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Analysis of the poem, ‘Sonnet Composed Upon Westminster Bridge’

Nature/Situation

The persona is admiring nature. It is early in the morning and he is surprised to see that the
normally grimy, noisy, busy and smoky city looks so beautiful, clean and quiet.

Structure

This is an Italian/Petrearchan Sonnet. The Octave portrays a picture of the city before the
hustle and bustle of the day’s activities, a city that is unpolluted by traffic and commerce. It
registers the persona’s disbelief about the silent, peaceful and smokeless city. The Sestet
declared the sheer splendour of nature. The Sestet is also concerned with the pre-dawn
experience- the sun and river. Therefore, the sleeping city in London is held together by the
elements made by people and nature-controlled elements. The Volta in line 9 is indicated by
the adverb, ‘never, to show the change in the setting of the city.

Themes

 Nature
 Man and Nature
 Industrialization
 Geography/Landscape

Figurative Devices

Irony

It is ironic that Industrialization /Modernization has caused the city to become polluted,
grimy, busy and noisy.

Simile

Line 4: “This City now doth like a garment wear”- The city is wearing the morning’s beauty
like a clothing.

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Repetition

‘Never’: This repetition highlights the persona’s awe and disbelief about the sheer beauty of
the city at daybreak.

Contrast

Comparison between the polluted noisy city in the day and the clean, quiet city in the
night/daybreak are made. There is also a contrast between Nature and Industrialization.

Personification

 Line 1: “Earth has not anything to show more fair”

 Line 4: “This City now doth like a garment wear.”
 Line 13: “The very houses seem asleep”
 Line 14: “And all that mighty heart is lying still”

Imagery

The silence is imaged.

“Ne’er saw I, never felt a calm so deep!

The river glideth at his own sweet will:
Dear God! The very houses seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart is lying still!

Diction

The words and phrases declare the persona’s appreciation: ‘majesty’, ‘splendour’, ‘a calm so
deep’, ‘smokeless air’.

MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE:

These are awe and appreciation.

TONE:

These were appreciative and sombre.

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POINT OF VIEW:

The poem was written in the first person point of view .

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