The Treatment of London in Poetry - Book Report/Review Example

The Treatment of London by William Wordsworth, in Lines 696-741, The Prelude, Book Seven (1798-1800) and by William Blake in 'London' (1794) These works exemplify the Romantic Movement in their style of poetic expression. With an almost 'stream of consciousness' technique in both, the essence of time and place, and more importantly, the poets' own impressions and originality of thought and presentation come alive. These characteristics ignite the reader's imagination, enabling them to share the poets' experiences, feelings and personalities. The theme may be London, but the emotional and psychological impact is quite different. Present in both pieces are the expression of an individual's ideas as they occur, coupled with the departure from classical verse form, relevant to the Romantic period. Social awareness and creation of the moment are evident, combining to engage the reader. The style, form and technique of each poem will be examined separately, and comparisons and contrasts will form the conclusion of this essay. 1. London - William Blake (1794) The poet's his own voice presents a stark and darkly negative vision of suffering humanity, almost crushed to extinction by the circumstances of the times. He portrays a section of society, observed and interpreted with metaphor, rhetoric, visual and auditory imagery. Using four stanzas of four rhyming quatrains, with iambic pentameter and the assonance of true rhyme, the poem drives home the writer's messages. There is a ruthless force, an unrelenting build-up of the passion and anger Blake felt about the conditions he observed in that society; the rhythms drum into the mind. The vivid imagery denotes the darkness, figuratively and literally, the only colours red and black, of a city at night. People only exist, not live. "And mark in every face I meet Marks of weakness, marks of woe." (l. 3-4) The enjambment and alliterative repetition of 'mark' tells us reader what Blake saw, or marked/noted, while skilfully alluding to people being 'marked' or defined by weakness and woe. The visual imagery is further emphasized by the metaphor of "mind-forged manacles" (l. 8) and both sound and sight are evoked in "And the hapless soldier's sigh Runs in blood down palace walls;" (l.11-12) That last line alludes to the never-ending wars that England was engaged in. The "cry of every man" (l. 5), the "infant's cry of fear" (l. 6), the "youthful harlot's curse" (l.14) are vivid auditory images, indicating loneliness, fear and despair. It is evident from the start that little light or joy existed in what Blake observed during the short space of time he described: "I wander through each charter'd street" (l. 1) the repetition of "charter'd" alludes mapping and/or granting rights, suggesting these people have no rights and a dismal future mapped out. The child is frightened, the soldier considered worthless, the young girl a prostitute, and it seemed that the morality of a civilized society was denied them all, as evidenced in the symbolism of the ending: "And how the youthful harlot's curse Blasts the new-born infant's tear And blights with plagues the marriage hearse." (l. 14-16) Blake painted a picture of a city in the throes of industrialization and capitalism. He perceived and reflected the social injustices, moral corruption, the dehumanising aspect of both; tenor of the times. He showed his passionate belief in the rights of man, and portrayed a sad indictment of that society. It is difficult to read this poem without seeing, hearing and feeling as he did, no doubt his intent. His skilled and deceptively simple poem, supported by persuasive rhetoric, create something that is emotionally and psychologically moving, a poem that hurts but enlightens, which is surely how it should be. 2. The Prelude, Book 7, Lines 696-741- William Wordsworth (1798-1800) In this fragment from his reflective, autobiographical epic, depicting the poet's journeys through life and art, Wordsworth shared his internal dialogue and cognitive processes when confronted with a time and a place alien to his sensibilities. The first half allows the reader to experience the thought processes, the feelings of horror and dismay that he suffered, before the narrator's voice is 'heard'. "nor with least delight On that through which I pass'd. Attention comes," (l.716-717) He used blank verse, with unrhymed iambic pentameter, with freedom and flexibility to express the dramatic, to describe realities and to reflect, without the forced structure of rhyme. The verse form and style, link most closely to the spoken English, thus working together with the poet's voice and tone. At the beginning, Wordsworth's tone indicates bafflement and sadness, as with metaphor, language abstract and concrete, he draws the reader into his mental dialogue. The enjambment aids the 'stream of consciousness' flow, and the caesura at the beginning of the second part denotes his change of perspective and tone. He sets the tone, signalling his mental state thus: "O blank confusion! and a type not false Of what the mighty City is itself" (l. 696-697) Flow continues, we see what he saw, and share his internal dialogue. Visual and auditory imagery combine with metaphor to present feelings, and express the poet's perception of people, place and time. "The slaves unrespited of low pursuits, Living amid the same perpetual flow Of trivial objects, melted and reduced To one identity, by differences That have no law, no meaning, and no end;" (l. 700-705) The enjambment reflects the flow of humanity in a chaotic mass - "reduced to one identity". The caesura in l. 705 emphasizes the concept of disorder and a dehumanised gathering that stunned Wordsworth. He alerts the reader to his achievement of rational understanding, a ray of light and glimmer of hope appear, when he makes us aware of how his perceptions reach beneath the apparently mad surface, and he concluded: "An under sense of greatest; sees the parts As parts, but with a feeling of the whole." (l. 712-713) By reflecting back on what he knew and loved best, "The mountain's outline and its steady form Gives a pure grandeur; and its presence shapes The measure and the prospect of the soul To majesty;" (l. 723-726) Wordsworth transferred his understanding in that rural idyll to the scenes before him in London and the urban mess. He brought Nature and Man together, gave them equal worth under God. This is where hope and acceptance emerged, with the conclusion that this "vast receptacle" (l. 735) had a "soul of Beauty" (l. 737) too. "and enduring life Was present as a habit; and diffused, Through meagre line and colours, and the press Of self-destroying, transitory things, Composure and ennobling harmony." (l. 738-741) The sequence passes in the wink of an eye, as thoughts speed, reaching the resolution. The tone altered, so the fragment ends with a voice of hope and even joy. Wordsworth conjoined beliefs, experiences, values and understanding of humanity, allowing our full participation. The time span is short, but the style convoluted; the piece is nonetheless thought-provoking and evocative. Comparison: Both poems reflect the dark side of a society where the poor appear of little importance, a disposable underclass. (para. 1, l. 3-4, para. 2, l. 700-705). These lines show the similar use of figurative, metaphoric language, each poet using his own voice to express his vision, thoughts and experiences. The images in both are sensory, creating a claustrophobic feeling of people crowed into a small space, from which there is little hope of escape. Both indicate a sense of injustice, an absence of spiritual or physical wealth. Visual and auditory images, emotive language and rhetoric, all support the underlying concepts. Wordsworth's "swarm", "slaves" and "low pursuits", and Blake's "marks of woe" and "hapless soldier's sigh" are examples, as are "mind-forged manacles" (Blake) and "Oppression under which even highest minds/must labour,.." (Wordsworth). The pieces have much in common, besides the theme of London. Contrasts: The most obvious is the verse styles used; the voices too present vastly different tones. Blake's forceful rhythms create immediacy, and despite the rhyme patterns, suggests journalistic reporting from an impassioned social commentator. His 'marking' must be taken as serious observation and his motive to stir the conscience of all. He is neither baffled nor reflective; he is angry and unafraid, saying, "What I see is what you get." Blake's vision is stark and dark, creating the moment and sharing emotions to make this a work of its time, yet of universal significance. In contrast, Wordsworth's thoughts and impressions are more self-centred, his perceptive reflections always to the forefront. He uses the personal pronoun, "I may speak", "I feel", "I would hope"; Blake, only once to establish time and place. This suggests aesthetic distance, despite the sadness and bafflement expressed in the first half. Feelings are processed to enable a rational and hopeful conclusion; Wordsworth rationalized the context of the scenes, the times, and their impact on this section of society, finding vital, positive aspects, unlike Blake. His reflection and reasoning, combined with a love of nature and mankind, reached a more gentle, optimistic conclusion. Wordsworth works on several levels, a subtler and deeper perception emerging than in Blake's piece. He enables the reader to know his thoughts, to take part in achieving resolution. His work has a wider vision, a self-awareness and humility that lead to other possibilities. This makes him the greater poet of the two, but from a personal viewpoint, Blake's passion wins. Both were brave, honest men of their time; one searching for deeper self-knowledge, the other shouting his anger with zealous reforming passion. In the end, the contrast lies in the character of the poet, the gentle seeker after truth and his own soul, the other a wild and visionary spirit. Their work is the evidence for this opinion. Read More