1) ‘Earth has not anything to show more fair.’ – What prompts the poet to say so? [5] [Annual Exam. = 2017]
Or. ‘Ne’er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!’ – What prompts the poet to say so? [Annual Exam. = 2016]
Ans. The majestic sight of the city of London in the early morning prompts the poet to say the words. When the poet was passing through Westminster Bridge, he was highly impressed by the divine beauty of the great city. The city is in a state of sleep. There are no activities of man and no noise of vehicles. In the smokeless air, everything like the ships, towers, domes, theatres and temples looks bright and glittering. The poet feels a profound calmness that he never experienced before. The city is steeped in the radiance of the sun. The Thames flows freely and smoothly of its own sweet will. This abrupt transformation of the crowded city into a dreamland prompts the poet to such utterance.
2) ‘A sight so touching in its majesty.’ – What is the sight referred to here? What does the poet feel about the sight? Who would be dull of soul and why? [1+1+3 = 5] [Annual Exam. = 2019]
Ans. The marvellous sight of the great city of London in the early morning observed from Westminster Bridge is referred to here.
The poet feels that the sight is so beautiful that it cannot be compared to anything.
The poet was highly impressed with the view of the glorious morning. He feels it can allure everyone. No man can move without enjoying and appreciating the charming sight. If a person would pass by ignoring the beauty, he would be considered a dull soul or a person with aesthetic insensibility.
3) ‘Dull would he be of soul….’ – Who says this and where? Who prompts the poet to say this? What does the poet want to convey here? [2+1+2 = 5] [Annual Exam. = 2020]
Ans. William Wordsworth says this in the sonnet ‘Upon Westminster Bridge’.
The marvellous sight viewed from the Westminster Bridge in the early morning prompts the poet to say this.
The poet wants to convey that if anyone would pass by without enjoying the beauty of the glorious morning, he would be regarded as a dull soul or a person with aesthetic insensibility.
4) “The beauty of the morning; silent, bare” – What beauty does the poet refer to? Why is the beauty called ‘silent, bare’? [2+3 = 5] [Annual Exam. = 2022]
Ans. The poet refers to the morning beauty of the city of London observed from Westminster Bridge. The city seems to wear a garment steeped in the glittering sun.
The beauty of the morning is silent because it is the time of the early morning. The city is in a state of sleep and so, it is free from noise and activities. It is bare because there is nothing to obstruct the poet’s vision due to smokeless air. Everything is clear and glittering.
5) How does the poet look upon the sun in ‘Upon Westminster Bridge’? What is so deep and why? [2+1+2 = 5] [Annual Exam. = 2018]
Ans. The brilliant rays of the sun in the early morning bathe all objects of nature. It makes everything bright and glittering. The poet feels that the sun has never shone so beautifully on the valley, rock or hill.
The calmness is so deep.
The calmness is so deep because it is the time of the early morning. The great city of London which is usually noisy during day time is lying still. That is why calmness is felt profoundly.
6) ‘A sight so touching in its majesty.’ – What is the sight referred to here? How does the poet describe the sight? [1+4 = 5] [Annual Exam. = 2015]
Ans. The sight referred to here is the beautiful scene of London city viewed from Westminster Bridge in the early morning.
The beauty of the morning is described as silent and bare. It covers the city like a garment. The ships, towers, domes, theatres and temples look bright and glittering in the smokeless air. Bathed in the brilliant rays of the sun, the landscapes like the valley, rock and hill look extremely beautiful. The Thames generally obstructed by congestion during daytime is now flowing freely and smoothly of its own sweet will. The houses of the great city seem to be asleep.
7)Describe after Wordsworth, the city of London as given in the poem, ‘Upon Westminster Bright’.? [5] [Annual Exam. = 2014]
Ans. William Wordsworth presented a great panoramic view of the city of London in the morning in his sonnet ‘Upon Westminster Bridge’. The beauty of the morning covers the city like a garment. All the landmarks of the London city like the Westminster Bridge, The towers of London, the domes of St. Pauls, ships, theatres and temples have been described with great charm. Everything looks bright and glittering in the smokeless air. The sun steeps the whole city with its first rays. The river Thames flows gently of its own sweet will. All the houses seem to be asleep and the mighty city is still sleeping.
8)What is personification? How has Wordsworth employed this figure of speech in the poem? [2+3 = 5] [Annual Exam. = 2022]
Ans. Personification is a figure of speech in which an inanimate object or an abstract concept is spoken of as though it were offered with life or with human feelings.
In the sonnet, the poet William Wordsworth employed this figure of speech by personifying the city of London, the river Thames and the houses. Like a living being, the London city wears the garment of the morning beauty, the river Thames is gliding of its own sweet will and the houses seem sleeping.
Read more about: ‘Upon Westminster Bridge’ by William Wordsworth – Questions and Answers(S.A.Q.), class 11, WBCHSE