English Literature Romantic Poetry William Wordsworth Selected Poems: London 1802. Short Questions
English Literature Romantic Poetry
William Wordsworth Selected Poems: London 1802. Short Questions with Answers
English Literature Romantic Poetry
William Wordsworth Selected Poems: London 1802. Short Questions with Answers S.Q: 1-7
Q.1. How does Wordsworth describe England in "London 1802"?
Ans. When the sonnet was written the condition of England was not so satisfactory. According to Wordsworth, England was once a great place of happiness, religion, chivalry, art, and literature, but at the present moment those virtues have been lost. Every venerable institution should preserve its purity if the nation were to prosper. But at present the altar (representing religion), the sword (representing the military), the pen (representing literature), and the fireside (representing the home - men and women) have become selfish and corrupt. The people of England were full of heroic qualities. They were gifted with real happiness. But now they are no longer happy. In former days, they were fundamentally linked to the rightful success of the nation but now these institutions have lost their meaning. They have lost their peace of mind and there is unrest in all spheres of English life. Thus, Wordsworth appears to be a patriot because he laments the previous goodness of England. As he is concerned for the goodness of his country, he makes a harsh judgement of England. This is one of Wordsworth's few explicitly nationalistic verses-perhaps, of the conservatism that took hold in his old age.
Q.2. What does Wordsworth ask Milton in "London 1802"?
Ans. According to Wordsworth, England was once a great place of happiness, religion, chivalry, art, and literature, but at the present moment those virtues have been lost. Wordsworth can only describe modern England as a marshy land, where people are selfish and morally corrupt. He asks Milton to come back once more to live among them and to raise their moral standard by teaching them unselfishness. Milton was first and foremost a reformer. He was a man of strong character and high ideals. At the time of Civil War, he stood fearlessly and unflinchingly for the liberty in all its forms. That is why Wordsworth looks upon Milton at the critical period of his own day and asks him to raise the English up and to teach them how to live a life full of manners, virtue, freedom and power. Wordsworth is critical of the people of England as they have become self-interested and they do not take into account the interest of others. So, Wordsworth is concerned about their condition and asks Milton to correct England's current waywardness.
Q.3. How does Wordsworth praise Milton in "London 1802"?
Ans. Wordsworth thinks that Milton is well-suited to correct England's current waywardness because he possessed certain positive qualities. He compares Milton's soul to a star because he was different even from his contemporaries in terms of the virtues such as manners, virtue, freedom and power. He is different from others also in the sense that he adhered to his opinions even when everyone gave them up. Milton's language in prose as well as poetry is marked by majesty and grandeur. That is why, Wordsworth compares his voice to the sound of the sea as his voice was as powerful and effective as the sound of the sea. Milton's soul was pure like the cloudless sky. Though he possessed a kind of moral perfection, he acted humbly and led a life which an ordinary man can follow. In spite of his having extraordinary qualities, he never minded doing the commonest and lowest of duties which were performed by ordinary persons. Thus, as a man, Milton was pure in heart. He had piety and cheerfulness and was free from corruption. These virtues are precisely what Wordsworth saw as lacking in the English men and women of his day.
Q.4. Comment on "London 1802".
Ans. "London, 1802" works on so many levels. First of all, it is an obvious call for help. Wordsworth is dissatisfied with the present condition of England. The people of England have forgotten the old values and have become selfish and have lost their peace of mind. So Wordsworth asks Milton to return and raise them up again. Second, the poem is an elegy for John Milton, a great English poet of the 17th century. He was famous for his Paradise Lost. His language in prose as well as poetry is marked by majesty and grandeur and was highly influential in English society both religiously and politically. Finally, it is an Italian or Petrarchan sonnet. The Italian sonnet is divided in two sections. The first section consists of first eight lines and it is called octave. The second section consists of the last six lines and it is called sestet. The rhyme scheme of the octave is fixed: abba abba; but the rhyme scheme of the sestet varies. It may be cde cde, cdc dcd, cdc cdc, or cde dce. "London 1802" is a Petrarchan sonnet. It is divided into two parts - octave and sestet. The rhyme .scheme of the octave is abbaabba and that of the sestet is cddece.
Q.5.
Watch video English Literature Romantic Poetry William Wordsworth Selected Poems: London 1802. Short Questions online without registration, duration hours minute second in high quality. This video was added by user Brighton English BD 03 November 2024, don't forget to share it with your friends and acquaintances, it has been viewed on our site 3 once and liked it people.