Comparison of Robinsons London's Summer Morning and Blakes London - Essay Example

?Comparative study of Robinson’s, "London's Summer Morning" and Blake’s, "London" Comparing and contrasting literatures will certainly facilitate a proper analysis by unveiling the literary as well as the technical aspects. However, one is quite sure that comparing and contrasting poems are not an easy task as it is involved with both literary and technical aspects. Analyzing the poetical devices and identifying the real meaning intended by the poet are equally significant. One should be capable of unveiling the connotative as well as the denotative levels of meaning which make the study authentic and systematic. This paper attempts a comparative study of Marry Robinson’s, "London's Summer Morning" and William Blake’s, "London" and analyses how the poems are related in Structure, Language, Rhyme, and certain other literary aspects. It also unearths the basic differences between the two poems through a close reading. Marry Robison’s poem, ‘London’s Summer Mornings’ clearly portrays the hustle and bustle of a London city life that is presented through the description of a congested street. After the event of Industrial revolution London became a center of magnified urbanization and numerous growth of population. Historical researches have remarked the fact that for the period of these flourishing times London became a massive consumer and service center. Like Mary Robinson William Blake also depicts the picture of London city with the background of social and political life in his poem ‘London.’ Marry Robinson’s poem concentrates the material life of people who lived in London, while Blake makes serious efforts to criticize social and political scenario in detail. Readers can identify numerous uses of various literary devices and techniques in both poems. Poems like Mary Robinson’s ‘London's Summer Mornings’ and William Blake’s ‘London’ explore the unified theme of city life with the background of various literary techniques. Marry Robinsons’ poem is written in blank verse with a structured use of simple and effective language. The very beginning of the poem Mary Robinson’s ‘London’s Summer Morning,’ reader can feel how various street sounds wake Londoner’s in their slumber and these auditory images provide knowledge about the occupations of people who lived in the busy street. The image of the sooty Chimney boy symbolizes the busy life of Londoners in summer season. Poet awakens the taste-buds with “and the hunger-giving cries / Of vegetable venders, fill the air”. Here the reader cannot suppress his or her wonder how well the boy charges even though, because business must be sluggish during the summer mornings. The poem obviously pictures the industrious life of Londoners and the image of the house maid in the poem ‘London’s Summer Morning’ inspire the reader to think about the busy life of people who lived in streets. Reader can easily associate with ‘red’ and ‘healthy’ to the rush and heat of city life. Another striking example of city life is presented through the image of porter who worked hard early in the summer morning. Poet sings; “The porter now / Bears his huge load along the burning way;” (40-41) and the reader can comprehend the fact that the people have followed hardworking to make their living. Reader cannot ignore poet’s conscious efforts to glorify London city through its various characteristics. The ending part of the poem poet endow with the image of hot streets that sprinkled with water. It denotes the conscious effort to keep the city clean and healthy. Poet gives a structured image of London city in the great transition period. More than this material descriptions poet communicates her anxiety with the nature of business. The shoppers of the street were forced to remove their goods off the pavements and keep behind huge glass windows. A detailed analysis of the poem gives a chance to the reader to understand the fact that poet successfully uses various literary devises such as visual and auditory images, sound devises, and symbolism. Visual images like hackney-coaches, wagons, carts, tinmen’s shops, noisy trunk-makers, knife-grinders, coopers, squeaking cork-cutters, fruit-barrows, and the hunger-giving cries of vegetable-vendors constitutes a lively experience for the reader. Repetition of consonant sounds in the above mentioning words underlines poet’s use of sound devices. The whole poem keeps the tone of hustle and bustle of city life. William Blake’s poem, ‘London’, has been written in realistic way which, to an extent, reveals the same theme as ‘London’s Summer Mornings by Marry Robinson. Blake’s poem has a total of sixteen lines which are divided into four stanzas. Unlike Marry Robinson Blake Begins his poem with sarcasm that the poet depicts the sights he sees as he wanders the street of London. Blake reveals his anger towards the ruling classes, their controlling laws and their way to oppress their subjects. Therefore, in this poem Blake portrays the social and political life of London that highlights the difference between the structured life of ruling people and the poverty of common man. As Shaheen Daar remarks; “The repetitive use of the word "charter'd" stresses Blake's anger at the political times and his feeling towards the ruling classes with their controlling laws and oppressive ways” (Darr). Reader can find the elements of mystical thought in Blake’s poem, ‘London’. Poet notices the feeling of suppression and fear in the faces of every men and women. For instance; a mark in every face I meet, /Marks of weakness, marks of woe (3-4). Poet repeats the word “marks” which reveals the desire and tiredness of common man who lead an oppressed life. People suffered with lack of free expression and they were unable to mark their criticism on how the nation was being ruled. In the third stanza one can see that the images of chimney sweeper and the helpless soldiers. The image of chimney sweep represents the destitute children and the soldier symbolizes the agony of those who had worked in a miserable condition. They symbolize the miserable life of common man who led a submissive life. Here poet blames the corrupted status of authorities like church and palaces. Poet successfully joints the helpless cry in one side and the unhearing authority on the other side. In the concluding stanza Blake portrays the image of a young girl who is out in the darkness of the London Street and forced to accept prostitution because of poverty. Poet recognizes the girl’s helpless condition and her grief affects the new born child by saying; “Blasts the new-born infant's tear,/And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse” (14-15) Poet uses the word “blasts” which in contrast to the gentleness one would use to address the birth of a new born baby. Poet argues that in case of a rich woman, prostitution becomes a justifiable one and incase of a poor one become a serious sin. Blake points out that the rich people use the innocent people for their material pleasures and they hide their mistakes easily. Blake brings into play various literary devises like imagery, symbolism, rhyme and tone. Images of sweeper boy, soldier, young prostitute plays a vital role in the poem and they constitute proper feeling to the mind of the readers. The poem follows the particular rhyme scheme AbAb and it attributes some rhythmic experience to the readers. A comparative study between Marry Robison’s poem London’s Summer Mornings and William Blake’s London permits the reader to think that the theme of 17th and 18th century London city life is successfully portrayed in both ‘London’s Summer Mornings’ and ‘London’. One can feel the similarity in theme and the use of various images. Analyzing their meanings one can recognize that Blake’s poem follow a sarcastic tone and handles some serious issues that related to the social and political life of Londoners. Marry Robinson’s poem reveals the glorified status of London city while Blake’s poem highlights the crisis between the rulers and common man who lived in London city. Marry Robinson uses various images to explore the material status of London city. Blake’s images always underline the political and religious crises that affected the life of common people. In contrast with Marry Robinsons’ poem Blake’s poem keeps a specific structure and rhyme scheme. When it concludes, it is evident that both Marry Robinson and William Blake portray the unified theme 17th and 18th century London city life in their poems. Reader can understand the glorified status of London city and its industrious developments, population, occupation, social and cultural life. Even though, there are some similarities in theme and both ‘London’s Summer Mornings’ and London keep some differences in its meaning, structure, literary devices, language and rhythm. Marry Robinsons’ poem simply explores the external appearance of the city while Blake critically analyses the social and political life of Londoners. London’s Summer Mornings reveals a glorious picture of London city while London portrays a realistic figure of 18th century London city which affected social, religious and economic inequality. Different from Robinsons’ poem Blake’s poem keeps a specific structure and a rhyme scheme. Works Cited: Darr, Shaheen. Poetry analysis: London, by William Blake. Helium, Inc. 31. July 2009. Web. April. 2011. http://www.helium.com/items/1320002-london-by-william-blake---poetry-analysis Read More