Poem Analysis,Subject Summarisation And Explanation : 'Composed Upon Westminster Bridge,September 3,1802' by William Wordsworth

This week,I will be analysing,summarising and explaining the subject matter of one poem from the WBCHSE syllabus everyday.There are five poems in the text book,though I am quite sure that the examinations will be conducted only on two to three out of them.However,I am doing this mostly for savouring the taste of beauty that lies within them and for simply playing and staying involved with amazing streams of words for a while.

Composed Upon Westminster Bridge,September 3,1802

(Credit : Source)

Earth has not anything 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,

Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie

Open unto the fields, and to the sky;

All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.

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:

Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;

And all that mighty heart is lying still!

(Photograph Source)

Westminster Bridge. W. Westall A.R.A. delt. R.G. Reeve sculpt. Published 1828 by R.Ackermann, 96 Strand, London.

Poem Analysis,Summarisation And Explanation

The poem has been written following the principles of the Italian Sonnet.A total of 14 lines have been divided into octave and sextet.The first eight lines follow the scheme abbaabba and the next sis lines of the sestet keep to the rhyme scheme cdcdcd.

The subject matter of this poem is that of the Westminster Bridge in a beautiful morning,which unfurls the tale of the elegant city of London in a legendarily striking way,yet in a soft and tender manner. 

The poet seems to be overwhelmed with the beauty of the scenary and amused by the view of the bridge and the mysticism created through the morning light,the ships,towers,temples standing still,with an urge to touch the sky.
In the early morning,when the true beauty of the city is derivable ,without the trouble of smoke and dust in the environment,when the Sun is just rising,the calmness penetrates into the poet's heart and he is deeply affected.The independence in the river's flow intensifies the thrill of it's journey;in the early morning all the houses seem to be asleep as their inhabitants perhaps still seem to be seeking comfort in tranquility.The last line of the poem goes well with the mood of the poem and calmly draws a dreamy conclusion.

(Photograph Source)

Through the entire poem,the readers seem to be able to take a journey through the course of Thames,right over the Westminster Bridge,have a look at the quiet towers,theaters and temples standing still with their mighty pride,with an urge to touch the sky;look around and inhale the fresh air,deeply feel the first rays of the Sun in an early morning and feel a deep calmness.

The poem,as already said is written in a very dreamy and tender manner.However,this does not compromise with the readers being unable to imagine or feel a realistic view of the Westminster Bridge in the beauty of an early morning.

(Photograph Source)

The title of the poem is not very special,in fact it only imparts a reference to how the poem was composed,which is a modern way of looking at the subject of poetry.Most of the Romantic poets,including Wordsworth had mastered the art of writing in a very unique style that was able to maintain the grammatical perfection of poetry while at the same time giving the reader his turn to see through the realistic dimension of the subject matter of the poem.

Overall,this is a very beautiful poem,juxtaposing a perfect blend of grammatical perfection,poetic beauty while referring to a very realistic approach of an early morning upon the Westminster Bridge over the mighty Thames.

Special Credit : 'Mindscapes : Higher Secondary English Selections' Printed by Orient Blackswan on behalf of West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE).