Understanding 'Excerpt from The Prelude' by William Wordsworth
I can explain what I think the poem is about and why I think it was written.
Understanding 'Excerpt from The Prelude' by William Wordsworth
I can explain what I think the poem is about and why I think it was written.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The Prelude is a semi-autobiographical poem which was published after Wordsworth's death.
- Written in the first person, this nostalgic poem reflects on a moment when Wordsworth was ice-skating as a child.
- Wordsworth had a deep appreciation for nature and spent much of his time outdoors.
- The intense feelings of innocence and joy felt by Wordsworth as a child, is matched by the intense beauty of nature.
- Wordsworth was one of the most influential Romantic poets, exploring the human experience in his poetry.
Keywords
Excerpt - a short extract taken from a larger text.
Nostalgia - a sense of longing for the past.
Rapture - a feeling of intense pleasure or joy.
Euphoria - a feeling of intense excitement and happiness.
Semi-autobiographical - a text that is partly-true to real life and partly-fictional.
Common misconception
Students often think that this poem is just about Wordsworth's time ice-skating as a child.
The poem also portrays the sheer power and beauty of nature. It is as much about nature as it is Wordsworth's childhood.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of the Eduqas poetry anthology for this lesson.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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