The Prelude Flashcards
‘(Led by her)’
Can be considered an allusion to the idea of Mother Nature, and nature can be seen as female in that it is responsible for the feminine task of creating, sustaining and nurturing life - just as a mother does. By using personification, Wordsworth is able to constrain the role of nature to the role of a human - whilst women nurture a single child; nature nurtures an entire planet thus demonstrating its superior power
‘Its usual home’
Wordsworth puts in a lot of description about how he steals the boat, could be considered an attempt to romanticise in order to defend his actions or mitigate their moral detriment
‘Troubled pleasure’
Oxymoronic phrase shows he knows he has no right to be stealing the boat but feels entitled to enjoy nature, and arrogance of believing he was in control
‘her’
Continues to refer to nature using the pronoun ‘her’ which could suggest he views himself as equals with nature, which later becomes his when he realises the true power of nature
‘melted all into one track’
Nature provides a comforting unity when the speaker tries to work with it
‘reach a chosen point’
Thinks he controls where he is going despite being led by nature, deceived into a sense of control, but nature chose the point as destination where he would be humbled. This has the larger suggestion that it is only when mankind tries to work against nature that it becomes arduous and laborious
‘unswerving line’
Still fixed in a narrow field of vision, he viewed mankind as united with nature - working with humanity as dominant power, thus enabling him to manipulate water to his benefit and control his journey to a ‘chosen point’
‘craggy steep till then The horizon’s bound’
Shows that Wordsworth keeps hiding what is being revealed to build tension and suspense and to heighten the reader’s perception of it, so that they know it is important and significant
‘Upreared it’s head’
Mountain seems to be living with intent - wanted to reveal itself. This phrase also suggests the reader can empathise with the speakers fear and anxiety and it juxtaposes to how nature was working with him at first, but now has turned against him
‘like a living thing, strode after me’
Use of simile here could imply that the speaker is now choosing to personify nature but to above his level; as something other-worldly. The verb ‘strode’ is very bold and implies a lot of strength demonstrating the power of the mountain
‘But huge and mighty forms, that do not live like living men’
The speaker thinks he is in control - reaching his ‘chosen point’ performing an ‘act of stealth’ but really he is just following nature - controlled by greater force. Applying this to society, Wordsworth may be suggesting how mankind always thinks it is in control but it is always subject to nature
‘trouble to my dreams’
Nature transcend mankind and it is not bound by time or restrictions of life. Therefore, nature takes many forms to demonstrate its power and this phrase shows the long term impact nature has on him, this transformative effect could also be considered humbling but haunting
