Prelude Flashcards

1
Q

“One summer evening (led by her) I found

A little boat tied to a willow tree”

A

Wordsworth contrasts nature’s power with human actions as nature, personified, guides the speaker to a boat, symbolising the nurturing and guiding role of nature.

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2
Q

“Straight I unloosed her chain, and stepping in

Pushed from the shore. It was an act of stealth”

A

The speaker steals the boat, suggesting a moment of rebellion against societal norms, yet finds pleasure in the act, hinting at the allure of nature’s freedom.

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3
Q

“Like one who rows, proud of his skill”

A

The speaker’s pride in rowing reflects human confidence, but also foreshadows the impending confrontation with nature’s overwhelming power.

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4
Q

“She was an elfin pinnace; lustily

I dipped my oars into the silent lake”

A
  • Describing the personified boat as “elfin” adds a magical, supernatural quality to the poem.
  • The speaker believes he can control nature.
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5
Q

“… a huge peak, black and huge,

As if with voluntary power instinct,

Upreared its head … “

A
  • The mountain’s emergence portrays nature as a sentient force, heightening tension and fear.
  • Wordsworth shifts from a tranquil depiction of nature to one of ominous foreboding.
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6
Q

“With trembling oars I turned”

A
  • The trembling oars signify the speaker’s fear and the shift in power dynamics as nature becomes threatening.
  • Wordsworth illustrates nature’s unpredictability and the speaker’s awe.
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7
Q

“There in her mooring-place I left my bark”

A

Returning the boat signifies the end of the encounter, but the speaker is left with a troubled mind, indicating the profound impact of his encounter with nature and his understanding of his place within it.

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8
Q

“… my brain

Worked with a dim and undetermined sense

Of unknown modes of being”

A

The encounter with nature alters the speaker’s worldview, leading to introspection and a sense of unease about the unknown aspects of existence.

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9
Q

“Huge and mighty forms, that do not live

Like living men …”

A

The speaker’s thoughts are consumed by powerful yet lifeless images, symbolising the overwhelming presence of nature in his mind.

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10
Q

“… No familiar shapes

Remained, no pleasant images of trees,

Of sea or sky, no colours of green fields;”

A

The speaker’s perception shifts from innocence to vulnerability, symbolising the loss of childhood security and the realisation of nature’s capacity for both beauty and danger.

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