Prelude - William Wordsworth

Question 1

Structure of the poem

Answer 1

At first, the time is fairly light and carefree. There’s a distinct change when the mountain appears. The tone becomes darker and more fearful. In the final section the narrator reflects on how the experience has changed him.

Question 2

‘Heaving through the water like a swan’

Answer 2

A simile draws a contrast between the boat and an animal, initially suggesting harmony between man and nature

Question 3

‘Grave and serious mood’

Answer 3

The mood of the poem changed dramatically but the word grave, suggesting death, draws attention to fickleness of human life

Question 4

What is the ‘prelude poem about’

Answer 4

1. The extract begins on a summers evening when the narrator William Wordsworth finds a boat tied to a tree. He unties the boat and takes it onto the lake
2. Initially the narrator seems happy and confident, and he describes a beautiful scene. A mountain appears on the horizon and Wordsworth is afraid of its size and power
3. He turns the boat back round and goes home, but his view on nature has changed

Question 5

What form is the poem in?

Answer 5

First person narrative - sounds personal and describes a turning point in the poets life. The use of blank verse makes it sound serious and important and the regular rhythm makes it sound like a natural speech

Question 6

‘Trouble my dreams’

Answer 6

Illustrates how reverberating the experience has been in changing his perception of nature as, even in his sleep, the narrator cannot escape the mountain

Question 7

‘Store after me’

Answer 7

Personification used to suggest the mountain is following Wordsworth as they flew, creating a sense of danger and aggression

Question 8

‘Troubled pleasure’

Answer 8

Wordsworth uses a oxymoron to show that he feels some guilt for stealing the boat, but it feels good all the same