English Literature Poetry- Extract from, The Prelude

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  • Created by: Humaa 123
  • Created on: 23-09-18 16:40
What is the poem called?
Extract from, The Prelude
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What is it about?
*The extract begins on a summer evening when the narrator finds a boat tied to a tree. He unties it and takes it out onto the lake.
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What is it about?
*Initially the narrator seems happy and confident, and he describes a beautiful scene. A mountain appears on the horizon and the narrator is afraid of its size and power.
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What is it about?
*He turns the boat around and goes home, but his view of nature has changed.
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Feelings and Attitudes ( Confidence)
Confidence- The narrator feels comfortable and in control to start with, but his confidence in himself and the world around him is shaken by the event.
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Feelings and Attitudes (Fear)
Fear- Nature is shown to be more powerful than humans. The narrator is left with a feeling of awe and respect for nature but he's also scared by it.
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Feelings and Attitudes (Reflection)
Reflection- The poem ends with the narrator reflecting on how he's been changed by the event his thoughts and dreams are still troubled by the experience.
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"(led by her)"
Unclear here who "her" is. An earlier part of the poem suggests its nature, personified.
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"A little boat tied to a willow tree"
Happy rural image
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"its usual home"
Seems familiar to him
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"Straight I"
Narrator appears confident
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"an act of stealth"
The narrator knows he's doing something wrong- this is the first clue that something isn't quite right.
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"And troubled pleasure"
Oxymoron hints at the narrator's guilt.
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"Leaving", "still", "small", "Until", "melted all", "light"
The succession of 'I' sound helps the poem flow, like the boat moving gently across the lake.
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"Proud of his skill" and "With an unswerving line"
Again, the narrator seems confident, maybe a bit arrogant. This contrasts with the mood later in the poem.
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"The horizon's utmost boundary; far above"
The emptiness contrasts with line 22, when he looks at the horizon again.
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"Was nothing but the stars and the grey sky."
This makes the appearance of the mountain more shocking.
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"She was an elfin pinnace;"
The metaphor of a 'fairy boat' makes the scene seem magical and other worldly, but still not threatening.
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"like a swan;"
The natural simile shows that he's confident and in control-enhances the contrast with the next line.
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"When,"
Volta introduces a complete change in tone. The simple word is emphasised by being at the start of the line and by the caesura.
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"The horizon's bound, a huge peak, black and huge,"
A mountain appears on the horizon. Very different language now- darker and more threatening.
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"Upreared its head"
The mountain is personified, ugly image- contrasts with earlier 'beautiful images' of the boat("elfin", "swan")
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"I struck and struck again And growing still in nature"
As the narrator rows away from the mountain, more of it comes into view. It seems like the mountain is growing, this makes it seem like a nightmare.
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"shape", "stars", "still", "so", "seemed" "stole"
The repetition of sibilant sounds creates a sinister mood.
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"purpose of its own", "measured motion", "strode after me"
Personification- The mountain is calm, powerful and in control- contrasts with the narrators fear.
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"With trembling oars I turned"
He's afraid and guilty, and wants to hide away- he feels like an intruder.
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"in grave And serious mood"
The ??? has had a big impact on him- 'gravel' means serious, but also may be a reminder of his own mortality.
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"for many days"
The impact was long lasting.
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"dim and undetermined sense Of unknown modes of being;"
The vague language shows that the narrator doesn't understnad what he's seen-he's struggling to describe it.
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"o'er my thoughts There hung a darkness"
Left alone and unsettled.
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"no pleasant images of trees, Of sea or sky"
The narrator no longer thinks of nature in terms of pretty images- he's learnt there's more to it than that.
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"But huge and mighty forms, that do not live Like living men"
Nature is descibed as a powerful, conscious being that can influence our lives.
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"trouble to my dreams"
Unsettling image- helps us to empathise with him. Huge contrast to the tone and mood at the start.
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Form
First person narrative. It's personal and describes a turning point in the poet's life. The use of blank verse(unrhymed verse in iambic pentameter) makes it sound serious and important, and the regular rythm makes it sound like natural speech.
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Structure
3 main sections. 1st tone= fairly light and carefree. There's a distinct change when the mountain appears- tone becomes darker and more fearful. Final section- narrator reflects on how the experience has changed him.
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Beautiful Language
The poem begins with pretty, pastoral images of nature.
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Confident Language
The narrator appears sure of himself at first- almost arrogant in his view of himself and his place in the world. He gives the impression of feeling powerful.
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Dramatic Language
The initial glimpses of threatening language becomes more intense after the mountain appears. The narrator comes to underestand has powerful nature is.
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Fearful Language
The narrator is far less confident at the end of the extract. He's troubled by the "huge and mighty forms" of nature he's glimpsed. The experience has a lasting, haunting effect on him.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What is it about?

Back

*The extract begins on a summer evening when the narrator finds a boat tied to a tree. He unties it and takes it out onto the lake.

Card 3

Front

What is it about?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What is it about?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Feelings and Attitudes ( Confidence)

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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