prelude

What is the prelude about ?

The poem centres on wordsworths childhood memory in the lake district where he steals a boat and rows it in the middle of a lake. A mountain by the lake grows far bigger than he thought.

“(Led by her”)

This personification contrasts the role of nature to the role of a human. Whilst women nurture a single child nature nurtures a single planet demonstrating its superior power.

“Troubled pleasure”

This oxymoronic phrase shows that he is aware rhat he has no right to be stealing the boat but feels entitles to enjoy nature and arrogance of believing he was in control

“her”

Constantly refers to nature as the pronoun “her” indicating how he equals himself with nature which later becomes his downfall when he sees the true power of nature.

“ reach a chosen point”

He thinks he controls where he is going despite being controled by nature. Decieved into a sense of control but nature chose the point as a destination where he would be humbled.

“unswerving line “

stil lfixed in a narrow field of vision he viewed mankind as united with nature, working with humanity as a dominant power thus enabling him to manipulate water to his benefit and control his journey to a chosen point

“heaving through the water “

The verb “heaving “ connotates intense physical effort. The illusion of control is broken as the mountain rises from the water and natures supremacy becomes apparent

“ I struck and struck again”

The true power of nature is now being revealed and the speaker is struggling to continue on his journey demonstrating that the nature has ultimate control.

“for many days”

this line suggests that the encounter has now changed his mind reflecting the immense power nature can have on both society and people.