The prelude

• "One summer evening (Led by her)"

  • Romantic and poetic setting
  • Pronoun 'her', as if he is equal to nature
  • Significant, remembers it vividly
  • Personification, refers to nature almost like lover, being seduced, strong relationship between humans and nature
  • Nature is responsible for giving life to planet, nature's superior power.
  • False sense of control, controlled by nature
  • Oblivious and innocent
  • 'Evening', foreshadows it will take a dark turn, symbolise end of childlike innocence
  • Dismissive of natures power
  • Realises nature should be protected.
• "Huge peak, black and huge"

  • Hyperbole, nature raising up against him, he's an awe
  • Repetition, dominance and his fear
  • Volta
  • Powerless and insignificant compared to nature
  • Colour imagery, dark, gothic, dangerous and deathly, nature seems monstrous and evil.
  • Realises his own mortality
• "Act of stealth"

  • Quiet and quick, knows he shouldn't do it
  • 'Stealth', sly, morally wrong but too selfish and unaware of consequences to feel any sense of this.
  • Childhood and innocence
  • Connotations of troubled pleasure, wrong but full of excitement.
  • Enjoyment and freedom
  • Beauty of nature, makes you feel free and joyful
• Prelude context:

  • Born in Lake District
  • Difficult childhood
  • Autobiography
  • Manking thinks its in control but is always subject to nature
  • Spent much time outside, developed affection to nature
  • Concerned humans didnt treat nature with respect
  • Nature is not restricted by time or life like us
• Prelude structure :

  • Iambic pentameter, fear towards nature