pride are now weak People care only about themselves not the greater good Wordsworth directly addresses John Milton the th-century English poet Wordsworth believes Milton represents everything England has lost Milton was humble religious and dedicated to freedom Wordsworth believes England needs these qualities to regain her former glory Wordsworth praises Milton s character He compares Milton to a bright star and a powerful voice Thy soul was like a Star Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea These images show Milton s purity and power Milton s qualities could guide England out of its moral decay In the final part of the poem Wordsworth emphasizes that Milton lived a simple life dedicated to his beliefs and duties He writes So didst thou travel on life's common way In contrast the people of England are lost in their selfishness They do not see the value of living morally Wordsworth wants people to look to the past for inspiration He hopes that if people follow Milton s example England can become strong again Natural Images and Symbols John Milton the th-century poet is not just a person in this poem he is a symbol of everything Wordsworth thinks England has lost Milton represents morality freedom humility and religious devotion Wordsworth uses him like a mirror to show how selfish and lazy th-century England has become Milton also symbolizes hope Wordsworth believes if people follow Milton s example England can become strong again Nature is a key symbol in Romantic poetry Wordsworth uses nature in this poem to show the difference between Milton s goodness and England s decay He compares Milton to natural images He compares Milton s soul to a star which is pure and bright Milton s voice is like the sea strong and eternal On the other hand Wordsworth calls England a fen Of stagnant waters A fen is a dirty smelly swamp where nothing grows This symbolizes how England s morals and culture have become stuck and rotten Structure Meter Rhyme Scheme The poem is structured as a Petrarchan sonnet which consists of lines divided into two parts the octave and the sestet The first eight lines octave describe England s problems The last six lines sestet praise Milton and explain how he can save the country The rhyme scheme follows the traditional ABBAABBA for the octave and CDECDE for the sestet The poem is written in iambic pentameter The language of the poem is straightforward The language conveys deep emotional weight In conclusion London is a powerful poem about loss and hope Wordsworth uses strong imagery and emotion to show his love for England and his fear for its future By remembering Milton he reminds us that greatness comes from character not power or money The poem s message is timeless society decays when it abandons its values However it can heal by realizing the true importance of essential values and acting accordingly