Composed Upon Westminster Bridge

Composed Upon Westminster Bridge

1.  Earth has not anything to show more fair:
2.  Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
3.  A sight so touching in its majesty:
4.  This City now doth, like a garment, wear
5.  The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,
6.  Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie
7.  Open unto the fields, and to the sky;
8.  All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.
9.  Never did sun more beautifully steep
10. In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;
11. Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!
12. The river glideth at his own sweet will:
13. Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;
14. And all that mighty heart is lying still!

Steep- Bathe

Glideth- Glide

Summary- This poem is a description of a man's spontaneous elation at being confronted with the view of London from Westminster Bridge.

Poetic Voice- Spontaneous overflow of emotion and elation. The first octave describes the early morning image of London and the various features which the city boasts. The poet transgresses to more abstract natural ideas in the final sestet, employing personification on multiple occasions to establish the profound impact of the view upon him and to project this to the read most visually.

Structure- Sonnet with a ABBAABBA CDCDCD rhyme scheme. Initial octave and then a sestet with a shift in mood in between- a volta. Sonnets are usually written about love in a romantic sense but the sonnet structure in this case refers to the poet's love of the city and the emotions of adoration and tranquility that the city evinces from him. The conversational tone reflects the poet's complete transparency and moral exposure in face of the dazzling cityscape and the simple language further alludes to the unadulterated and clear beauty that the city possesses. The enjambment may also reflect the poet's boundless admiration and long vowel sounds in the form of "glideth...silent" slow the poem down and emphasize the serenity of the scene.

Quote Analysis-

"Earth has not anything to show more fair"
Personifies the earth and "show" suggests a spectacle and theatrical production.  The broad use of "anything" and the comparative of "more" reflect the sheer intensity of the poet's emotions. The balance of "fair" further connotes peace and equality.

"Dull would he be of soul who could pass by"
Critical of those who take the city for granted. "Soul" implies spirituality and purity, extending the grip of the city from a mere visual experience to an almost religious awakening and cleansing.

"A sight so touching in its majesty"
Paradox of "touching" which infers intimacy and proximity and "majesty" which connotes regality and status with a distance between the elevated upper classes and the citizens which they serve. "Majesty" also personifies the city and categorizes it amongst the leaders and international representatives of society.

"This City now doth, like a garment wear"
Personifies the city. A "garment" is a generally upper-class accessory and elevates the city from merely possessing human qualities to actually representing the pinnacle of society whilst also demonstrating fashion and beauty. The uppercase "City" also intimates the city has a name and is therefore worthy of human recognition and intimacy or alternatively reflects the city's greatness and prominence that is worthy of capitalization.

"Silent, bare"
Contrasts with the reference to the city clothed in "a garment" and suggests that the city is beautiful irrespective of its apparent clothing and metaphorical physical activity- the city is stunning both naked and fully clothed. "Silent" and "bare" also evince feelings of tranquility and purity that compliment the poetic voice's admiration of the city's visa unadulterated by humans or superficial detail.

"All bright and glittering in the smokeless air"
Connotes purity and "smokeless" asserts a sense of cleanliness . "Bright and glittering" associates itself with the idea of a spectacle and also implies the presence of nature within the city.

"Never did the sun more beautifully steep in his first splendour, valley, rock or hill"
Personifies the sun with "his" and evokes sense of warmth and light that elucidates the clarity of the city. "Valley, rock...hill" are also natural features of the landscape and again emphasize the balance been urban and rural life that exists within the city.

"Dear God! The very houses seem asleep"
Feels the urge to cry out to God and maintains the conversational tone of the poetic voice and implies a religious experience. Houses personified as "asleep" reflect sense of calm and tranquility with the lights out and curtains drawn.

"And all that mighty heart is lying still"
Personifies country and declares that London is the "heart"- connotes love, emotion and the centre of all function. Perfect iambic pentameter creates a pulse similar to that of a beating heart even though it is said to be "lying still". Suggests that the city is beautiful even without trying and in a state of unconsciousness, just wait till it wakes up and actively reveal the full extent of its charm.