Excerpt from the Prelude

Question 1

title

Answer 1

a prelude is a type of introduction - could relate to the theme of time as the title could allude to ideas of youthfulness and innocence.

Question 2

lines 1 - 4

Answer 2

Wordsworth creates contrast between ‘frosty’ and ‘blaz’d’ which suggests that nature and the domestic are incompatible. This could relate to how Wordsworth felt severely unhappy at his grandparent’s house but found immense happiness out and about in nature.

the phrase ‘I heeded not the summons’ presents the first-person persona as rebellious as they do not ‘heed’ to their parents or guardians calling for them to come home. This further exposes his youthful enthusiasm and excitement which contrasts the eloquent tone (which is representative of domestic life) created by the word ‘summons’.
This also implies his negative relationship with the domestic life following his mother death.

Question 3

lines 5 - 8

Answer 3

the frequent use of Caesare ‘;’ / ‘:’ in lines 4 - 7 means that the rhythm of each line is halted mid-flow. This could represent the personas passion and excitement for nature or maybe the breathlessness they had as they played in their childhood.

Wordsworth compares himself to an untired horse with the simile ‘like an untir’d horse’ which implies his youthful energy and his love for nature. The comparison with a ‘horse’ also helps exaggerate his interest in nature while simultaneously suggesting that he feels like he is a part of it.

Question 4

lines 9 - 14

Answer 4

the use of sibilance in the phrases ‘shod with steel’ / ‘polish’d ice’ reflects the sound of ice-skating. Wordsworth was known to love ice skating, so this use of sibilants could express Wordsworth emotions for ice skating.

the games that the children are playing are compared to hunting as there is a ‘chace’ / ‘horn’ / ‘pack’.
Suggesting that they are wild and energetic as hunting is loud, manic and intrinsically rooted in nature. This again implies that Wordsworth feels like a part of nature.

Question 5

lines 15 - 19

Answer 5

The phrase ‘meanwhile’ is a volta and it signals a shift from people to nature setting nature apart from humans.
This change is further exaggerated through the use of sibilance of ‘precipices’ and ‘leafless’ (which has connotations of death ) which reflects how nature is echoing the children’s sounds back creating a sinister tone.

‘Alien sound’ suggests strangeness and unfamiliarity implying that Wordsworth no longer feels comfortable in nature signalling a massive change from the start of the poem. The word ‘alien’ further emphasises how the sound of nature contrasts with the noise of happy children.

Question 6

lines 20 - 23

Answer 6

Wordsworth again uses enjambment towards the end of the poem to make the phrase ‘of melancholy’ stand out to emphasize how this feeling of deep thoughtful sadness stands out to Wordsworth.

This idea of melancholy is added to by the use of caesura in the final three lines of the poem which break up and slow down the pair’s rhythm making it seem more pensive.

‘the orange sky of evening died away’ could represent a loss of innocence as the poems persona is shocked out of their youthful naivety. However it could simultaneously represent the death of Wordsworth’s mother which caused him to move in with his grandparents.

Question 7

summary

Answer 7

lines 1 - 4:
* frosty’ and ‘blaz’d’
* ‘I heeded not the summons’

lines 5 - 8:
* Caesare ; :
* ‘like an untir’d horse’

lines 9 - 14:
* sibilance - ‘shod with steel’ / ‘polish’d ice’
* ‘chace’ / ‘horn’ / ‘pack’

lines 15 - 19:
* ‘meanwhile’
* sibilance of ‘precipices’ and ‘leafless’
* ‘Alien sound’

lines 20 - 23:
* enjambment - ‘of melancholy’
* caesura in the final three lines
* ‘the orange sky of evening died away’