from Book VII of The Prelude

John Calderon - Section 1G


Background Info:
Composed in 1791 during William Wordsworth's 3 month stay in London. The piece reflects his distaste for the drone-like society that overtook London at this time.

Key Ideas:
Anonymity
"The face of every one/That passes by me is a mystery!" - Wordsworth views the sea of humanity, which he refers to as a "huge fermenting Mass", as disgusting and disillusioning. The loss of individuality frightens him and taints his view of London as sterile and cold.
Desperate Quest For Individuality
"I was smitten/Abruptly with the view...Of a blind Beggar" - The blind beggar, despite his disability, stakes his claim as a human being rather than a drone like the rest of the masses by thrusting his personal story upon everyone who passes ("upon his chest/Wearing a written paper to explain/His Story, whence he came, and who he was.")
Spectacle & Debauchery As Unifying Agents
"All out-o'th'way, far-fetched, perverted things/All freaks of Nature" - The scene at Bartholomew Fair, which relies heavily on carnival sideshows to gain the attention of the drones of London, brings them together, but in a debauched way.

Recurring Imagery:
Descriptions of wretching and other "sickness"-related wording to describe the mass of people in London. Ex: "fermenting Mass of human-kind"; "Barbarian and infernal"; "one vast mill/Are vomiting, receiving, on all sides"


Overall Thoughts:
Wordsworth was disillusioned with the analogous nature of society in late 18th century London, which played down uniqueness except when holding it up for mocking (i.e., freak shows at Bartholemew Fair). However, the piece ends with Wordsworth citing that London's good must always been considered with its bad ("By nature an unmanageable sight/It is not wholly so to him who looks/In steadiness.../sees the parts/As parts, but with a feeling of the whole").