The Prelude by William Wordsworth LO To explore

The Prelude by William Wordsworth LO : To explore the poem ‘ The Prelude’

Starter: Wordsworth also wrote this poem. What does he like to write about ? I wandered lonely as a Cloud That floats on high o'er Vales and Hills, When all at once I saw a crowd A host of dancing Daffodils; Along the Lake, beneath the trees, Ten thousand dancing in the breeze.

Pre – Reading Exercise • On the following slides you will see some images of the poem’s setting of The Lake District). • Using the points below, write down some key words to describe the setting. • How do you think the poem will be structured ? ( what’s the story)

Say what you see!

Beautiful!

Think Pair Share: 2 mins • Now: Share your ideas with your neighbour and formulate an idea of what you both think the poem is about. • What thoughts and feelings may have been experienced/explored in this poem? • What might be theme and tone of the poem ? • Did you spot a volta in the narrative ?

Lesson Objectives Lesson Outcomes AO 1: Understand be able to thoughtfully explain the meaning and main themes of the poem. AO 1/AO 2: Explore multiple interpretations of the poem. AO 2: Analyse the language, form, and structure of the poem. To analyse and interpret a poem.

Poetic Features– How many do you know? • Metaphor • Stanza • Enjambment • Simile • The speaker • Alliteration • Personification Stanza lines flow without a punctuation break Comparison using like or as When we say something is something that it could never be. The voice of the poem (not necessarily the poet) When something non-human is given human qualities or attributes. Repetition of a sound in a series of words. A group of line: the verse in a poem

Context: William Wordsworth (1770 -1850) is one of the most famous poets in the history of English Literature. He was born in Cockermouth in Cumbria, part of the region commonly known as the Lake District, and his birthplace had a huge influence on his writing. Had a close friendship with Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Together they helped begin the Romantic movement. The Prelude was dedicated to Coleridge.

William Wordsworth AO 3 Text. Context Link

Who were the Romantics? What’s love got to do, got to do with it ? Erm … not that much actually!

Romanticism AO 3 Text. Context Link • Romanticism was a school of thinking which believed in restoring the balance between man and nature. They believed that emotion was a key element to poetry. • Romantic poets were influenced by the French Revolution. They detested the absolute power of monarchies (kings). They instead focused on the power of nature. • Romanticism can be viewed as a reaction to the reason and scientific outlook of the Enlightenment. Romantic poets eschewed convoluted verse in favour of easy to understand poetry for the common man. They saw it as their duty to inform and inspire.

The Prelude AO 3 Text. Context Link • A key idea in Romantic poetry is the concept of the sublime. This term conveys the feelings people experience when they see awesome landscapes, or find themselves in extreme situations which elicit both fear and admiration • The Prelude was completed in 1805 but was intended to be part of a three-part poem called The Recluse which was never completed. The Prelude was published in 1850 by Wordsworth’s widow. • This extract comes from Book I: Childhood and school time.

First reading: Slowly read the poem and answer the following • What is happening in the poem? • What are the feelings of the poet at the beginning, middle and end? Pick out a line/word to illustrate your answer. • Knowing what you know about Romanticism, why do you think Wordsworth wrote this poem? What big ideas was he trying to convey?

Form Number of stanzas, Rhyme and rhythm, Iambic pentameter If you hear the word ‘Form’ think ‘What type of poem is this? How has it been stitched together? What features does it have ? ’ Ballad, Sonnet , Narrative , Dramatic monologue , First person narrative , Elegy

Form: General notes • Remember whilst writing about form, structure or context , you must link it to the question you’re being asked in the exam. • Often the form of a poem mirrors/reflects/conveys the feelings of the poet/speaker in the poem. • You must always comment on how the form accentuates theme being explored – in our case, power and conflict!!

What is the form of The Prelude? • The extract is an autobiographical first person narrative. How do we know this ? What impact does it have? • It sounds personal and give the reader an insight into the innermost thoughts of the speaker • The poem has a regular rhythm that makes it sound like natural speech. This is achieved through caesura and enjambment • The poet employs blank verse (iambic pentameter – 10 syllables in each line) Traditionally this form was used to discuss serious issues, or as a conduit for powerful and noble protagonists eg Macbeth • The Prelude can definitely be viewed as an epic poem, in length at least. Epics are very long pieces of writing that usually deal with exciting, action-packed heroic events like wars or explorations. Although many of the events Wordsworth writes about are 'ordinary' they are given an epic quality, to fully describe the impact they had on his life.

Form cont. . • There are no stanzas: the writing is continuous though there is plenty of punctuation to help us read it. This extract is a complete story in itself. It starts with "One summer evening. . . " and finishes with the effects on his mind of the boat trip: "a trouble to my dreams". • The Prelude is conversational, as if Wordsworth is sat next to us, telling us the story himself. The poet uses "and"s throughout to give the verse a breathless quality. Listen carefully next time someone tells you a story: there will be lots of 'and's used.

Structure of The Prelude Remember , Structure means the story of the poem. Beginning , middle and end Ask yourself, ‘ Does the tone or attitude of the poem change? If so , where and why ? ’

What’s the story ? • On a summer evening the narrator ( Wordsworth as a boy) finds a boat tied to a tree. He takes it out onto a lake. • Initially the narrator seems content and confident , as he describes a beautiful scene. However, a mountain appears on the horizon, whose size and power frighten the narrator. • He turns around the boat to go home, but his view of nature has changed irreparably

Structure: There are three main sections in the extract. In the first section the tone is light and carefree. The scene is bucolic and the poet employs pretty, pastoral imagery In the second section , there is a volta, or distinct change in mood. The tone becomes darker and more fearful In the final section, the narrator reflects on how the experience has changed him

Feelings and attitudes • Confidence : The narrator feels comfortable and in control at the beginning, but his confidence is shaken by this event • Fear: Nature is shown to be more powerful than human beings. The narrator is left with a feeling of awe and respect for nature. This emotion is called feeling ‘Numinous’ • Reflection: The narrative feeling contemplative by the end of the poem

Language and Imagery • Read the poem you’ve been handed out and answer the 12 questions on the following slide.

Extract from The Prelude by William Wordsworth 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; 360 365 370 375 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. 380 385 390 395 400

Serene, bucolic, pastoral image Confident tone Oxymoron hints at his guilt Perhaps nature itself being personified Hint of something amiss 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. Repeated ‘L’ sound , makes it seem like the boat is moving gently. This imagery creates a feeling of confidence and peace

The narrator seems arrogant. This contrasts with his later mood Metaphor of ‘ a fairy boat’ used to make the scene seem otherworldly, but not threatening . 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; These two lines are used to emphasise the scale of the mountain through contrasting with the later description This simile emphasises that he is confident and in control. It contrasts sharply with the following line

Turing point (Volta) indicates change in tone. Simple word is emphasised by the caesura Personification: Contrasts with beautiful imagery of the boat ‘swan’ ‘elfin’ Dark and threatening language. Contrasts with earlier description When, from behind that craggy steep till then The horizon’s bound, a huge peak, black and huge, As if with voluntary power instinct, Sibilance creates Upreared its head. I struck and struck again, sinister mood 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, Description seems And through the silent water stole my way like a nature Back to the covert of the willow tree; The calm mountain contrasts with his fear He is afraid and guilty. He wants to hide

The event had a long lasting impact Nature is described as powerful. It can affect the lives of men ‘Grave’ means serioussuggesting the event has had a big impact. It also suggests his own mortality 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 The narrator is Of unknown modes of being; o’er my thoughts left feeling alone There hung a darkness, call it solitude and unsettled 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 The narrator no Like living men, moved slowly through the mind longer sees nature By day, and were a trouble to my dreams. in terms of pretty images Unsettling image helps us empathise with him. Huge contrast to the start of the poem

Major themes and comparisons to other poems Theme Poem to compare Power of nature Ozymandias, Exposure, Storm on the Island, Tissue , Kamikaze Loss and absence London, Exposure, Poppies, The Emigree, Kamikaze Memory My Last Duchess , Remains, Poppies, War Photographer, The Emigree, Kamikaze Pride Ozymandias, My Last Duchess , Individual Experiences London, Bayonet Charge, Remains, Poppies , War Photographer , The Emigree, Kamikaze

1). Explain how, at lines 365 -367, Wordsworth uses verbs and adjectives to portray the beauty of the lake. 2). Select any adjectives that shows how Wordsworth initially felt as he rowed out in the boat. 3). Which words show Wordsworth’s determination? 4). Select adverb that demonstrates Wordsworth’s passion and strength when rowing. Explain what may be giving the speaker strength to row (infer). 5). Identify where the poem reaches a Volta and explain how this effects the poem. 6). Identify the use of personification and explain what it may suggest about the mountain. 7). How does the verb ‘towered’ create a strong impression? What does it suggest? 8). Identify, select and explain a simile that enforces his impression. 9). Select a phrase that highlights the effect of nature (particularly the mountain) has on the speaker. 10). Overall, how is power portrayed in this poem? What may Wordsworth be trying to convey about the power of nature?

Question: Compare how poets present the power of nature in ‘The Prelude: Stealing the boat’ and one other poem from the ‘Power and Conflict’ cluster. Grade Band What is written 8 -9 • • • 6 -7 • • • 4 -5 • • • An Insightful and original comparison of the two poems Effectively integrates a range of quotes and examples Close analysis of the poets’ use of language, structure, and form, with reference to subject terminology Detailed explorations of how the poets’ techniques effect the reader Convincing analysis that explores alternative interpretations of ideas, themes, attitudes, and context of the poem. Presents a well thought out developed comparison of two poems Integrates well selected quotes and examples Explores the poets’ use of language, structure, and form, using subject terminology Examines techniques use in the poem and explain how they may effect the reader Careful consideration to the ideas, themes, attitudes, and context offering some original interpretations. Gives a clear comparison of the two poems Provides relevant detail to support interpretations of the poems Explains how the poets have used some features of language, structure and form using subject terminology Comments on how some of the techniques used in the poem affect the reader Shows a clear understanding of the ideas, themes, attitudes and context of the poem.