Extract from The Prelude by William Wordsworth

Question 1

William Wordsworth

Answer 1

Lived in Lake District, had difficult relationships with his parents and relatives. Parents died, so he was sent to Lake District, and he would always spend time outside, to escape his relatives. Early supporter of the French Revolution, but was later disillusioned with the violence of it. He was a 1st generation Romantic poet, and was poet laureate.

Question 2

Poem context

Answer 2

Taken from an autobiographical poem of a planned 3 part epic poem, ‘The Recluse’. Presents views on man, nature and society: the wider poem presented an experience from Wordsworth’s past, then described its philosophical importance. Genre of poem is Romanticism - focuses on the power of the imagination, dislike of urban life + embracing natural and supernatural worlds, and use of everyday language.

Question 3

Language - personification of nature

Answer 3

“One summer evening (led by her)”. Use of the pronoun ‘her’ for nature is interesting. It doesn’t seem that he intentionally set out to steal the boat, he’s taken there by nature.

Question 4

Language - pride of man

Answer 4

He takes the boat: “It was an act of stealth”. “Stealth” presents man as proud, arrogant, and feeling superior and that he can take whatever he wants to from nature.

Question 5

Language -

Question 6

Language -

Question 7

Summary of quotes

Question 8

Form - epic poem

Answer 8

It’s epic poetry - form of poetry which is a long narrative poem that tells of heroic actions (often legendary or historical), focusing on one heroic character (partly influenced by John Milton’s ‘Paradise lost’). In the extract, we question whether the major event of the extract is actually epic (to get scared and run away). The epic moment could be his awakening understanding of the power of nature, so he felt it should be included in the epic poem. But who’s the hero in this extract? The poet is the hero in the wider poem, but in the extract, nature (personified) could be the hero.

Question 9

Form - blank verse

Answer 9

Means poem has no rhyme scheme but is written in iambic pentameter - because of the influence of Milton, all lengthy philosophical poems were written in blank verse. Milton also inspired the epic poem form.

Question 10

Structure - one long verse

Answer 10

No stanza changes, just one long verse: when poem is read with no major breaks or pauses, it overwhelms the reader, we’re literally left breathless. Reflects how young Wordsworth felt, so it helps the reader empathise with and understand the poet’s emotions at the time. Also links to Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’ which was also written in lengthy verses.

Question 11

Structure - enjambement

Answer 11

Enjambement throughout, e.g, “One summer evening (led by her) I found / A little boat”. Could present an overpowering urge to communicate, and inability to stop and order your thoughts into a coherent structure. Much like the use of a single stanza: shows the overwhelming effect that nature has had upon the child. He has to furiously blurt out what has happened.