The Prelude

Question 1

what is the poem about (4)

Answer 1

1 The poem starts on a summer evening when the narrator finds a boat tied to a tree. He unties it and takes it out on the lake
2 Initially the narrator seems happy and confident, he describes a beautiful scene
3 a mountain appears on the horizon and the narrator is afraid of it
4 speaker haunted by his experience after he can not recall anything pleasant about the trip

Question 2

what form does it take (3)

Answer 2

1 first person narrator - autobiographical
2 does not rhyme - gives a serious mood
3 iambic pentameter and regular rhythm - make it sound like natural speech

Question 3

what is the structure (3)

Answer 3

1 section 1 is light and carefree
2 change in tone to a dark one
3 final section narrator reflects how the experience has changed him

Question 4

Name key contexts (3)

Answer 4

1 an autobiographical poem that was unfinished at his death was 14 books long
2 poem explores the spiritual and moral development of a man growing up
3 Wordsworth is a romantic poet who believes in the power of nature

Question 5

What is the poets message (2)

Answer 5

1 Nature is much more powerful than man
2 the conflict between man and nature is caused by mans trying to control it

Question 6

What are the key quotes (6)

Answer 6

1 troubled pleasure - oxymoron shows narrator guilt at stealing boat and foreshadows the trouble it will cause
2 when from behind that craggy steep till then - poem changes as mountain begins to appear and narrators confidence turns to insecurity
2 a huge peak black and huge - peaceful image of nature is replaced by frightening sight of the mountain
3 like one who rows - proud of his skill
4 strode after me - personification it is describing the mountain as something that can move shows how threatened narrator feels
5 my boat went heaving through the water like a swan - simile it reflects his connection with nature and how he feels confident in his natural surroundings
6 small circles glittering idly in the moon - as nature changes in the poem so does narrators emotion glittering -he is happy black and huge he is scared

Question 7

which poem does it link to

Answer 7

ozymandias

Question 8

how do the poems compare (2)

Answer 8

1 in both poems human arrogance is presented through the inscription Ozymandias the inscription highlights his arrogance because it literally sets it in stone. My name is ozymandias king of kings The prelude the boy compares himself to one of the rows with an unswerving line although his boasts do not have the same threatening tone
2 in both poems human arrogance is shown to be overpowered by the power of nature, Ozymandias power becomes buried by powerful desert sands and in the prelude the narrators confidence is shattered by the encounter with the mountain