Themes and message

There are several themes which can be found in the poem “Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802” by William Wordsworth.

Awe

The main theme of the poem is the theme of awe.

As the title suggests, the poem was composed almost instantly, as the poet was crossing the Westminster Bridge. He immediately entered a state of awe and amazement when confronted with the beauty of the silent city. The poem becomes, thus, a sort of ode to London.

It is important to ask yourself what awes the poet most, the city or the people? Notice how the inhabitants of London are only briefly described in the last two lines, as being asleep. Is the feeling of awe, then, directed to people or to the landscape?

Nature

Another important theme of the poem is the theme of nature. Notice how, if it was not ...