The Prelude Flashcards
what happens in the poem
narrator finds a boat tied to a tree and unties the boat and takes out on the lake. Initially he seems happy and confident as describes the beautiful scenery but a mountain appears on the horizon and then the narrator is afraid of the size and power so turns the boat around and goes home
what is key about the structure?
the tone change when the mountain appears - becomes darker
what shows this turning point?
“when”
how does the narrator use language to describe the beautiful scenery
“like a swan” - just before the change - simile
what metaphor makes the boat seem magical?
“she was an elfin pinnace”
how does the writer present confidence in the narrator?
“proud of his new skill”
what language represents the change?
“huge peak, black and huge”- more threatening
how is the narrator felt after this?
alone and unsettled - “ there hung a darkness, call it solitude”
how has the images changed for the narrator now?
“no pleasant images of trees or sea or sky”
“trouble to my dreams” massive contrast to the start -“one summer evening”
