The Prelude Flashcards
Who wrote the prelude and what was he?
William Wordsworth - romantic poet
What quotations show his ego and confidence?
“An act of stealth” sly, not thinking of the consequences - ego is beaming “stealth” has connotations of slyness - thinking he is clever but not realising what is truly powerful
“ heaving through the water like a swan” rich in imagery and figurative language suggesting the speakers sense of power he feels but this changes as the poem goes on
Quotation that is showing the true power of nature
“A huge peak, black and huge[..] upreared its head” no longer using such descriptive and figurative language. Doesn’ flow well - the speakers confidence has left him - nature has drained him of all his sense of power as he realises humans are not powerful, nature is truly powerful.
What’s does the structure reflect
One long stanza - the reader is overwhelmed by the immensity of the poem, like Young Wordsworth is, by his experience with nature
The Enjambment reflects the speakers, overpowering, urge to communicate in an ability to order his speakers thoughts
Context
Romantic, poet, and believed in showing the true power of nature
The poem is also based upon Wordsworth’s true experience as a young child
