The Prelude

Question 1

Context

Answer 1

natural cycle of growing up
make sure we cherish moments
Nostalgia
Innocent happiness of childhood
Winter
Likely a memory from childhood

Question 2

language and imagery

Answer 2

The natural world provides a vivid backdrop to a happy childhood memory. The mood is, of course, nostalgic; an adult looking back on childhood innocence and pleasure.
full of movement and energy
scenery is personified

Question 3

Structure

Answer 3

Epic poem - tells of an internal journey (usually a physical journey)
smooth narrative flow is achieved through long sentences and enjambed line endings

Question 4

Tone

Answer 4

buoyant and exultant

Question 5

And in the f…

Answer 5

And in the frosty season

immediately sets the scene
time of death
winter connotes to the negative

Question 6

It was a tim..

Answer 6

It was a time of rapture

The repetition of “It was” - exaggerates that they did not respond to the calls
amends this to a “time of rapture”. The following semi-colon provides a caesura, a pause, to emphasise his joy.

Question 7

like an u…

Answer 7

like an untir’d horse,

Bestial imagery
The simile suggests energy and health and confidence.

Question 8

We hiss’d along…

Answer 8

We hiss’d along the polish’d ice

sibilant “s” sounds
The quiet doesn’t last long
humans become identified with animals

Question 9

alien sound
Of melancholy…

Answer 9

alien sound
Of melancholy, not unnoticed

No joy is totally untainted
The last four lines set an oddly contrasting tone
the adult’s nostalgia for childhood happiness.
“melancholy” is a feeling not usually associated with sound - yet here it is

Question 10

The orange sky…

Answer 10

The orange sky of evening died away.

the sunset finally fading into darkness. Just as the passing of time is unstoppable
childhood pleasures mutate into adult awareness
metaphor for passing from childhood to adulthood.