Compare and Contrast the works Of Ronald Stewart Thomas and William Wordsworth

Ronald Stewart Thomas and William Wordsworth are the two poets mentioned in the title. Even though both wrote on corresponding topics of people and landscape, the two poets approach their writing with a much different mentality. RS Thomas takes a more realistic and down to earth view. His poems are often cut straight to the point, whereas William Wordsworth uses romance and exaggerated beauty. His poems focus on the positive side of life. He is also a very patriotic man and in many of his poems you can witness this. RS Thomas is a practical man. Probably because of the way Thomas lived and the different period in which he wrote. RS Thomas is more representative of the 20th century whereas William Wordsworth is representative of the 18th and 19th centuries. William Wordsworth was born on April 7, 1770, in Cockermouth, Cumberland, and educated at St John's College, Cambridge University. He developed a keen love of nature as a youth, and during school holidays he frequently visited places prominent for their scenic beauty. The love of such things may have led him to become one of the most influential romantic poets'. RS Thomas was a vicar, rector of Manafon. He was separated from the world in a parish near Newton in Wales. Much of his work is set in Wales, his birthplace. It was here were Thomas found most of his peasants' tough, oppressive, narrow men. RS Thomas hardened, and his mode of thought reflected into his poetry. The first poems I am going to compare are â€Å"Westminster Bridge† by William Wordsworth and â€Å"A day in autumn† by RS Thomas. In the first poem â€Å"Westminster Bridge† you can tell from the first line that Wordsworth was a romanticist. â€Å"Earth has not any thing to show more fair:† He is saying that this is the most radiant and beautiful place on the earth. He finds so much passion in the sight that he goes as far to insult a person that could walk past such a noteworthy scene with out admiring it. † Dull would be of soul who could pass by.† In the poem he expresses a feeling of gratitude and exuberance. He makes you feel this with the words he uses for example, â€Å"fair, majesty, beauty, bright, splendour, calm and sweet.† All these point to the romanticist that he is. The main impression the poem conveys is that one of peace, stillness and admiration. â€Å"The river glideth at his own sweet will.† The way he talks of the sun waking up over the city and the river just gives you a sense of time and tranquillity. It just slows the whole poem down and then brings it to a stop. There is a rhyming scheme employed within this poem. It goes: a, b, b, a, a, b, b, a, c, d, c, d. It suits the poems theme as the repeated rhyming with the breaks give a sustained effect. The sudden change into the new c, d, c, d scheme is like the feeling of the first light. â€Å"Never did the sun more beautifully steep.† It does suit the theme of the poem. At the end Wordsworth says†¦ † And all that the mighty heart is lying still!† The heart is what I am referring to. The last part is like a heart beat, as he Rhymes it one after the other. The rhythm is the finally explained at the end (the quote above). William Wordsworth uses many styles of imagery to paint the representation of London in our minds. In the line†¦ â€Å"The city now doth like a garment Wear, the beauty of the morning.† Wordsworth uses the simile to pretend the city is wearing the morning. He is saying that when he sees it, it suits it. It looks good. This is also a form of personification wearing is something a human does. He referred to the sun with his; he is therefore showing respect. He also mentioned the river as a ‘his'; using personification brings it to life and making it more intense. â€Å"In his first splendour† And â€Å"The river glideth at his Own sweet will.† He is so struck by the sight he exclaims â€Å"Dear God! † Then he uses another piece of personification to make the calmness more obvious. The river flowing slowly and the houses are being asleep. He then uses a metaphor on the last line. † And all that the mighty heart Is lying still.† This is a significant piece of imagery brought out with this metaphor. The heart is one of the most important organs in the body. It supplies the rest of the body with blood and keeps us alive. In the same way London, England is the compared to the heart as it ‘pulses' sending the economy and exports in terms of finance to the rest of the world. If this, the main part was to stop then so would the world. That is how patriotic and nationalistic he is. The effects of imagery that he used have all been employed effectively to give the poem its picturesque beauty, which seems to last forever and shows no evidence of ever coming to an end unlike RS Thomas's poem. The next poem is a Day in autumn by RS Thomas. As soon as you read the first line the mood is set. Right there, and right to the point. â€Å"It will not always be like this.† It states a theme of something not lasting forever. The example in the poem is that the magnificence of autumn being replaced by the asperity and harshness of winter. A message that you should not take anything for granted, that you must cherish it while it is there. † Let the mind take its photograph† The emotion that I sense from the poem is anxiety, still enjoying it while its there but then being worried of its end. â€Å"Of the bright scene, something to wear Against the heart in the long cold.† Thomas does not use any of the poetic effects apart from personification where he says â€Å"To the trees' shoulders.† This has been applied well making the tree and its elegance stronger, and making the gold and such points of autumn's beauty alive. These are the landscape poems and you can see the difference of styles used. These differences will be concluded at the end. The next poems are on the subject of people. William Wordsworth called this poem â€Å"The solitary reaper,† He has put across an image of a young girl singing and working in some open fields. This at once does feel like a merry and joyous time. Even though the work is strenuous, she's still singing. â€Å"Reaping and singing by herself:† And † And sings a melancholy strain.† The atmosphere we get from the poem is one of peace and serenity. If in such a big valley the sound can be heard how silent must it be? Very quiet. That is what gives that tranquil affect. † O Listen! For the vale profound Is overflowing with the sound.† The tune is welcome to anyone. The travellers that come, nothing will break her peace even the birds. â€Å"More welcome notes to weary bands Of travellers in some shady haunt,† The song she sings means so much to him that he keeps it in his heart so it lasts forever even though he doesn't hear it again. â€Å"The music in my heart I bore Long after it was heard no more.† The poem has not been structured with the use if the imagery effects but the diction of the poet gives you the clear under standing of the poem. When reading between the lines you see that doing your work happily and carefree creates an easy to work-in atmosphere. The next poem is â€Å"Tramp† by RS Thomas. The title is all ready enough to tell you that this is a morose and sad poem. It creates an atmosphere of tension, whether you help him or don't. The anxiety of his whereabouts. You also can feel sympathy for the tramp. He is ashamed to look into the face of those he begs from. â€Å"He looks at his feet, I look at the sky.† For the person he is begging from the sky ids the limit. He can move along with the new technologies. He can learn more things and become part of the civilising. But the tramp†¦he has nothing. â€Å"Over us the planes build The shining rafters Of that New World.† But then at night you sleep in your bed and you can be afraid of losing what you have. But the tramp he can dream peacefully. He has nothing to lose. â€Å"My dreams are haunted Are his dreams rich?† He uses personification when he says the planes ‘build'. Also there is some alliteration when he says, † On his way-where?† This makes the question stick out in your mind, you just think ‘way-where?' Where is the tramp to go, what can he do with his life? The poet questions you. This makes the poem more deep and intense. In the end you can certainly tell the difference in character and reasoning these men have. Wordsworth, tee more airy and dreamy poet for Thomas however quite the contrast with his level headed and solemn approach.