The Prelude

• THEMES:

  • Memory
  • Power of nature
• "led by her" 


  Personification - nature as caregiver
• "horizons utmost boundary" 


  Oblivious to nature's power - beginning of journey
• "elfin pinnance; lustily" 


  Small boat against grand nature
• "huge peak, black and huge" 


  Volta + repetition - intimidation by nature
• (huge and mighty forms) "that do not live like living men" 


  Immortality of nature compared to man
• STRUCTURE + LANGUAGE:

  • Similes to compare nature to living things to try understand complexity of nature
  • Personification to show dangerous power of nature
  • Enjambment to keep reader intrigued
  • Written in blank verse - inner monologue - spiritual journey
  • Written in iambic pentameter - mimics human voice - makes story personal
• CONTEXT:

  • Wordsworth is Romantic poet and works on his connection with nature
• • The Prelude is written by Wordsworth