Prelude

• Prelude by William Wordsworth

  • The poem describes a first hand account of a young boy stealing a boat which changes his view on nature due to its intimidation and outline how nature should be respected and maybe feared.
• 'lustily I dipped my oars' Here, the boy almost attacks and abuses nature by heartily pushing through the water. This connotes the idea that humans use nature to get us to where we want/become powerful
• 'One summer evening I was led by her' Implies that Mother Nature has influence over his actions, the idea that this poem occurs on a summer evening connotes romance due to the image of the sun setting along with the night's warmth.
• 'The grim shape towered up between me and the stars' Could imply how nature's forces deny the boy his destiny to be more powerful as the stars were seen as symbols of fate. This shows how nature is all powerful
• 'Huge and mighty forms that do not live like living men' again shows how nature transcends humanity, personifies to give power the humane qualities associated with power