The Prelude: Stealing The Boat

Question 1

The poem

Answer 1

• Summer evening, Narrator finds a boat. Unties and takes it out on the lake.
• Narrator is initially happy and confident, describes beautiful scene.
• Mountain appears, Narrator afraid of size and power.
• Turns boat around and goes home, view on nature changed.

Question 2

Form

Answer 2

• First-person narrative.
• Sounds personal and describes turning point in the poet’s life.
• Blank verse (unrhyned verse in Iambic pentameter) makes it sound serious and important, the regular rhythm makes it sounds like natural speech.

Question 3

Structure

Answer 3

• Three main sections in extract.
• First, light tone and carefree.
• Distinct change when the mountain appears; tone becomes darker and more fearful.
• Final section, Narrator reflects how experience changed him.

Question 4

Beautiful language

Answer 4

-Begins with a series of pretty, pastoral images of nature.

Question 5

Confident language

Answer 5

• Narrator appears sure of himself at first.
• Arrogant in his views of himself and his place in the world.
• Impression of feeling powerful.

Question 6

Dramatic language

Answer 6

• Threatening language becomes more intense after mountain appears.
• Narrator comes to understand how powerful nature is.

Question 7

Fearful language

Answer 7

• Narrator far less confident at the end.
• Troubled by the ‘huge and mighty forms’ of nature.
• Lasting haunting effect.

Question 8

Feelings and attitude: confidence

Answer 8

Narrator feelings comfortable and in control to start with, confidence in him and the world around him is shaken by this one event.

Question 9

Feelings and attitudes: Fear

Answer 9

Nature is shown to be more powerful than a human. Narrator left with a feeling of awe and respect for nature, but is also scared.

Question 10

Feelings and attitudes: reflection

Answer 10

Poem ends with the narrator reflecting on how he’s been changed by the event. His thoughts and dreams are still troubled.