William Wordsworth
Lines 1–8 (2 quatrains, each rhymed abab)
1 st quatrain (4 lines)
Earth has not any thing to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:
This City now doth, like a garment, wear
2nd quatrain
The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky;
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.
Lines 9–14 (a sestet (six lines )rhymed cdcdcd)
Never did sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;
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!
Analysis
1st and 2 nd Quatrain:
The poem “Upon Westminster Bridge” is a Petrarchan sonnet. In the first eight lines, the poet shares his happiness about the beautiful scene and says that anyone who is sensitive cannot ignore the beauty, calm, and peace of the morning. Only uncaring or dull people can miss such a moving sight. There is no noise from factories or businesses as the poet crosses the bridge. The quiet city seems to be covered in a blanket of silence and morning beauty. The ships, towers, domes, theaters, and churches are under a clear sky that shines brightly. As a romantic poet, Wordsworth loves and enjoys the purity and peace of nature. His detailed description shows his sharp observation skills. Everything was so unusual and exciting for the poet. The unique beauty of the early morning, which he sees in every part of nature, makes him very happy.
Sestet:
The way the sun shines beautifully over the valleys and hills to cast its first light fills the poet with joy and happiness. The city sparkles in the morning sunshine, making it look cool and grand. The calmness everywhere is very deep. The river flows smoothly without any disturbance. The ships and boats are all still, so the river flows freely. From the start to the end of the poem, the poet shares his excitement and praises the special calmness of the morning. Without the usual activities, the city seems calm and still. It looks like the city is asleep. The poet compares the city of London to a ‘mighty heart’ that is lying still, giving unusual calmness and peace to the environment.
Literary Elements
- Simile: This is when two things are compared using the words “like” or “as.” In the poem, the city is described as wearing the beauty of the morning “like a garment.” This means the city’s morning beauty is compared to a piece of clothing.
- Personification: This is when human qualities are given to non-human things. In the poem, the river is said to glide at its “own sweet will,” meaning the river is described as if it has the ability to choose how it flows.
- Imagery: This is when words create pictures in your mind. Wordsworth uses a lot of imagery to describe the scene, like “ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples” all shining in the clear morning air.
- Hyperbole: This is when something is exaggerated for effect. The poet says that the Earth has “not any thing to show more fair,” which means nothing on Earth is more beautiful than what he is seeing, even if that might not literally be true.
- Alliteration: This is when the same sound is repeated at the beginning of words close to each other.For example, in the line “a sight so touching in its majesty,” the repetition of the “s” sound in “sight” and “so” is an example of alliteration.
- Metaphor: This is a direct comparison without using “like” or “as.” The poem compares the calm and stillness of the city to a “mighty heart lying still,” suggesting that even though the city is powerful and alive, it is quiet at that moment.
Bengali Paraphrase:
প্রথম চার লাইন:
পৃথিবীর আর কিছু এত সুন্দর দেখানোর মতো নেই:
যে কেউ এমন এক দৃশ্য উপেক্ষা করতে পারে, সে বোকা হবে।
এটি এমন এক মহিমাময় দৃশ্য যা হৃদয় ছুঁয়ে যায়:
এই শহর এখন যেন একটি পোশাকের মতো পরিধান করেছে
দ্বিতীয় চার লাইন:
সকালের সৌন্দর্য; নিঃশব্দ, খালি,
জাহাজ, টাওয়ার, গম্বুজ, থিয়েটার, এবং মন্দিরগুলো পড়ে আছে
ক্ষেত্রের দিকে খোলা, এবং আকাশের দিকে;
ধোঁয়াহীন বাতাসে সবকিছু উজ্জ্বল এবং ঝকঝক করছে।
শেষ ছয় লাইন:
কখনও সূর্য এত সুন্দরভাবে আলো ছড়ায়নি
তার প্রথম আলোতে, উপত্যকা, পাথর, বা পাহাড়ের উপর;
আমি কখনও দেখিনি, কখনও অনুভব করিনি, এত গভীর শান্তি!
নদীটি তার নিজের মিষ্টি ইচ্ছায় প্রবাহিত হচ্ছে:
প্রিয় ঈশ্বর! বাড়িগুলোও ঘুমন্ত মনে হচ্ছে;
এবং সেই বিশাল হৃদয়টি স্থির হয়ে আছে!
Short Questions:
Ques 1- What is the scene that William Wordsworth is describing and what time of the day is it?
Ans- William Wordsworth is describing the beautiful scene of the city of London in the early
morning.
Ques 2- What does the city of London wear?
Ans- The poet imagines that the city of London wears the beauty of the morning ( silence) like a
garment.
Ques 3- What is meant by “houses seem asleep”?
Ans- All the people are asleep in their houses. Therefore, the poet personifies the houses as seeming
to be asleep.
Ques 4- Whom does the poet think “ dull of soul”?
Ans- According to the poet, the man who takes no notice of the beauty of the city of London in the
early morning is dull of soul.
Ques 5- How does the early sun beautify the valley, rock and hill?
Ans- With its first splendour , the early sun beautifies the valley, rock and hill.
Ques 6- .When did the poet view the city ?
Ans: The poet Wordsworth viewed the city in early morning of 3rd September, 1802
More Short Questions:
- Where is the Westminster Bridge situated?
Ans: The Westminster Bridge is situated over river Thames in London. - ‘A sight so touching in its majesty’— Which ‘sight’ is referred to here ?
Ans: The sight of the city of London in the early morning is referred to here. - What has Earth shown to the poet?
Ans: Earth has shown to the poet the excellent beauty of the city of London and her surrounding
seen early in the morning from Westminster Bridge. - What things does the sun steep‘ in his first splendour’?
Ans: The first splendour of the rising sun steeps beautifully the valley, rock or hill at a distance. - Why does the poet say that ‘the river glideth at his own sweet will’?
Ans:The poet says that the river glides at his own sweet will because in that early hour of the
morning no boats or ships are sailing to disturb the natural flow of the river. - With what is the city of London compared by Wordsworth?
Ans: Wordsworth compares the city of London to a powerful giant - Answer the following questions:
a. What kind of poem is “Composed upon Westminster Bridge”?
b. The first eight lines are called:
c. The last six lines are called:
d. What is the metre?
e. Which adjective did Wordsworth use to characterize the view?
f. Fill in the missing words:
“This City now does, like a ____ wear
The beauty of the morning;”
“Ne’er saw I, never felt, a __ so deep” - What simile do you find in lines 4–5? What is its effect?
- In lines 5–7, what is the significance of the word Open?
- What is important about the word smokeless in line 8?
- What does the verb steep mean?
- What does line 12 imply about the river? What river is it?
- He seems surprised in line 13. Why?
- What metaphor does he use for London in line 14?
MCQ
- According to the poet, what does the Earth have that is the most beautiful?
- a) Mountains
- b) Valleys
- c) This City
- d) The Sea
- Who would be dull of soul according to the poet?
- a) Someone who admires the view
- b) Someone who writes poetry
- c) Someone who could pass by this view
- d) Someone who lives in the city
- What does the City wear like a garment?
- a) Noise
- b) Light
- c) Silence
- d) Beauty of the morning
- What are the ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples open to?
- a) The river
- b) The mountains
- c) The fields and the sky
- d) The people
- How is the air described in the morning?
- a) Smokeless
- b) Foggy
- c) Polluted
- d) Clear and cold
- What never did the sun more beautifully steep in?
- a) The ocean
- b) Valley, rock, or hill
- c) The desert
- d) The sky
- What has the poet never seen or felt so deeply?
- a) Happiness
- b) Sadness
- c) Calmness
- d) Fear
- How does the river flow?
- a) Rapidly
- b) Smoothly at its own sweet will
- c) With difficulty
- d) Through the city streets
- How do the houses seem to the poet?
- a) Busy
- b) Awake
- c) Asleep
- d) Abandoned
- To what does the poet compare the City of London?
- a) A quiet forest
- b) A sleeping giant
- c) A mighty heart
- d) A bright star
The Literary Companion 
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