Characteristics and Differences Between William Wordsworth and William Blake

This essay is based on the two contrasting poems written by William Wordsworth and William Blake. In this essay I will be writing on what made these two poets to write two different things to each other based on London.

William Wordsworth was born in 1770 in London. He was one of the great English poets. In 1971 he graduated from Cambridge. He had a baby with Annette Vallon named as Caroline in 1792. Wordsworth was extraordinarily close to his sister Dorothy in Dorset shire. Throughout his life she was his constant and devoted companion. His sister always helped him with his homework. In Dorset shire Wordsworth became intimate friend of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Together the two poets wrote Lyrical Ballads (1798), in which they sought to use the language of ordinary people in poetry; it included Wordsworth's poem "Tintern Abbey. In 1802 Wordsworth married Mary Hutchinson, an old school friend, and the couple had four children. His sister Dorothy always supported him so he was happy through out his life. He also had support from his friends as well. He use to write poems for the queen. He had to write poems that will make people feel happy including the queen. This might be why he use to write happy poems.

William Blake was born in London, where he spent most of his life. His father was a London hosier and. Blake was first educated at home, chiefly by his mother. In 1767 his parents sent him to Henry Pars' drawing school. From his early years, he experienced visions of angels and ghostly monks. He saw and conversed with the angel Gabriel, the Virgin Mary, and various historical figures. At the age of 14 Blake was apprenticed for seven years to the engraver James Busier. After studies at the Royal Academy School, Blake started to produce watercolours and engrave illustrations for magazines. In 1783 he married Catherine Boucher, the daughter of a market gardener. Blake taught her to draw and paint and she assisted him devoutly. In 1774 Blake opened with his wife and younger brother Robert a print shop. But the venture failed after the death of Robert in 1787. Blake wrote his poems at the age of 12. he use to bleive in heaven. His brother Robert died in 1787. Blake died in august 12, 1827. This might effect the poem because he had a unhappy life. He had shock after another. In this poem he wrote about how he felt after his parents died.

The stories of the two poems are totally different to each other. In William Wordsworth poem the story is about London which is a place like heaven but in Blake's poem the story is about London which is a place like hell. In William Wordsworth's poem London is the most beautiful place on earth. Who ever passes by London, a sight so touching in its majesty would be a boring person. He says that London wears the beauty of the morning sun like a garment cloth. And London is very silent at morning time. Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie freely to the open earth and the open sky. He also says that London is free of pollution. And the sun never shined more beautifully over valley, rock or hills. Wordsworth says that he never saw or felt any calmness like in London. He says that the river glided at its own pace. He says to God that the houses seem quiet and all the mighty heart is calm. William Blake's story is totally different to Wordsworth's. In his poem he walks through the streets of the government. Next to the chartered Thames the people have the mark of weakness and miserable on their face. He says that the man and the infants are crying. Everybody is talking about the bans made by the government. He says that he hears the sound of manacles in his mind. People are mentally imprisoned. He says that the chimney sweepers are crying and the churches are all blackened by the corruption. He also says that the unlucky soldiers are sighing because they have to kill other people, and they can't do anything about it. He says that he hears the young harlot's new born baby crying at midnight.

Wordsworth “composed upon Westminster Bridge” and Blake “London” are two contrasting poems. In London in the 18th century, conditions for the poor and the rich were completely opposite to each other. The rich people were very rich and healthy and the poor people were very poor and unhealthy. Wordsworth and Blake set their poem at this time. They have expressed in their poem how London was to them, and how they felt about it. In Wordsworth's poem the London is described as the best place on planet but in Blake's poem the description is completely opposite. It is described as the corrupted place on planet. Wordsworth shows a wonderful theme of London but Blake on the other hand is completely different. Blake shows the corrupted theme of London where people feel imprisoned.