The Prelude Flashcards
who wrote The Prelude?
William Wordsworth
main themes in The Prelude?
Nature, power
context (William Wordsworth):
- 1770-1850
- his mother died when he was young
- rural upbringing
- was enthusiastic about the French Revolution- travelled widely
- believed that nature could act as a parent or as a teacher
- set in the Lake District
- autobiographical poem
- part of the romantics
context (the romantics):
- 18th and 19th century
- themes of freedom and nature
- sublime- feeling of awe at the power of nature
- believed in nature and valued all emotion, power and imagination
- rebelled against any kind of control
- valued the French Revolution
structure:
- lots of caesura- highlights spiritual awe and wonder
- “distant hills”- shifts the focus onto the mountains (nature)
- beginning feels joyful- end is full of melancholy
“And in the….”
“And in the frosty season”
- sibilance- highlighting the temperature
- winter signifying the end of the year
- adult voice saying that it is transient
“the twilight…”
“the twilight blazed”
- warmth and comfort
- young voice
“we hi….”
“we hiss’d along polish’d ice”
- sudden change in tone
- connotations of snake
- foreshadowing the change of perspective on nature
“The Pack…”
“The Pack loud bellowing”
“hunted hare”
- nature is in the most control
- vivid verbs
“Tinkled..”
“Tinkled like iron”
- still joyful but not the same anymore
- reinforced by “melancholy”
“died..”
“died away.”
- last line
- nature reflects the sadness of time passing
