‘Composed Upon Westminster Bridge’ by William Wordsworth

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About Author

William Wordsworth

Born: April 7, 1770, Cockermouth, England ,Died: April 23, 1850 (aged 80), Rydal, England
Years Active: 1973—1850 , Notable Works: Lyrical Ballads (1667), The Prelude (1644)

William Wordsworth (7 April 1770 – 23 April 1850) was an English Romantic poet, best known for Lyrical Ballads (1667), which he wrote with Samuel Taylor Coleridge. He and Coleridge helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature. Wordsworth is best known for The Prelude, which is a semi-autobiographical poem of his early years that he revised and expanded a number of times. It was not published during his lifetime, instead published a year after his death by his wife.

Summary

‘Composed Upon Westminster Bridge’ is a sonnet composed by William Wordsworth describes the morning beauty of London which he observed from the famous bridge called ‘Westminster Bridge’ over the Thames river. The poet as the speaker feels that the sight of the city at Westminster Bridge is more beautiful than anything present there. Anyone who passes the spot will be charmed towards the mind-blowing beauty of the very place. In addition to its majesty, the city is dressed with the morning beauty which is enriched with the peacefulness gifted by Maker. The beauty of the city is also majestically lighted by some of the man-made things such as ships, towers, domes, theatres and temples that lie open onto the fields. He realizes that these entities also contribute to the promotion of peace. Although they are man-made entities, they are as beautiful and deep as the nature is.
The sky of the city is bright and shining in the smokeless air; it means that the city is free from pollution in the morning. He feels that the sun had never come down being steep over the rocks, valley and hills more beautifully. But in that particular morning, the poet feels that his city has been lighted by the golden rays of the rising sun. He has never felt and seen such a calm and deep picture of the city. The Thames river flows at his own sweet will. He feels that the river has not been disturbed by any man-made things. He realizes God has saved his city from being ugly. That’s why he seems to be grateful to God. He realizes that the houses of the city are asleep; they seem to be constant and natural. The poet has used the terms
‘mighty heart’ which probably refers to the city of London. Thus, he has personified the city which is the mighty heart of all the people. The poet has expressed his love and respect to nature and his motherland in his poem. He also tries to establish a close relationship between nature and human hearts through this
poem.

सरांश नेपालीमा
‘Composed Upon Westminster Bridge’एउता sonnet हो जुन William Wordsworth ले रचेका हुन् । यो कबिता लण्डन शहरको Thames नदीमाथि बनेका Westminster Bridge’ बिहान देखिने सुन्दरतालाई वर्णन गरेको छ । कविले Westminster Bridge’बाट देखिने सुन्दरता अरू सुन्दरता भन्दा धेरै राम्रो भएको महसुस गरेका छन् । कविलाई यो महसुस भएको छ की कुनै पनि व्यक्ति त्यो ठाउँमा पुग्यो भने त्यहाँ देखिने सुन्दरताप्रति मन्त्रमुग्ध हुनेछ । यसको अतिरिक्त उक्त ठाउँमा शान्ति रहेको छ । उक्त सुन्दरता र शान्तिको समष्टि रूपमा भगवानले सिर्जना गरेका हुन् भन्ने कुरा कबिलाई लागेको छ ।लण्डन शहरको प्राकृतिक सुन्दरतालाई जहाजहरू, स्तम्भहरू, स्तुपहरू, नाचघरहरू तथा मन्दिरहरूजस्ता मानव निर्मित बस्तु भएतापनि यसले अझ आकर्षक बनाएका छन्। ती कुराहरूले पनि त्यहाँको शान्तिलाई सहयोग पुयाएका छन्। ती कुराहरू मानव निर्मित भए पनि प्रकृति जति नै सुन्दर र विशाल छन् । लण्डन शहरको आकाशमा कुनै धुवाँ छैन बरू उज्यालो प्रकाश चम्किएको छ त्यहाँ कुनै प्रदुषणले बिहानको समयलाई छुन सकेको छैन । सूर्यको प्रकाशले चट्टानहरू, उपत्यका र पहाडहरूलाई पनि चम्काएको छ । कविले Westminster Bridge’बाट अवलोकन गरेको शहरको दृश्य बिहानीको सूर्यको सुनौलो प्रकाशले चम्किएको पाएका छन्। कविले यस्तो शान्त र विशाल शहरको दृश्य कहिल्यै देखेका थिएनन्। उनलाई लागेको छ की Thames नदी पनि स्वतन्त्र रूपमा आफ्नै गतिलेबगेको छ । भगवानले लण्डन शहर कुरुप हुनबाट जोगाइ दिएका छन् भन्ने कुरा कविलाई महसुस हुन्छ । तसर्थ उनी ईश्वरप्रति आभारी हुन्छन्। लण्डन शहरको भवनहरू पनि निदाएका जस्ता देखिन्छन् । कविले लण्डन शहरलाई Mighty Heart भन्ने नाम दिएका छन्। यसरी कविले आफ्नो मातृभूमि र प्रकृतिप्रति विशाल माया र सम्मान व्यक्त गर्नुका सार्थ उनले प्रकृति र मानबको बीच गहिरो समवन्ध रहेको कुरा देखाउन खोजेका छन्

Answer the following questions.

a) At what time of the day and in what kind of weather did Wordsworth observe in London in composed Upon Westminster Bridge?

= Wordsworth observed London in early morning at the time of sunrise where the weather was calm and the surrounding was beautiful.

b) What aspects of the city impressed him?

= The fields with ships, towers, domes, temples, etc. impressed him most.

c) Which city is the poet describing ?

= The poet is describing the city of London.

d) Suppose your village or town is as beautiful as London described in this poem. Now describe it.

= My village is small as well as beautiful. In the morning, the rays of rising sun make me feel as if I am in the heaven. The birds passing through hills and mountains are the attraction of my village. The green forest with the sound of cuckoos, ancient houses, green fields, etc. attract the people who pass through my village. The sunrays over the snowy mountains make my village beautiful.

e) Which river glides under the bridge?

= The Thames river glides under the bridge.

f) What is the poet referring to by ‘that mighty heart?’

=The poet is probably referring to the city of London by the use of ‘that mighty heart’.

g) Draw a list of adjectives used in the poem.

= The adjectives used in this poem are: a) Fair b) silent c) touching d) bare e) bright f) glittering g) smokeless h) steep i) first j) calm k) deep l) dear m) sweet n) asleep o) mighty p) still q) splendor