The Prelude Flashcards
“Her”, “little boat”, “unloosed her chains” (beginning)
At the start man was presented as superior over nature as through the use of nature being personified “her” and the fact that the poet was able to take what he wanted from nature. “Unloose her chains”. “Little boat” indicates the innocence of the boat suggesting it could do no harm. Nature is presented as a seductive women the fact that it was nature that led to his boat and is personified.
“It was an act of stealth and troubled pleasure”
“Troubled pleasure” is an oxymoron. The speaker foreshadows the impending problems he will face. The “pleasure “ of nature will eventually cause him distress.
“Chosen point”
His control over nature is emphasise by the quote “ chosen point” which shows that he is completely in control as he chose the point. Highlighting the writers arrogance.
“ far above was nothing but the stars and grey sky”
The writer thought there was nothing above behind the mountain which is a metaphor for man kind thinking they know everything.
“A huge peak,black and huge”
Repitition of “huge” shows the poet pride and vocabulary has left him. He is basically speechless and unable to put into words what he has seen. “Black” also connotes death and absence.
“Unprepared it’s head…towered after me.”
As the other mountain is revealed the arrogance and confidence of man is lost and the poet realises when the other peak is revealed that he doesn’t know everything about nature and mans idea of the world are wrong.The personification of nature is lost and he says “it” along with his description shows that the writer has lost his power and ability to define things he wants. The sudden shift in pronouns “it” shows the shock he feels.
“Huge and mighty forms that do not live like living man”
Nature is more powerful that man.
“There hung in darkness, call it solitude”
If get the poem (“ no familiar shape………..)
Metaphor the verb “hung” suggest the darkness lingers and is unavoidable the speaker is now physically and mental fragile haunted by ideas of death and powerlessness.
Repute on of the word “no” makes us see the poet realise that he doesn’t know everything his pride had vanished. “Solitude” is a semantic field theme of loniness nature as a moral teacher.
“Troubled to my dreams”
Connotations of a nightmare juxtaposition of “ trouble” and “ dreams”. “Dreams” shows peacefulness and troubled is the “opposite”of that.
