For Wednesday, January 23

We will continue our study of Romanticism and Wordsworth’s “London, 1802.” For Wednesday, review that poem and the materials you read for Friday in light of our class discussion. Also consider three of Jonathan Sircy’s four questions—the ones about structure, historical context, and ethics—and come prepared to discuss these in light of the poem. You will need to look up some history on the Industrial Revolution, John Milton, and what was going on in England in 1802. (Some general overview of this is fine, no need to go overboard.)

ENTRY TICKET: Compose a tweet answering the question, “What is the theme of ‘London, 1802?’” This must be original. If a classmate has already tweeted what you were planning on saying, then write a response to it, perhaps adding some detail or clarifying/correcting something. Be sure to include the course hashtag.

For convenience, here are the resources from Friday for review:

• Jonathan Sircy’s introduction to Analyzing poetry.
• Vanier College’s Poetry’s Language.
• Vanier College’s Poetry’s Structure and Form.
• Brooklyn College’s Introduction to Romanticism.

Wordsworth: London, 1802

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. We are selfish men;
Oh! raise us up, return to us again;
And give us manners, virtue, freedom, power.
Thy soul was like a Star, and dwelt apart:
Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea:
Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free,
So didst thou travel on life’s common way,
In cheerful godliness; and yet thy heart
The lowliest duties on herself did lay.