The Prelude: Stealing the Boat- William Wordsworth Flashcards
describe what is happening
- extract begins on a summer evening when narrator finds boat tied to tree. He unties boat and takes out on lake
- initially narrator seems happy and confident, and he describes a beautiful scene. Mountain appears on horizon and he afraid of its size and power
- turns boat around and goes home, but view of nature changed
describe the form
- first-person narrative
- sounds personal and describes turning point in poet’s life
- use of blank verse makes it sound serious and important
- regular rhyme scheme makes sound like natural speech
describe the structure
- 3 main sections
- 1st section tone fairly light and carefree
- distinct change when mountain appears-tone becomes darker and more fearful
- final section, narrator reflects on how experience has changed him
describe the beautiful language
poem begins with series of pretty, pastoral images of nature
describe the confident language
narrator appears sure of himself at first - almost arrogant in his view of himself and his place in the world. He gives impression of feeling powerful
describe dramatic language
initial glimpses of threatening language become more intense after mountain appears. Narrator comes to understand how powerful nature is
describe fearful language
narrator far less confident at end of extract, he troubled by the “huge and mighty forms” of nature he glimpsed. Experience has lasting, haunting effect on him
describe the feeling and attitude of confidence
narrator feels comfortable and in control to start with, but his confidence in himself and world around him is shaken by one event
describe the feeling and attitude of fear
nature shown to be more powerful than human being. Narrator left with a feeling of awe and respect for nature, but he’s also scared by it
describe the feeling and attitude of reflection
poem ends with narrator reflecting on how he been changed by the event. His thoughts and dreams are still troubled by what he’s experienced
“(led by her)”
unclear who ‘her’ is. An earlier part of poem suggests it’s nature, personified
“a little boat tied to a willow tree”
happy, rural image
“its usual home”
seems familiar to him
“straight I”
narrator appears confident
“act of stealth”
narrator knows he’s doing something wrong- this is first clue tat something isn’t quite right
“troubled pleasure”
oxymoron hints at narrators guilt
“Leaving” “still” “small” “until” “melted all” “light”
succession of “l” sounds helps poem flow, like the boat moving gently across the lake
“proud of his skill” “with an unswerving line”
again, narrator seems confident, maybe a bit arrogant. This contrasts with mood later in poem
“The horizon’s utmost boundary; far above was nothing but the stars and the grey sky”
this emptiness contrasts with line 22, when he looks at horizon again. This makes appearance of mountain more shocking
“she was an elfin pinnace”
metaphor of ‘a fairy boat’ makes scene seem magical and otherworldly, but still not threatening
“like a swan;”
natural simile shows that he’s confident and in control- enhances contrast with next line
“when,”
turning-point (Volta) introduces a complete change in tone. Simple word emphasised by being at start of line and by the caesura
“the horizon’s bound, a huge peak, black and huge,”
a mountain appears on horizon. Very different language now- darker and more threatening
“Upreared its head”
mountain personified. Ugly image- contrast to earlier beautiful images of the boat
“i struck and struck again, and growing still in stature”
as narrator rows away from mountain, more and more of it comes into view. This means it seems like mountain is getting bigger, and makes this sound like a nightmare
“stars” “still” “so” “seemed”
the repetition of sibilant sounds creates a sinister mood
“purpose of its own” “measured motion” “strode after me”
mountain is calm, powerful and in control- contrasts with narrators fear
“stole” “covert”
he’s afraid and guilty, and wants to hide away- he feels like an intruder
“in grave and serious mood”
event has big impact on him- ‘grave’ means serious, but may also be reminder of his own mortality
“for many days”
the impact was log lasting
“dim and undetermined sense of unknown modes of being”
vague language shows that narrator doesn’t understand what he’s seen- he’s struggling to describe it
“there hung a darkness, call it solitude
the narrator is left feeling alone and unsettled
“no pleasant images of trees of sea or sky”
narrator no longer thinks of nature in terms of pretty images- he’s learnt there’s more to it than that
“but huge and mighty forms, that do not live like living men”
nature is described as a powerful, conscious being that can influence our lives
“trouble to my dreams”
unsettling image- helps us to empathise with him. Huge contrast to tone and mood at start
context
is an extract from first of fourteen books that make up Wordsworth’s poem, ‘The Prelude’. Book is entitled ‘Introduction-Childhood and School-Time’. Wordsworth was ‘Romantic’ poet. extract explore connection between nature and human emotion, and way human identity and character shaped by experience
