The Prelude - William Wordsworth Flashcards
CONTEXT - William Wordsworth was not a romantic. True or False?
False. HE was a romantic.
What is the rhyming pattern on this poem?
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
What actually happens in this poem?
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
What tree is the boat tied to?
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?
Give some ideas as to what the “black and huge” peak could represent, then why that would make him turn around.
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
How is the mountain personified?
“Strode after me”
“Upreared its head”
“Purpose of its own”
CONTEXT - Where did Wordsworth live? How did he make a living there?
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
What is the last line? (ignoring the enjamberment of “By day”)
“And were a trouble to my dreams”
CONTEXT - What is the Prelude?
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
Which 2 sins are mentioned in the poem? Which are implied? (These support the theory that the mountain is responsibility/ God”
“Proud of is skill”
“lustily,”
Greed would say why he stole the boat
