The Prelude

Question 1

Context

Answer 1

Romantic Poet - protesting institutions and sources of power (monarch / church / army)

Question 2

What is the perspective?

Answer 2

Autobiographical

First person narration - w/ past tense along with present participles

Question 3

What is the form?

Answer 3

Epic Poem

Question 4

What is the effect of the form?

Answer 4

These are lengthy, narrative poems focused around the protagonist.

The protagonist is Wordsworth, but some could argue that nature is the protagonist, as the most powerful source in the poem.

Question 5

What is the stanza structure?

Answer 5

Single stanza.

Question 6

What is the effect of the stanza?

Answer 6

The poem is one singular stanza which emphasises the overwhelming power of nature.

Question 7

What is the effect of the cyclical structure?

Answer 7

Emphasises the change that took place internally, with the poem beginning and ending with the mooring of the boat - the journey begins and finishes in the same place.

Question 8

What is the effect of enjambment?

Answer 8

Gives a lack of control due to the lack of structure.

Question 9

What is the effect of the loss of eloquence?

Answer 9

As the poem advances, and the speaker becomes overwhelmed by the mountain, the language used becomes increasingly unsophisticated.
“elfin pinnace” and “small circles glittering idly” to “a huge peak, black and huge”.

Question 10

What is the effect of the personification of nature?

Answer 10

The poem is referenced as “her” or “she”, an allusion to mother nature. Nature as female shows the responsibility of the feminine task of creating, sustaining and nurturing life, just like a mother does.

Question 11

What is the effect of similes?

Answer 11

Similes try and help his readers understand his experience.

Question 12

What is the effect of similes?

Answer 12

Similes try and help his readers understand his experience.

Question 13

Why use the mountain?

Answer 13

The motif of the mountain portrays the underestimation of nature’s power, with the speaker being symbolic of humanity as a whole.
The definitive statement that this is the “horizon’s utmost boundary” shows humanity’s misplaced confidence and false sense of superiority over nature.

Question 14

Good quotes

Answer 14

“a huge peak, black and // huge”
“melted all into one track” + “unswerving line” to “heaving through the water”

“(led by her)”

Question 15

Analysis of “a huge peak, black and // huge”

Answer 15

The repetition of “huge” compensates for his devolved vocabulary, as a result of the sight of the “craggy ridge”

Question 16

Analysis of “melted all into one track” + “swerving line” to “heaving through the water”

Answer 16

Shows how easily the speaker is able to move through the water with an “unswerving line”, this contrasts to how he is “heaving through the water” later in the poem. The active verb of heaving connotes sustained and intense physical effort, a great contrast from what we see at the start, due to the illusion of control being broken.

Question 17

Analysis of “melted all into one track” + “swerving line” to “heaving through the water”

Answer 17

Shows how easily the speaker is able to move through the water with an “unswerving line”, this contrasts to how he is “heaving through the water” later in the poem. The active verb of heaving connotes sustained and intense physical effort, a great contrast from what we see at the start, due to the illusion of control being broken.

Question 18

Analysis of “(led by her)”

Answer 18

“her” referring to nature. Feminine qualities.
The usage of parentheses suggests it was added to the poem later, implying he was unaware of the control until his moment of revelation at which point he realises nature’s supremacy. Also implies nature was in control of the aforementioned revelation of the peak, with the sole purpose to humble him.