excerpt from the prelude - william wordsworth

Question 1

“The cottage windows through the twilight blaz’d”

Answer 1

shows the beauty of the sunset.

• Image of warmth contrast with the “frosty season”.
• Verb “blaz’d” suggests the place brings a comfort for him.
• Warmth reflects Wordsworth’s warm feelings when he reflects back on his childhood.

Question 2

“I heeded not the summons: - happy time”

“a time of rapture.”

Answer 2

Heard the town clock rang, signalling it is time for home.

• Noun “rapture” suggests the excitement and he is enjoying himself with his friends, showing innocence.
• A sense of freedom from responsibility.

Question 3

“Proud and exulting, like an untir’d horse.”

Answer 3

shows an exhilaration, a childhood youth.

• Smilie gives the ideas the boys are untamed and like wild at heart and free from the burdens of being an adult.
• Comparison to nature “horse” showing he is one with nature and, smilier to a horse, he is full of energy and strength.

Question 4

“We hiss’d along the polish’d ice.”

Answer 4

showing the movement of the children on frozen river, and is currently ice skating.

• Verbs “hiss’d” and “polish’d” shows the speed and sound the boys are creating, and it shows they are very skilful at ice skating which could mean they does it every year, which polish their skills.
• Also enjoying what nature has provided for them.

Question 5

“The pack loud bellowing, and the hunted hare.”

Answer 5

comparing their game of tag to the hunting of preys.

• Metaphor comparing the boys games of chase to wolf hunting for their prey once again shows how the children are one with nature.
• Wordsworth might have done this as it is also a recognisable pass time in the countryside.
• Verb “bellowing” shows how the boys are thoroughly enjoying their game by letting out screams of enjoyment.

Question 6

“in the tumult sent an alien sound of melancholy, not unnoticed.”

Answer 6

showing the effect of their sound on nature

• Adjective “alien” shows the nature’s echo of the boy’s enjoyment is distorted by nature but also unrecognisable and is noticed by William Wordsworth as this is precious time of his childhood.
• Ideal of melancholy introduces a sad and nostalgic tone perhaps because these are happier days of innocence where life was much simpler and William Wordsworth longs for.

Question 7

“The orange sky of evening died away.”

Answer 7

the sun has finally set.

• Metaphor suggests his reflection has ended, similarly to his childhood.
• His poems are published after his death in 1850.
  Symbolising his death (possibly) and linking to his mother’s death (possibly)

Question 8

CONTEXT

Answer 8

• Born on the Lake District which hugely influences his writing.
• This is an excerpt from the first fourteen that makes up his poem and book is entitled “Introduction - Childhood and School-Time” which relays his experiences as a boy.
• He found great solace and inspiration from immersing himself in nature.
• Autobiographical poems of his childhood.
• Together with Samuel Taylor Coleridge published a book titled “Lyrical Ballads” which marks the start of the Romantic Era.
• Mother died when he was only 7 years old and by age 13, he found himself orphaned.
• At the end of the excerpt of the prelude, symbolising his death (possibly) and linking to his mother’s death (possibly) as his poems are published after his death in 1850.