Samuel Johnson London.... Summary

    

Samuel Johnson London.... Summary

The popular poem "London' was composed by Samuel Johnson in 1738. It is a poem of 263 lines. it has twenty-seven stanzas. It was published anonymously in 1738. This poem got an appreciation of the great poet Alexander Pope. It is written in heroic couplet. This poem was based on Juvenal's Third Satire'. Juvenal wrote many satirical poems in the early 2nd century A.D. Johnson was a great lover of Roman poets and Augustan poets. This poem is an imitation of Juvenal's Third Satires. As Juvenal describes Umbricius leaving Rome to escape from the problems of the city. Like that Johnson also describes Thales's journey to Wales in order to escape from the problems of London.
Thus Samuel Johnson describes the social problems of London during his time. He describes the problems of London city like crime, and corruption. The condition of the poor was also very bad at that time. Here the poet describes a man who is disturbed with the problems of the city London. He wants to leave London for solitude and peace. 

Analysis: The poem London

The poem London starts with the description of a man named Thales. He wants to go to Wales in order to escape from the problem of London city. Therefore he is standing on the banks of the river the Thames and waiting for the boat to take him to Wales. The Thames is a river that flows through London. Thus Thales is ready for leave to some rural place in wales to get peace and solitude. 
Here the narrator expresses his view of the problems of London. The name of the narrator is not mentioned here. The narrator also came to give farewell to his friend Thales who is going to Wales to escape from the dangers of the city London. The poet shows here the bad condition of London through this poem. He points out the vices of the city London like selfishness, greed, violence, murder and the scene of bloodshed. He wants to give a message to the readers about the vices of the city. This poem also has a political point of view of his time. 
The narrator was both happy and sad for his friend. The narrator praises his friend as a hermit but he is also sad because his close friend is going away from him. He says that his friend is now going far from the problems of the city and he will get peace and solitude there. Now he can live his life with purity in Wales. He further says that now he will live in Cambria forever. Cambria is named for wales here. That place is full of peace and solitude. He says that one more British also going to settle there in the place near S.t David who also left Hibernia's land for peace. There nobody is thrown away by the sudden fate. But hunger can torture them as they grow old. 
But here is spread hatred, robbery, accidents, conspiracy in the country. Here the scenes of angry crowd and sufferings are common now. People have changed in an angry crowd. They are merciless. Young people have become now a villain and rogue. and representatives also have become corrupted. They do not protect people from robbery and other problems. There is a state of anarchy in the country.
When Thales was waiting for the Wherry on the bank of the Thames who had some remaining things with her, that time it was seeming as Greenwich is smiling upon the silver flood. Here poet indicates the birth of Elizabeth, the queen of Britain. the poet says that with the birth of Elizabeth a new hope arose in his heart as his dream had come true and a blissful Age was about to start. 
The poet describes the problems of London in this poem. He says that people have become selfish and bad persons were rewarded while virtuous people were punished. Laziness was rewarded while hard work was not appreciated. Still, the poet has hope for a new world of peace but sometimes he becomes disappointed to see these types of problems in the country. He wants to find a good place to live where honesty is rewarded in place of corruption. The poet says that he is searching for a place where the poor are not tortured. There is everywhere the scenes of murder, robbery and hustle. So he is very disappointed to see it all. Therefore his friend wants to go to Wales for peace.

you may also read.....
Share: