the prelude

who wrote the prelude

William Wordsworth

william wordsworth context

1770-1850

Troubled relationship with parents and relatives

- Embraced nature

- An early supporter of the French revolution but disliked the barbaric violence

- A romantic poet

- Poet Laureate

- Nature can teach that their is more to life- nature controls mankind

-born in the lake district- took inspiration from it

the prelude context

an extract (part one of three) "childhood and school time"

written to present his view of "man, nature and society"

autobiographical poem

based on a story of his childhood which changed his view on nature

message of the prelude

nature is more powerful than mankind- wordsdworth critisizes humanities arrogance towards nature- mankind has no power over nature

Romantisism

focused on nature and the thoughts and feelings of individuals

rejected industrialisation, the monarchy, religion etc.

form of the prelude

EPIC POEM- long narrative poem- nature is the hero- shows the awakening of the power of nature- most important event in his life

blank verse- iambic pentameter without a rhyme scheme

rhythm of the prelude

The use of iambic pentameter shows to the reader the attempt to talk normally which could suggest that Woodsworths is attempting to talk to society.

allusion to john milton's poem "paradise lost" which focuses on the downfall of man (adam + eve)

wowrdsworth- downfall of man as it attempts to challenge nature

structure of the prelude

one long verse- overwhelmed by the power of nature, narrative structure, enjambment, caesura,

parallelism to contrast who he was before and after his revelation, cyclical structure

"One summer evening (led by her)"

Nature is powerful, but also benevolent and gentle at this point- guidance- causes him to be reckless

"one"- remembers it clearly- warm romantic setting

"evening" foreshadowing something dark is coming

"her"- personal pronoun- feels equal to nature

shows how nature is maternal and controls us-superior-seductive

"it was an act of stealth and troubled pleasure"

oxymoron- critisizes the pride of man, feels entitled and superior to nature, feels arrogant from stealing from it

"until they all melted into one track of sparkling light"

the light of the moon is reflecting on the water- nature is lighting the way for man- lighting the path for men to accept and follow nature

"proud of his skill"

arrogant, thinks he is bigger/ better than nature. contrast to how he feels at the end of the poem when he realises how powerful nature is.

humans are small and insignificant

"i fixed my view upon the summit... nothing but the stars"

critisizing humanities ambition and greed for the best- believes they are the greatest thing but nature reveals to be superior, shows mankinds strive to be as powerful as nature but they ever will be

"Lustily I dipped my oars into the silent lake"

shows how the only disturbances and imperfections in nature are caused by humanity.

nature is silent sinister, ready to attack, but also calming

"a huge peak, black and huge"

hyperbole- superiority, begins stuttering and loses lavish vocabulary. Even the smartest of people are left provincial in comparison to nature.

overwhlmed, afraid, cannot comprehend its majesty, seems gothic and deadly

"the grim shape towered up between me and the stars"

fear makes his disguested by nature- feels intimidated, personification- cannot comprehend

shift in authority- intimidated by the existential realisation of his own insignificance

"with trembling oars i turned"

pride of man- cannot admit the he is scared- makes it seem like the oars are scared

hubris#

"turned"- volta- changes his confidence and attitude to nature

"silent water stole my way back to the covert of the willow tree"

water is unaffected- consistent and unaffected by mankind

stole- feels shame for his previous actions

motif of the willow tree- goes back to the protecting comforting aspect of nature

enjambment- fear and hurry

"no familiar shapes remained"

everything he used to believe has been revered

shows his METAMORPHOSIS

"no pleasant images of trees... but huge and mighty forms"

how he wants to view nature isn't the reality- intimidated

"were a trouble to my dreams"

Vague language highlights how the narrator is confused and unsettled by the experience- disturbed, mentally affected and overwhelmed by what he's seen- shows how he has changed after his experience of nature