Extract From ; The Prelude Flashcards
FORM
Wordsworth uses BLANK VERSE; lines do not follow a specific rhyme scheme but are structured with iambic pentameter.
The IAMBIC PENTAMETER reflects the form of natural speech, further reinforcing the idea of self-reflection and the poet’s inner monologue.
STRUCTURE
The poem is written as a SINGLE STANZA with the intention of making the reader feel breathless and overwhelmed by the intensity of the poem; this reflects how Wordsworth felt overwhelmed by the immensity of nature.
Wordsworth was heavily influenced by Milton’s Paradise Lost ( represents the biblical fall of man )
Wordsworth’s epic poem contemplates the fall of man in comparison to nature.
CYCLICAL STRUCTURE is used to emphasised the psychological and internal change that takes place during the journey.
ENJAMBMENT is used to make the poem feel like a stream of consciousness.
CONTEXT
The speaker can be assumed to be a FICTIONALISED version of Wordsworth himself - first person narration + past tense; speaker is recalling past events.
Wordsworth grew up in the LAKE DISTRICT. A tone of realism is injected into the poem - speaker goes on a journey reflecting that it reflects metaphorically to the inner journey the speaker experiences.
Wordsworth was a romantic poet and was in favour of resisting the growth in industry ( opposed industrialisation and scientific exploration )
“One summer evening (led by her)”
-Exposition; writer establishes setting/character, depicting nature is tranquil and pure, it is without challenge. Wordsworth believed that mankind would destroy all of the natural world inevitably.
The starting is quite childlike/like a fairytale - fairytales always have a villain ( MAN )
-noun ‘evening’ suggests that the darkness is approaching ; the sun connotes positivity, yet positivity is fading and danger will replace it. This creates apprehension for the reader.
-Use of brackets foreshadow that nature will always be in control over man ; man is presented to be naïve and hubristic.
-‘her’: personifies nature
“an act of stealth and troubled pleasure.”
The speaker knows what they’re doing is immoral and incorrect, hence the ‘stealthy’ nature.
The ‘stealth’ holds minimum challenge, but the arrogance that derives from it constructs challenge to nature.
The speaker carries on to show his ‘superiority’ upon nature.
Oxymoron it utilised to show the speaker obtaining dangerous knowledge; corruptness of man ( greed/ambition )
“heaving through the water like a swan.”
Simile is utilised to show the corruptness and immorality of man - presents the arrogance of man.
‘Heaving’; active verb, connoting sustained and intense physical effort, which opposes the idea of a ‘swan’ which is connoted to be a graceful/elegant/eloquent animal.
Allusion of the idea of control is broken - volta.
