CHENNAI PUBLIC SCHOOL

Anna Nagar Chennai -600 101

ENGLISH- CLASS VIII

NOTES

POEM 2- Composed Upon The Westminster Bridge

I. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
“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.”
1. Whom does the poet call „dull of soul‟?
Ans: According to the poet, a man who takes no notice of the beauty of London
city is a dull soul.

2. What does the poet see early one morning?

Ans: The poet sees a very touching beauty of London city in its morning glory.

3. Where does the poet see this beautiful sight?

Ans: The poet sees this beautiful sight when he was crossing the Westminster
bridge early one morning.

II. Think and Answer:

1. Justify the title of the poem ‟Composed upon the Westminster Bridge‟?

Ans. In the poem "Composed Upon Westminster Bridge", Wordsworth expresses his
feelings on seeing the early morning beauty of the city of London. The poet watches
the city standing on the Westminster Bridge on the River Thames. The view of London
city from the Westminster bridge is beautiful, bright and grand yet quiet under the spell
of slumber. Everything in the city seems to be glittering in the smokeless sky. From
the bridge, the poet can see the river as it flows freely. The poet has never
experienced such calmness before. The title clearly indicates the place of such a
beautiful experience. So, the title is appropriate and clearly informs the reader what
the poem is all about.

2. „A sight so touching into majesty…‟ What sight does the poet refer to? How
does the poet describe it?

Ans: The poet is so taken by the early morning sight of London city that he refers
to it as a 'sight in its majesty'. London looks more beautiful than any other place or
object on the earth. It seems like the whole city of London has worn a dress made
of the beauty of the morning. The air is smokeless because the time is very early in
the morning. Ships, towers, domes, theatres are glittering in the smokeless air of
the morning. The poet has never seen a sight so grand yet so intimate and
touching in his life.

3. What is the garment the poet refers to in the poem „Composed upon the
Westminster Bridge‟?

Ans: The poet watches the city from the Westminster Bridge over the Thames
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 River. The poet is so deeply touched by this beautiful scene that he personifies the
city by saying that it wears the beauty of the morning. The poet here uses a fine
simile to make others understand the joy he gets from his observation of London
city in the wee hours of the morning.

4. 'Dear God! The very houses seem asleep!' Are the houses really
asleep? What is the poet trying to highlight in this line?

Ans: When the poet calls the very houses asleep, he means that the peaceful
calm and tranquility encompasses London City. The joy and wonder in that
experience is so profound that every part of the city, the houses themselves are in
asleep. He personifies the houses to be asleep to mean that the people of the city
are yet to wake up and start their daily activities. It also implies to the wee hours of
the morning when there's not much activity happening.
III. Substantiate the following on the basis of reading the poem :

1. What, according to the poet, is rare and striking about his observation of
London city?

Ans: Usually, a bright sunny morning is considered a rarity in London as the

weather of the city is characterized by cloud, fog and mist. It rains often and
visibility is almost always very low. Sometimes though, the sun comes out clearly
and gives the people an opportunity to rejoice in the sunshine. This sunny and
glittering morning when one can see the city merging in the fields in the clear
morning light is rare and striking about the scene.

2. After reading the poem "Upon Westminster Bridge", what impression do

you have of Wordsworth as a poet of Nature?
Ans: Wordsworth is widely recognized as a poet of nature with most of his poems
beautifully describing the natural landscape and rustic (rural) life. Upon
Westminster Bridge is among the rare poems of Wordsworth where he describes
the urban cityscape. Here also the poet personifies the city and says it wears the
bare morning as a beautiful cloth. He integrates manmade pieces of architecture
with Nature by saying all these lie “open unto the fields and to the sky" and “All
bright and glittering in the smokeless air.”
Wordsworth talks about the river that glides at his own free will. He feels that the
city is living though the people are still asleep. Thus the poem speaks of nature
and Wordsworth's worship of nature and supports the fact that he is a poet of
nature.

Class VIII English Notes Page 2 of 2