STORM ON THE ISLAND VS EXTRACT FROM THE PRELUDE

We are prepared: we build our houses squat

A huge peak, black and huge

We are prepared: we build our houses squat vs A huge peak, black and huge

Both poems highlight the immense power of nature. In "Storm on the Island", nature is violent and threatening, while in "The Prelude", it is grand and awe-inspiring. Heaney’s nature is something humans prepare for defensively, while Wordsworth’s speaker stands in awe of its size and power.

You might think that the sea is company, Exploding comfortably down on the cliffs.

And measured motion like a living thing, Strode after me.

You might think that the sea is company, Exploding comfortably down on the cliffs vs And measured motion like a living thing, Strode after me

Both poems convey a sense of human vulnerability. In "Storm on the Island", nature's threat feels imminent and destructive, while in "The Prelude", the speaker feels overwhelmed by nature’s majesty and power. Heaney's vulnerability is tied to survival, while Wordsworth's is tied to existential awe.

Strange, it is a huge nothing that we fear

A trouble to my dreams

Strange, it is a huge nothing that we fear vs A trouble to my dreams

Both poems evoke fear, but in different ways. Heaney’s fear is immediate and physical—fear of the storm and the potential destruction it brings. Wordsworth’s fear is more reflective, born from awe, as the experience with nature lingers in his mind, affecting his dreams.

We are bombarded by the empty air

And through the meadows homeward went, in grave and serious mood

We are bombarded by the empty air vs And through the meadows homeward went, in grave and serious mood

Both poems deal with solitude, but in "Storm on the Island", the isolation feels dangerous and overwhelming as the storm closes in on the island. In "The Prelude", solitude leads to introspection and awe, offering a different kind of response to nature’s power.