Detailed Notes on The Prelude by William Wordsworth

The Prelude by William Wordsworth

• Overview
  • The Prelude is an epic poem consisting of fourteen books, with the GCSE extract taken from the first book titled "Introduction and school-time".
  • The poem focuses on Wordsworth's childhood memory of stealing a boat and rowing out into a lake, where he encounters a mountain that appears much larger than he anticipated.
  • This experience alters his perception of nature and humanity.

Synopsis of the Extract

• Key Events
  • Stolen boat and rowing on the lake.
  • Observes ripples while concentrating on a fixed point.
  • Realizes the mountain's true size and feels its immensity.
  • Scared, he returns to shore.
  • Haunted by the experience for days, which transforms his view of nature and humanity.

Context of William Wordsworth

• Biographical Background

  • Born in Cumberland, Lake District (1770 - 1850).
  • Experienced a troubled childhood with a complex family life; lost both parents in adolescence.
  • Found solace in nature, developing a deep affection for the Lake District.

• Romantic Poet

  • Advocated for a return to simpler times in response to industrialization.
  • Explored moral and spiritual development through personal experiences and nature.
  • Initially supported the French Revolution for democracy and equality, later disillusioned by its violence.

Romantic Movement

• Characteristics
  • Originated during the Enlightenment, opposing its emphasis on logic and rationality.
  • Focused on emotion, beauty of nature, and the past.
  • Used accessible language to highlight social issues and reject traditional institutions.
  • Writers expressed disdain for urban life due to industrialization.

The Prelude and Its Structure

• Intended Purpose

  • Served as a prologue to the unfinished three-part epic poem "The Recluse".
  • Aimed to rival Milton’s Paradise Lost in exploring personal and philosophical themes through nature.

• Conflict Exploration

  • Examines the struggle between humanity and nature (man vs nature) as he seeks to control nature via stolen actions.

Poetic Structure

• Form

  • Written in iambic pentameter for rhythm; this contrast enhances the poem's emotional highs and lows.

• Stanza Organization

  • The extract is presented as a single stanza, emphasizing unbroken intensity and overwhelming experiences.
  • Frequent enjambment contributes to a sense of urgency and fluidity, creating tension as the journey unfolds.

Themes and Literary Devices

• Nature and Human Control

  • Initially sees himself as equal to nature, eventually realizing its supremacy.
  • Uses personification to describe nature as a nurturing and powerful figure (e.g., referring to nature as "her").

• Loss of Eloquence

  • Language deteriorates from poetic descriptions to simpler expressions as audience witnesses nature's power.

• Repetition and Comparison

  • Repetitive phrases like "huge" convey the overwhelming presence of the mountain, marking the speaker's fear and confusion.

• Variation in Tone

  • Starts with descriptive, romanticized language but shifts to a simplistic tone during and after the revelation of the mountain's power.

Impact of Experience

• Psychological Transformation
  • The experience challenges his perception, resulting in a loss of innocence and significant revelations about nature and humanity.
  • Suggests mankind’s false superiority over nature is a dangerous misconception, paralleling themes from Milton’s works.

Comparisons with Other Works

• Ozymandias and Kamikaze

  • Both assert nature's power over humanity; pride leads to downfall.
  • Contrast in themes shows different perspectives—spiritual growth vs. the fleeting nature of human achievements.

• Storm on the Island

  • Parallel themes of nature's supremacy but expressed through physical versus psychological conflict.
  • Both speakers face harsh truths through their experiences with nature.