Comparing the Two Pictures of London, Illustrated by Wordsworth and Bla

Comparing the Two Pictures of London, Illustrated by Wordsworth and Blake in Their Two Poems The two poems depicting London by Wordsworth and Blake are in some ways similar and yet have many differences. Both observations of London are depicted through the poets' personal perspectives of London using individual experiences. We can tell that both poems are from the person's interpretations and experiences as they are said in the first person: 'Ne'er saw Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦' in Wordswoths' poem and: 'I wonder through each chartered streetà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦' in Blakes'. Both poems are well structured and use emphatic language. 'Upon Westminster Bridge' is a Petrachran sonnet which expresses strong emotion. It depicts his joy and awe of a beautiful city that is sleeping. It comes across as very optimistic with only positive things to say. The elation is built up through the sonnet using rhyme and emphatic language '... a calm so deep!' and similes are used that portray an underlying theme 'This city now doth, like a garment, wear.' I think this is where the first look at the poem is not enough to fully grasp Wordsworth's meaning. Blake's poem at first glance is very much the opposite: it too uses emphatic language and builds up the feeling through the quatrains which allow his thoughts to progress yet the feeling and emotional outbursts are of a completely different nature. This poem seems pessimistic and has only gloom and negative points mentioned.' In every cry of every man' is different to Wordsworths' depiction of serenity, beauty and calm: 'A sight so touching in its majesty'. The River Thames is used in both poems but is illustrated differently. ... ...hat people are trapped in their social status but it is only in the mind and thoughts can be changed it isn't yet a physical state. This leaves us with optimism of change. Wordsworth although his poem is very optimistic the irony is that it is only captured in one moment. His depiction is not typical. He talks about London being this beautiful thing but he is talking form the panoramic view above it all and more than that he is talking whilst London is asleep leaving us to believe that it will be different, more like Blake's poem once London re-awakens. He talks from a moment in the revolution where ' This city now doth, like a garment, wearà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦' implying it is superficial and normally the city isn't like that. So when looking deeper in to both poems there is an ironic ulterior meaning there which connect the two.