Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"London, 1802" is a sonnet by William Wordsworth, one of the most celebrated poets of the Romantic era. The poem is a passionate and impassioned plea for a return to a more moral and virtuous age, in which the people of England are guided by the principles of duty, honor, and compassion.

The poem begins with an apostrophe to John Milton, the great English poet of the seventeenth century. Wordsworth addresses Milton as a "soul" and a "guide," and asks him to return from the dead to "reform" the people of England. The image of Milton as a guiding spirit is a powerful one, suggesting that he represents a kind of moral compass for the nation.

The poem then turns its attention to the state of England in Wordsworth's own time. He describes it as a nation that is "selfish men" and "bastard freedom," and suggests that the people have lost their sense of duty and compassion. He writes, "And England, that was wont to be / A happy breed of men, if these / The same society be."

Throughout the poem, Wordsworth reflects on the importance of duty, honor, and compassion in guiding human behavior. He writes, "Milton! thou should'st be living at this hour: / England hath need of thee: she is a fen / Of stagnant waters: altar, sword, and pen, / Fireside, the heroic wealth of hall and bower, / Have forfeited their ancient English dower / Of inward happiness."

The poem is a powerful plea for a return to a more virtuous and moral age, in which people are guided by their sense of duty and compassion, rather than by their own selfish desires. It is a reminder that the individual must be part of a larger community, and that our actions have consequences not just for ourselves, but for the wider world around us.

In conclusion, "London, 1802" is a powerful and passionate poem that reflects on the state of England in Wordsworth's time, and the need for a return to a more virtuous and moral age. The poem is a reminder of the importance of duty, honor, and compassion in guiding human behavior, and of the role that individuals play in shaping the world around them. The poem remains a powerful and enduring work of literature, a testament to Wordsworth's ability to capture the essence of the human experience with remarkable clarity and depth.

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