The Prelude - William Wordsworth Flashcards

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1
Q

CONTEXT - William Wordsworth was not a romantic. True or False?

A

False. HE was a romantic.

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2
Q

What is the rhyming pattern on this poem?

A

There is none - could reflect freedom of his actions and also makes it more serious (not like a song), serious being more like stealing a boat

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3
Q

What actually happens in this poem?

A
He steals a boat at night
He rows on a lake
He looks at the sky by a mountain
He sees a "black and huge" peak
It scares him, so he turns round and puts the boat back
Afterwards, he seems troubled
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4
Q

What tree is the boat tied to?

A

A willow tree. Perhaps the boat represents a child and the willow tree an adult. Or, a willow can be known as a weeping willow - remorse?

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5
Q

Give some ideas as to what the “black and huge” peak could represent, then why that would make him turn around.

A

Adulthood - he is no longer a reckless child able to run away from problems
Responsibility - for stealing the boat, turned out of guilt
Consequence - either did face punishment and made him be good for the rest of his life (but still wanting to) or realised potential punishment
Knowledge - despair when realised he couldn’t get to stars that he could see just before
Insignificance - remorse turned him around
Industrial revolution - attacking him in the country so turned around to escape
God - confronting him about sin of theft, so he turned around out of fear and to make it right

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6
Q

How is the mountain personified?

A

“Strode after me”
“Upreared its head”
“Purpose of its own”

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7
Q

CONTEXT - Where did Wordsworth live? How did he make a living there?

A

He lived in the Lake District (Grasmere, Dove Cottage). He made a living by walking in the country and then writting poetry based on his experience. Already came from quite a wealthy family

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8
Q

What is the last line? (ignoring the enjamberment of “By day”)

A

“And were a trouble to my dreams”

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9
Q

CONTEXT - What is the Prelude?

A

It is an autobiography of his life written in 12 volumes of poetry. It is about his younger life, and got published after he died

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10
Q

Which 2 sins are mentioned in the poem? Which are implied? (These support the theory that the mountain is responsibility/ God”

A

“Proud of is skill”
“lustily,”
Greed would say why he stole the boat

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