Extract from, The Prelude Flashcards
Who wrote the Prelude
Wordsworth
Quote that describes his movement through the environment
It was an act of stealth// and troubled pleasure
Oxymoron to show how he found his environment intimidating yet beautiful. It is so beautiful and overwhelming that he feels as if he is trespassing, perhaps on nature’s secrets.
Enjambment to show the continuous overwhelming state of mind that he is in
went heaving through
went heaving through the water like a swan
Oxymoron suggests initial grace that is destroyed by the over ambition and corruption of man
Quote about the mountain in front of the speaker
“The horizon’s bound, a huge peak, black and huge”
Plosives suggest heaviness and dominance.
Repetition of huge fully highlights the awe of the speaker as he is overwhelmed by the sublime power of nature
Breaks the iambic pentameter, showing how overwhelming the experience was
Quote to show how he is ruining the tranquility
I struck and struck again
Ruining the tranquility, presenting human power
What is the form of the prelude and what is the result of this
The poem is written in the form of a dramatic monologue (a form of poetry where an imagined speaker addresses a silent audience).
It reveals the inner thoughts and feelings of the speaker as he describes a significant event from his childhood and how it shaped him
What meter is used in the Prelude and what is the effect of this
Iambic pentameter
The use of iambic pentameter also gives the poem a sense of seriousness. It indicates how significant this was in the speaker’s life.
What type of verse structure is used in the Prelude
Blank verse to reflect a conversational tone
Context of the Prelude
He was a romantic and an antiestablishmentarianism.
