To discuss how William Wordsworth’s use of structure helps convey the theme of “London, 1802,” try to identify the main theme first. The primary theme appears to be related to decay and sluggishness. England is not what it used to be. The country's manners, freedoms, virtues, and general powers have been compromised by a cascade of “selfish men.”

The theme of spiritual and moral decline is reinforced by the first word of the poem—“Milton!” The speaker is calling upon John Milton. Milton was a famous seventeenth-century English poet whose works included the epic Christian poem Paradise Lost. Milton believed that he had the grace and the inner light to speak on behalf of God and interpret His ways for the rest of humankind. Apparently, the speaker in Wordsworth’s poem agrees.

The structure of Wordsworth's poem reflects the shortage of light and grace in 1802 London. The longish lines and the omission of stanza breaks give the poem a crowded, packed feel. It’s as if the poem was built to prevent light and grace from entering.

The dense, thick structure could also reflect the traits of the “selfish men.” The dearth of their freedom is mirrored in the form's absence of freedom. With the form, there’s no room for the words to go. With the content, the poem's speaker seems to express their belief that the “stagnant” men lack the liberty to go anywhere worthwhile.