The Prelude

Question 1

Form

Answer 1

‘Epic’ poem
Written in blank verse with enjambement make it sound like general speech
First person anecdotal narrative - personal, sense of nostalgia

Occasional caesura make the reader seem excitable, breathless and curious at the beginning. At the end they slow down the pace and make the lines more reflective

Question 2

Structure

Answer 2

Two main sections
1) focusses on fun children are having
2) nature
Tone changes from carefree to serious and showing a greater awareness of nature

Volta in line 16 from nature -> people

Question 3

Language

Answer 3

Excitement

Reflection and rumination

Question 4

Frosty season

Answer 4

Seasonal pathetic fallacy

Question 5

twilight blaz’d

Answer 5

Colour imagery

Question 6

I heeded not the summons

Answer 6

Woopee rebellion

Question 7

Time of rapture

Answer 7

Wondrous tone

Question 8

Proud and exulting like an untir’d horse

Answer 8

Simile - horses are domesticated so not too wild
But related him to nature- desire to be a part of nature is an inherent part of humanity, which is denied to us by society

Question 9

All shod with steel

Answer 9

Like knights in shining armour

Child’s play really

Question 10

The resounding horn

Answer 10

Hunting

Danger

Question 11

Tinkled like iron

Answer 11

Juxtaposition

Question 12

An alien sound of melancholy

Answer 12

Depression
Children are unused to sorrow - it is foreign to them

Enjambement places emphasis on melancholy, juxtaposed with earlier emotions to highlight the difference in the feelings of those outside of the idyllic setting

What’s going on outside of this utopia?

Question 13

Sparkling clear

Answer 13

Wondrous

Question 14

The orange sky of evening died away

Answer 14

Noice

Question 15

Language of movement

Answer 15

Monosyllabic verbs increase the poems pace, illustrating youthful energy

‘Wheel’d’
‘Flew’

Question 15

Animal imagery

Answer 15

Anthropomorphism shows close connection to nature

Domesticated animals show how they aren’t a true part of nature

Question 16

Phonology

Answer 16

Sibilance and onomatopoeia create a visceral image of the scene

‘Precipicies’
‘Leafless trees’
‘Icy’
‘Distant hills’

How nature is sighing - links to depression

Question 17

Aural imagery

Answer 17

distinguishes the humans for nature -> nature is ethereal, humans are rowdy

‘Din’, ‘not a voice was idle’
‘Tinkled’ musical soundscape subverts that of the humans rumbustious one giving it an ethereality

Question 18

Not unnoticed

Answer 18

Emphasises how out of place the depression was

Double negative show children don’t fully comprehend

Question 19

The Pack

Answer 19

Anthropomorphism

Presents the children as rambunctious and almost violent, but also gives a sense of unity

Question 20

‘Hiss’d along the polish’d ice’

Answer 20

Soundscape of skating

Juxtaposes with the sibilance layer which portrays the melancholy of nature

Question 21

Proud and exulting

Answer 21

Promotion of ‘proud’ indicates confident and carefree attitude

Exulting -> excitement and freedom

Question 22

Context

Answer 22

Romantic
Relationship between humans and poetry
Autobiographical