Compare and control the environment portrayed in the poems London and Sonnet Essay Example

each chartered street, near where the chartered Thames does flow, and mark in every face I meet, Marks of weakness, marks of woe" (ll.1,2) paint a bleak picture. In contrast, John Clare's 'Sonnet' celebrates the arrival of summer and the joy it brings - "I love to see the summer beaming forth."

Within the text, there is a depiction of stunning scenery and warm weather scenes surrounding a lake. One particular line expresses fondness for the reappearance of naturally occurring flowers. (Line 3) Additionally, sonnets are frequently linked to romantic love, however, Clare's 'Sonnet' divulges love of the rural environment and summer season.

Clare's use of the sonnet form may serve to emphasize his fervent affection for the subject, akin to that of a beloved. The poem explores various themes such as Light, depicted through vibrant imagery such as 'white clouds', 'gold mare blobs', 'whitening lilies', 'bright beetles', and 'bright day'. Additionally, Joy is a prominent theme, with Clare expressing delight at the return of summer and observing the happiness of insects and beetles at play in the 'summer beams forth'.

As summer arrives, nature experiences a rebirth. "Wild flowers have come again" and insects work diligently to pollinate the plants in the meadow. Meanwhile, a moor hen constructs a nest for its young. Clare, who was born on July 13, 1793, had a difficult life and eventually, due to depression, was institutionalized in 1837. He passed away on May 20, 1864 while still in the asylum. Despite his struggles, Clare's poem written in 1841 provides no indication of his distress during that year, and instead projects a wistful tone as if he might have been seeking an

escape from his troubling present and instead recalling the joys of nature that once brought him solace.

Both poems, London and Sonnet, utilize varying tones to captivate the reader and spotlight their respective themes. While London examines the challenges and cruelties of city life as well as the inadequacies of religion and law, Sonnet concentrates on the beauty of summer in the countryside and the simplicity of life. Additionally, the poem may express gratitude for Clare's ability to find joy in ordinary things despite his mental health issues. "The clear deep lake to stand upon its shore I love the hay grass when the flower swings That sport about the meadow that bright day". Both poems are constructed in different ways to complement the suggested themes and messages conveyed by each piece.

The manner in which language is utilized varies in both poems. 'London' can be found within Blake's collection of poetry known as the Songs of Experience, which aims to provide a comparison and reveal the consequences of contemporary life on individuals and the environment. The poem's name supplies an indication that it is patterned like a melody. The poem follows a strict abab rhyme scheme throughout its four, four-lined stanzas. These stanzas mimic glimpses seen by Blake as he "wander[ed] thro' the streets," portraying diverse aspects of the city.

The poem 'Sonnet' utilizes a verse format that originated in Italy during the 14th century, which is still used contemporarily. There are precisely 14 lines in this poem. It employs iambic meter with a constant weak, strong rhythm that mimics our heart's tempo. Additionally, the poem's rhyming couplets give the reader an impression of an enclosed

vision and portray a specific image as seen in the verse 'I love to see the summer beaming forth, And the white wool sack clouds sailing to the north'. One such visualization is how the cry of a Chimney-sweeper shocks churches, and the sighs of a distressed soldier are seen bleeding down palace walls.

The rhyming couplets in the poem 'Sonnet' are a reference to the 7 days it took for god to create the world. The simplicity of the title and vocabulary and the use of repetition, such as 'I Love', 'clear' and 'bright', emphasize the purity of nature's clarity and brightness and the strength of love.

In this poem, the use of simple language and vernacular terms like 'mare' and 'flags' reflects the simple pleasures being conveyed. The absence of formal punctuation is uncommon for the time it was written, but phrases mostly end at the line's conclusion due to this lack. This enhances the poem's overall simplistic tone, possibly influenced by Clare's Northamptonshire accent.

By lacking punctuation and allowing the lines to flow, the poem emphasizes freedom and lack of constraint. Within the poem, there is a significant amount of imagery, allowing readers to visualize the scene and relate to the poet through their senses. For example, when Clare writes "Where reed clumps rustle like a wind shook wood," it enables readers to hear the rustling reeds and feel the summer winds. The sense of urgency within the poem suggests that the poet is so desperate to express their love that they cannot pause.

The use of alliteration with the W and R sounds in line 6 of the poem creates an appeal to

our senses, appearing to mimic the sound of the wind passing through the reeds. Reading the poem creates a sense of zooming into a scene from a distance, with initial focus on the clouds followed by observation of the flowers and moor hens.

The poem depicts water beetles playing in the clear lake and the poet aims to connect us more with nature as the poem progresses. The tone of 'London' reflects Blake's strong religious views, at times taking on a biblical tone. Twice in the first stanza, Blake repeats the word "charter'd" which refers to the charters that granted ownership and rights to specific individuals, a concept that Blake felt deprived ordinary people of their freedoms and rights.

"I stroll along every mapped street," is expressed in the first line. The term "marks" recurs a second time, which may imply either the physical marks that individuals bore from their struggles or Blake's marking of evidence during his stroll through the city streets. "Marks of weakness, marks of woe" can be interpreted as referencing the actual physical marks or the evidence gathered. In the second stanza's initial three lines, the word "every" is repeated, emphasizing the poet's intention to express that everyone is impacted by encountered problems.

The poem expresses the idea that the city has imposed 'mind-forg'd manacles' upon its inhabitants, limiting their ability to think freely. The use of negative language such as 'cry', 'fear', and 'blood' creates a pessimistic tone. The sounds of the city, including cries, "mind-forg'd manacles," and curses, represent the anguish and pain experienced by those within it. The final line of the poem contrasts with this tone, using the phrase "marriage

hearse."

The poet believes that marriage, despite being a celebration of new life and love, is ultimately associated with death and decay as conveyed through the use of the word hearse. The two poems adopt diverse language styles with Sonnet being optimistic and filled with hope and happiness, while London is pessimistic and lacks any hope for the future.