Identify and Explain Key Quotes in 'The Prelude'

Refer to the poem 'The Prelude' in your anthology.

Here's a quick recap of the poem: The speaker (who is Wordsworth, himself) describes his relationship with nature, depicting how it has changed over the years. A past experience of the sublime, (this refers to an awe-inspiringly grand experience- something monumental and amazing) which then causes the speaker's opinion of nature to change. In the case of this poem, Wordsworth's sublime experience is linked to fear and awe over nature. The poem depicts a life-changing moment for Wordsworth, where he experiences a change from boy to man, after witnessing the power of nature.

This activity should help you revise some key quotes and help deepen your understanding of the poem. In the following questions, you'll be given a quote from the poem, and you'll need to identify the poet's meaning behind the quote.

It may be helpful to write the quotes down as you do this exercise so you can memorise them for your exam.

You should always refer to your own text when working through these examples. These quotations are for reference only.