: "Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie / Open unto the fields, and to the sky;" suggest the things which Wordsworth saw on that July day. Although he does not describe which sites explicitly, maps can, perhaps, point to the architecture in the poem. At first glance of the poem, the reader might contemplate that the poem is directly about the architecture which he saw; It is very important to the poem; however, I have added to this analysis now, which I will explain in my second blog from this one. The River Thames is the river which he overlooks unto the buildings, as well as nature. At the time this poem was composed, there were more pastoral fields, thus the "open[ness] unto the fields, and to the sky;" (7). Lines 8-10 of the poem state: "All bright and glittering in the smokeless air. / Never did sun more beautifully steep / In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;." These lines describe the setting of the sun; it "steep[s]," perhaps, like English tea, rising from its natural essence (9). The air is without smoke (8), which, ironically, depicts a time in history during the Industrial Revolution (http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1981/2/81.02.06.x.html). The tenth line of the poem describes the landscape, and how the sun rises ("steep[s]") in the early morning over the bridge itself (9). In my second blog from now, I will describe my Westminster Bridge experience in the early morning from London, which was breathtaking. "Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!" describes the tranquility, or the peace, which his view, the view on this particular day, gave him in the moment (11). The last two lines of the poem state: "Dear God! the very houses seem asleep; / And all that mighty heart is lying still!" (13-14). The literal content within these lines of the poem suggests that this city, in the stillness of the July morning which he observes it in, is peaceful; its "mighty heart," or the heart of the city itself, is at rest (14), particularly in a truce from the war ("Footnote 1").

Furthermore, the literal content of these last two lines tie directly into my thesis statement: Wordsworth's reflection upon the views of England in his poems, "Tintern Abbey," and "Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802," suggest that it was a place of tranquility, even in a time of unsettled peace; however, "London, 1802" reflects upon a dissimilar view of England, which contrasts with his usual writing style.

My next two blogs will analyze the poem more in depth.

Industrial Revolution. Web. 23 July 2011. http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1981/2/81.02.06.x.html

Two Views of England: A Comparison and Contrast of Wordsworth's Poems: