London,
1802
(Poem, Summary, Paraphrase & Analysis)
London,
1802
Milton!
thou shouldst 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.
Summary
The
poem is a passionate sonnet in which William Wordsworth directly addresses John
Milton, the great 17th-century English poet, lamenting the moral and cultural
decline of England in 1802 and expressing a longing for Milton’s return.
Lines
1–2:
Wordsworth
begins by calling out to Milton, declaring that he should be alive in this
time. England, the poet says, urgently needs him. The nation has become morally
stagnant, like a motionless and dirty swamp ("a fen of stagnant
waters").
Lines
3–4:
He
describes how England’s once-noble institutions and aspects of life—represented
by the altar (religion), sword (military/nobility), and pen
(literature/intellect)—along with the fireside (domestic life) and the heroic
spirit of the aristocracy ("hall and bower")—have lost their former
greatness and inner joy.
Lines
5–6:
The
people of England, according to the poet, have become selfish and morally weak,
having abandoned the virtues and values of earlier times.
Lines
7–8:
He
passionately urges Milton to rise and return—to restore the nation’s manners
(civil behavior), virtue, freedom, and strength of character and leadership.
Lines
9–11:
Wordsworth
praises Milton’s noble soul, comparing it to a star—high, bright, and distant.
He says Milton had a powerful voice, like the sound of the sea, and that he was
as pure and majestic as the open skies. Despite his greatness, he lived a life
grounded in religious faith and moral strength.
Lines
12–14:
Though
Milton was lofty in spirit, he still performed the simplest and humblest duties
of life with devotion. His combination of greatness and humility is presented
as the ideal that the current age has lost and desperately needs.
Line-by-line
Paraphrase
Line
1:
Milton!
thou shouldst be living at this hour:
Paraphrase:
Milton,
you ought to be alive right now.
Line
2:
England
hath need of thee: she is a fen
Paraphrase:
England
really needs you; the country is like a swamp.
Line
3:
Of
stagnant waters: altar, sword, and pen,
Paraphrase:
It
is full of still, lifeless water—religion, the military, and literature—
Line
4:
Fireside,
the heroic wealth of hall and bower,
Paraphrase:
Even
home life and the noble spirit of mansions and private rooms—
Line
5:
Have
forfeited their ancient English dower
Paraphrase:
Have
lost their traditional English qualities and strengths.
Line
6:
Of
inward happiness. We are selfish men;
Paraphrase:
They
no longer bring inner joy. We have become selfish people.
Line
7:
Oh!
raise us up, return to us again;
Paraphrase:
Please
lift us up and come back to us in spirit.
Line
8:
And
give us manners, virtue, freedom, power.
Paraphrase:
Help
us recover good behavior, moral values, liberty, and strength.
Line
9:
Thy
soul was like a Star, and dwelt apart:
Paraphrase:
Your
soul was like a star—bright and distant, living above ordinary things.
Line
10:
Thou
hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea:
Paraphrase:
You
had a powerful voice that echoed like the vast and mighty sea.
Line
11:
Pure
as the naked heavens, majestic, free,
Paraphrase:
You
were as pure, grand, and free as the open sky.
Line
12:
So
didst thou travel on life’s common way,
Paraphrase:
Yet
you still walked through ordinary life like everyone else,
Line
13:
In
cheerful godliness; and yet thy heart
Paraphrase:
With
a joyful spirit devoted to God; and still your heart
Line
14:
The
lowliest duties on herself did lay.
Paraphrase:
Gladly
took on the humblest tasks and responsibilities.
Analysis
in Detail
A
Cry for Moral Renewal in Wordsworth’s “London, 1802”
William
Wordsworth’s “London, 1802” is a powerful sonnet that blends poetic lament with
a passionate appeal for national renewal. Written during a period of deep
political and cultural uncertainty in early 19th-century England, the poem
addresses the moral stagnation of the time and seeks inspiration in the memory
of the 17th-century poet, John Milton. Through vivid imagery and classical
form, Wordsworth presents Milton not just as a literary icon but as a symbol of
the moral and spiritual greatness that England has lost—and must regain.
The
poem opens with an apostrophe to Milton, urgently declaring that he should be
alive in this present hour. The tone is one of desperation and longing.
England, the poet claims, “hath need of thee,” for it has become “a fen of
stagnant waters.” This metaphor powerfully conveys a nation that has become
morally and spiritually lifeless. All the noble elements of English
society—religion (the altar), national defense and honor (the sword),
literature and intellect (the pen), as well as home life and aristocratic
traditions—have lost their vitality and purpose. Wordsworth asserts that these
once-heroic aspects of England have “forfeited their ancient English dower of
inward happiness.” In short, the people have become selfish and unprincipled.
This
cultural critique forms the octave of the Petrarchan sonnet, which
traditionally introduces a problem. The sestet that follows turns to the
solution, which lies in the character and legacy of Milton. Wordsworth
describes Milton’s soul as “like a Star,” evoking both purity and
distance—untouched by the corruption of the world. His voice was as deep and
powerful as the sea, majestic and free like the “naked heavens.” These
metaphors elevate Milton to almost divine status, portraying him as a moral light
in a dark age.
However,
Milton is not just celebrated for his grandeur. Wordsworth also praises him for
his humility. Despite his greatness, Milton walked “life’s common way” with
“cheerful godliness,” embracing even the lowliest duties with devotion. This
balance—spiritual elevation with earthly responsibility—is at the heart of what
Wordsworth sees as missing in contemporary England. Milton is the ideal: a
figure who combined freedom, virtue, and public spirit with humility and faith.
The
sonnet structure helps reinforce the urgency and resolution of the poem. The
contrast between the decaying present and the pure past is sharply defined
between the octave and sestet. Wordsworth’s language is elevated and filled
with classical imagery—stars, seas, skies—that amplify the spiritual weight of
his message. The diction reflects both his reverence for Milton and his deep
disappointment with his own generation.
Historically,
the poem was written during a time when England was grappling with the
aftermath of the French Revolution, rising industrialization, and social
upheaval. Wordsworth, who had once embraced revolutionary ideas, had grown
disillusioned with political solutions and turned inward, seeking moral and
spiritual reform. “London, 1802” reflects this shift: it does not call for
political change but for a revival of values—manners, virtue, freedom, and
moral power—grounded in the nation's own past.
In
conclusion, “London, 1802” is a profound poetic appeal for national
reawakening. It mourns the decline of English virtue and yearns for a return to
the ideals embodied by John Milton. Wordsworth’s voice is at once sorrowful and
hopeful—condemning what England has become while holding up a vision of what it
could be again. The poem stands as both a critique of the present and a tribute
to a noble past, making it a timeless call for integrity, humility, and moral
strength in public life.
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