Text of "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.
Line-by-Line Analysis
Line 1:
• "Milton! thou shouldst be living at this hour:"
o The poem opens with an apostrophe, a direct address to John Milton, a revered
English poet who lived during the 17th century. Wordsworth suggests that
Milton is needed in the present time (1802) to restore England to its former
glory.
Line 2:
• "England hath need of thee: she is a fen"
o Wordsworth personifies England as being in a state of decay. He uses the
word "fen," a marsh or swamp, to represent the stagnant, corrupt condition of
the country.
Line 3:
• "Of stagnant waters: altar, sword, and pen,"
o The stagnant water symbolizes moral and spiritual decline. The “altar”
(religion), the “sword” (military power), and the “pen” (intellectual and
cultural life) are all institutions that have fallen into decay and no longer serve
the noble purposes they once did.
Line 4:
• "Fireside, the heroic wealth of hall and bower,"
o Wordsworth adds "fireside" (home life), "hall" (great estates), and "bower"
(places of refuge and rest) to the list of things that have lost their "heroic
wealth"—their former honor, dignity, and purpose.
Line 5:
• "Have forfeited their ancient English dower"
o These institutions and traditions have lost their “dower” or inheritance, which
includes values like happiness, integrity, and virtue that were once associated
with England.
Line 6:
• "Of inward happiness. We are selfish men;"
o Wordsworth attributes the loss of this inheritance to the selfishness of the
people. He implies that selfishness is the root cause of England's moral and
spiritual decline.
Line 7:
• "Oh! raise us up, return to us again;"
o Here, Wordsworth pleads for Milton’s spirit to return and inspire the people to
rise above their selfishness and moral decay. He yearns for a revival of noble
values.
Line 8:
• "And give us manners, virtue, freedom, power."
o Wordsworth lists the qualities that Milton embodied and that he hopes
England can regain: good manners (courtesy and respect), virtue (moral
integrity), freedom (liberty and self-governance), and power (moral and
intellectual authority).
Line 9:
• "Thy soul was like a Star, and dwelt apart:"
o Wordsworth compares Milton’s soul to a star, symbolizing his purity and
elevation above worldly concerns. The phrase "dwelt apart" suggests that
Milton’s moral and intellectual standing was superior and independent from
the corruption of society.
Line 10:
• "Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea:"
o Milton's voice is compared to the sea, emphasizing its power, depth, and
vastness. This simile also suggests that his influence was profound and far-
reaching.
Line 11:
• "Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free,"
o Wordsworth continues to praise Milton’s qualities, describing him as "pure"
and "majestic," like the "naked heavens" (the open sky). The phrase "majestic,
free" reinforces the idea that Milton’s greatness lay in his moral purity and
intellectual freedom.
Line 12:
• "So didst thou travel on life’s common way,"
o Despite his greatness, Milton led a humble, ordinary life. Wordsworth admires
how Milton combined his elevated moral standing with the ability to navigate
the everyday struggles of life.
Line 13:
• "In cheerful godliness; and yet thy heart"
o Milton lived a life of "cheerful godliness," meaning he was both pious and
joyful. Wordsworth admires the balance Milton struck between his spiritual
devotion and his contentment with life.
Line 14:
• "The lowliest duties on herself did lay."
o Despite his greatness, Milton took on "lowly duties" and remained humble.
Wordsworth reveres Milton for not only his extraordinary talents and virtues
but also for his humility and sense of duty to even the smallest tasks.
Summary
In "London, 1802," William Wordsworth laments the moral and cultural decline of England
and calls for the spirit of John Milton to return and guide the nation back to greatness. He
lists several societal institutions—religion, military, intellectual life, home life—that have
lost their former virtues and fallen into stagnation. Wordsworth praises Milton for his purity,
moral authority, and humility, qualities that he believes England needs to recover.
Themes
1. Moral Decline and Stagnation: Wordsworth portrays England as a nation in decay,
characterized by selfishness and the loss of its former virtues. This moral stagnation is
symbolized by the image of a "fen of stagnant waters."
2. Admiration for Milton: The poem expresses deep admiration for John Milton, whom
Wordsworth sees as embodying the virtues England has lost—moral integrity,
intellectual power, and humility.
3. The Power of the Individual: Wordsworth suggests that one individual, like Milton,
has the ability to inspire a nation to recover its moral compass and reclaim its
greatness.
4. Restoration of Virtue: The poem calls for the restoration of important virtues—
manners, virtue, freedom, and power—that have been lost in England’s decline.
Diction
Wordsworth’s diction is formal and elevated, appropriate for addressing a figure like Milton.
He uses words like "fen," "stagnant," "dower," and "godliness" to create a sense of moral and
cultural seriousness. The contrast between words like "selfish" (which describes England)
and "majestic" or "pure" (which describe Milton) emphasizes the gap between what England
is and what it could be.
Tone
The tone of the poem is both lamenting and reverent. Wordsworth laments the moral decay of
England, but he is reverent toward Milton, whom he holds up as an example of the virtues
England needs to rediscover. There is also a tone of urgency in his call for Milton to "return"
and restore England to its former greatness.
Structure
The poem is a Petrarchan sonnet, consisting of 14 lines divided into an octave (the first 8
lines) and a sestet (the last 6 lines). The octave presents the problem: England’s moral decay
and the need for Milton. The sestet focuses on Milton’s qualities and why his presence is
needed to restore England. The rhyme scheme is ABBAABBA in the octave and CDCDCD
in the sestet. This tight structure reflects the controlled and thoughtful nature of
Wordsworth’s plea.
Mood
The mood of the poem is somber and reflective, as Wordsworth contemplates the fallen state
of his country. However, there is also a sense of hope, as Wordsworth believes that Milton’s
spirit could revive the nation’s lost virtues.
Figures of Speech
1. Apostrophe:
o The poem begins with an apostrophe, directly addressing Milton as though he
were alive and could hear Wordsworth’s plea.
2. Metaphor:
o "She is a fen / Of stagnant waters" (Lines 2-3): The metaphor of England as a
"fen" represents the country’s moral stagnation and decay.
3. Simile:
o"Thy soul was like a Star" (Line 9): Milton’s soul is compared to a star,
symbolizing its purity and distance from earthly corruption.
o "Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea" (Line 10): Milton’s voice
is compared to the sea, suggesting its power, depth, and majesty.
4. Personification:
o Wordsworth personifies England as a figure in need of restoration, suggesting
that the country itself is suffering from a loss of virtue.
Conclusion
"London, 1802" is a lament for the moral decline of England and a plea for the return of John
Milton’s virtues to restore the nation to its former glory. Through its formal structure,
reverent tone, and powerful use of metaphor, the poem emphasizes the importance of moral
integrity, intellectual power, and humility—qualities that Wordsworth believes are necessary
for the regeneration of England.
