The Most Beautiful Thing Ever
Wordsworth's claim that his vision of London is the best on earth is clearly an exaggeration, not to mention impossible to verify. But it's an innocent exaggeration, one that puts us "in the moment...
Things as People
Wordsworth uses personification in several places in the poem, in reference to the city, sun, river, and houses. He creates the impression that nature is a living being with a soul. It's as if all...
Clothing and Nudity
In "Composed Upon Westminster Bridge," clothes are a metaphor for the way the city and nature in general seem to put on different appearances depending on the way the light "dresses" them. This rai...
Sleep
For the speaker, a large part of the city's charm early in the morning is the fact that this huge metropolis – a hub of energy and activity – lies completely still. Most people are stil...