AQA POWER AND CONFLICT POETRY EXTRACT FROM THE

AQA ‘POWER AND CONFLICT’ POETRY EXTRACT FROM ‘THE PRELUDE’ BY WILLIAM

YOUR STARTER: MAKING INFERENCES a above act all an and as behind boat boundary but by chain chosen circles cove craggy did dipped either elfin evening far fixed found from glittering grey heaving her his home horizon’s i idly in into it its lake leaving led light like line little lustily melted moon mountain-echoes move my nor nothing now oars of on one pinnace pleasure point proud pushed reach ridge rocky rose rows she shore side silent skill sky small sparkling stars stealth stepping still straight stroke summer summit swan they through tied to track tree troubled unloosed unswerving until upon usual utmost view voice was water went who willow within without a after again and as back bark behind being between black blank bound brain but by call colours covert craggy darkness days desertion dim do dreams familiar fields forms from grave green grim growing had her homeward horizon’s huge hung i if images in instinct it its left like living many me meadows measured men mighty mind modes mood mooring-place motion moved my no not oars of or own o’er peak pleasant power purpose remained sea seemed seen sense serious shapes silent sky slowly so solitude spectacle stars stature steep still stole strode struck that then there thing thoughts through till to towered trees trembling trouble turned undetermined unknown up upreared voluntary water way went were when willow with worked Using the words you have in front of you, make inferences on what you think both poems will be about. What words make you think this? Be prepared to discuss.

YOUR STARTER: MAKING INFERENCES These are actually words from the same poem, an extract from the epic poem, ‘The Prelude’ by William Wordsworth. What do we think the poem will be about now? a above act after again all an and as back bark behind being between black blank boat boundary brain but by call chain chosen circles colours covert craggy darkness days desertion did dim dipped do dreams either elfin evening familiar fields fixed forms found from glittering grave green grey grim growing had heaving her his homeward horizon’s huge hung i idly if images in instinct into it its lake leaving led left light like line little living lustily many me meadows measured melted men mighty mind modes mood moon mooring-place motion mountainechoes moved my no nor nothing now oars of on one or own o’er peak pinnace pleasant pleasure point power proud purpose pushed reach remained ridge rocky rose rows sea seemed seen sense serious shapes she shore side silent skill sky slowly small so solitude sparkling spectacle stars stature stealth steep stepping still stole straight strode stroke struck summer summit swan that then there they thing thoughts through tied till to towered track trees trembling troubled turned undetermined unknown unloosed unswerving until up upon upreared usual utmost view voice voluntary was water way went were when who willow within without worked Today’s key questions: 1. Can I read, understand respond to the text? 2. Can I analyse language and structure, explaining WHY the writer has used a particular technique and its effect? 3. Can I discuss the social and historical context of the poem?

YOUR TASK: SUMMARISE INTO FOUR BULLET POINTS William Wordsworth (1770 -1850) is one of the most famous poets in the history of English Literature. He was born in the Lake District, and his birthplace had a huge influence on his writing. Wordsworth was one of the first writer whose work was labeled as ‘Romantic’. Much of his poetry is about humanity’s relationship with nature. Romantic poets helped changed the way people thought about the natural world. He believed mankind does not control nature but the other way around. ‘The Prelude’ discusses these ideas but also explores the way identity is shaped by experience. Today’s key questions: 1. Can I read, understand respond to the text? 2. Can I analyse language and structure, explaining WHY the writer has used a particular technique and its effect? 3. Can I discuss the social and historical context of the poem?

YOUR TASK: READ THE POEM One summer evening (led by her) I found A little boat tied to a willow tree Within a rocky cove, its usual home. Straight I unloosed her chain, and stepping in Pushed from the shore. It was an act of stealth And troubled pleasure, nor without the voice Of mountain-echoes did my boat move on; Leaving behind her still, on either side, Small circles glittering idly in the moon, Until they melted all into one track Of sparkling light. But now, like one who rows, Proud of his skill, to reach a chosen point With an unswerving line, I fixed my view Upon the summit of a craggy ridge, The horizon's utmost boundary; far above Was nothing but the stars and the grey sky. She was an elfin pinnace; lustily I dipped my oars into the silent lake, And, as I rose upon the stroke, my boat Went heaving through the water like a swan; When, from behind that craggy steep till then The horizon's bound, a huge peak, black and huge, As if with voluntary power instinct, Upreared its head. I struck and struck again, And growing still in stature the grim shape Towered up between me and the stars, and still, For so it seemed, with purpose of its own And measured motion like a living thing, Strode after me. With trembling oars I turned, And through the silent water stole my way Back to the covert of the willow tree; There in her mooring-place I left my bark, And through the meadows homeward went, in grave And serious mood; but after I had seen That spectacle, for many days, my brain Worked with a dim and undetermined sense Of unknown modes of being; o'er my thoughts There hung a darkness, call it solitude Or blank desertion. No familiar shapes Remained, no pleasant images of trees, Of sea or sky, no colours of green fields; But huge and mighty forms, that do not live Like living men, moved slowly through the mind By day, and were a trouble to my dreams.

YOUR TASK: FIND IT – HIGHLIGHT IT – ANNOTATE IT 1. Line 1. Who or what is the speaker referring to when he says ‘led by her’. 6. Line 8. Highlight the assonance in this sentence and explain the effect. Why has it been used? 2. Line 2. Highlight this line. What tone does the poet create here through the description of the setting? What image is the poet trying to convey? 7. Lines 8 and 9. Find the sibilance in these lines and explain the effect. Why has this device been used? 3. Line 3. Which part of the line seems to suggest that the speaker is familiar with the setting? 8. Lines 9 -11. How is nature presented here? Highlight specific words that help present nature in this way and explain why you have highlighted them. 4. Line 5. How does the narrator feel about taking the boat? Which word in particular tells us this? What are its connotations? 9. Lines 11 -13. How does Wordsworth create a sense of arrogance in the speaker? What is he saying about humanity here? 5. Line 6. Highlight the oxymoron in this sentence and explain what it suggests about the speaker’s feelings. 10. Lines 15 and 16. Why do you think the speaker focuses on nature’s emptiness here? Consider what is going to happen later in the poem?

YOUR TASK: FIND IT – HIGHLIGHT IT – ANNOTATE IT 11. Line 17. How does the poet create a magical, ‘other -world’ type tone here? Why do you think Wordsworth does this? 16. Lines 23 and 24. How is nature being presented here? What device has been used? Explain as annotations in your anthology. 12. Line 20. Highlight the language device used and explain its effect. 17. Line 24. How do the speaker’s actions reveal his feelings? How has this mountain affected him? 13. Line 21. Which word signifies the volta in the poem? Highlight and label it. What has the tone switched to now? 18. Line 25 and 26. What is happening to the mountain as the speaker gets closer to it? 14. Line 21. Why include caesura in this line. What effect does the caesura, along with the volta, have on the poem? 19. Lines 26 to 29. Identify the sibilance used in these lines. Explain the effect. Is the noise created by the repeated ‘s’ sounds peaceful anymore? 20. Lines 28 to 29. Identify the language device used in these lines and explain the effect. 15. Line 22. How does this line contrast with lines 15 and 16? What is the effect of the adjectives ‘black’ and 21. Line 29. How is the speaker feeling now? How does ‘huge’? How is nature being presented here? this contrast with lines 11 -13?

YOUR TASK: FIND IT – HIGHLIGHT IT – ANNOTATE IT 22. Lines 30 to 31. How does the poet make the speaker feel like an intruder of nature here? 23. Line 32. How does the speaker refer to the boat now? How does it contrast with ‘elfin pinnace’? 24. Line 33. The word ‘grave’ is ambiguous. It could mean the speaker is in a serious and solemn mood but what else could it mean? 25. Line 35. The narrator describes the event as a ‘spectacle’. What are the connotations of this word? 26. Lines 35 and 36. Highlight the parts of these lines that show the speaker is struggling to comprehend what he has seen. Why do you think this is? 27. Line 38. Highlight this line. What tone is created here? How? 28. Lines 39 to 43. How is nature presented in this part of the poem? Highlight specific language choices which help you back up your ideas. 29. The entire poem. What comments can you make about the structure of the poem? Why has it been structured in this way?

YOUR TASK: THEMES OF ‘THE PRELUDE’ Find quotations that link to the following themes in ‘The Prelude’. Power of Nature Fear/Loneliness Confidence Reflection Now explain the effect of these on the reader. Today’s key questions: 1. Can I read, understand respond to the text? 2. Can I analyse language and structure, explaining WHY the writer has used a particular technique and its effect? 3. Can I discuss the social and historical context of the poem?

TO FINISH: MAKING LINKS Which poem do you think ‘fits best’ with ‘The Prelude’. Choose one poem we have studied from the anthology, draw a Venn diagram in your books and consider the similarities and differences between each poem. Remember to consider the assessment objectives as you compare. AO 1: Read, understand respond to texts using quotations. AO 2: Analyse language, form and structure using the correct terminology. AO 3: Comment on the social/historical context. Today’s key questions: 1. Can I read, understand respond to the text? 2. Can I analyse language and structure, explaining WHY the writer has used a particular technique and its effect? 3. Can I discuss the social and historical context of the poem?

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USEFUL LINKS https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=EGn 1 Ilx_3 o 4

a after again and as back bark behind being between black blank bound brain but by call colours covert craggy darkness days desertion dim do dreams familiar fields forms from grave green grim growing had her homeward horizon’s huge hung i if images in instinct it its left like living many me meadows measured men mighty mind modes mood mooring-place motion moved my no not oars of or own o’er peak pleasant power purpose remained sea seemed seen sense serious shapes silent sky slowly so solitude spectacle stars stature steep still stole strode struck that then there thing thoughts through till to towered trees trembling trouble turned undetermined unknown up upreared voluntary water way went were when willow with worked a above act all an and as behind boat boundary but by chain chosen circles cove craggy did dipped either elfin evening far fixed found from glittering grey heaving her his home horizon’s i idly in into it its lake leaving led light like line little lustily melted moon mountain-echoes move my nor nothing now oars of on one pinnace pleasure point proud pushed reach ridge rocky rose rows she shore side silent skill sky small sparkling stars stealth stepping still straight stroke summer summit swan they through tied to track tree troubled unloosed unswerving until upon usual utmost view voice was water went who willow within without YOUR STARTER: MAKING INFERENCES