Grade 5-6

Both Extract from the Prelude and Storm on the Island explore nature’s power. In ‘Extract from the Prelude’, Wordsworth makes clear nature is powerful by describing the lake as ‘glittering’ and ‘sparkling’. Wordsworth’s use of imagery helps the reader to imagine the moonlight reflecting in the water and creating sparkling ripples. The use of these words creates a very magical feel and demonstrates the power and beauty that Wordsworth, a Romantic poet, can see in the natural world. The power of nature is explored differently in ‘Storm on the Island’. Heaney presents the sea as very powerful by writing that it ‘spits like a tame cat turned savage’. Heaney’s use of imagery helps the reader to imagine that the sea is spitting at the islanders like a wild, savage animal. Heaney’s use of the word ‘tame’ suggests that, like a friendly cat, the sea is normally familiar to the islanders and they feel comfortable being near it. But Heaney’s use of the words ‘turned savage’ demonstrates that the sea, like an animal, can be unpredictable and can turn on you. This could reflect the way Heaney feels about the natural world. As a result of growing up in the countryside, Heaney would have felt comfortable with nature, but knew how unpredictable it could become during a violent storm.

Both poems explore nature’s threat. Wordsworth conveys that he feels threatened by nature by writing that the mountain ‘upreared its head’ and ‘strode after me’. Wordsworth’s use of personification helps the reader to imagine that the speaker sees the mountain as a terrifying creature with a head, rising up above him. Wordsworth’s use of the words ‘strode after me’ demonstrates that the speaker worries that he is being chased by the mountain, and rapidly tries to row his boat away from it. The speaker’s terror at this moment contrasts with how peaceful he felt at the start of his boat journey. This transformation reflects Wordsworth’s belief that nature can be both peaceful and frightening. Nature is also threatening in ‘Storm on the Island’. Heaney uses battle-like imagery to convey that the islanders feel threatened by the storm. Heaney’s use of the word ‘exploding’ suggests that the sea is beating violently against the cliffs. His use of the word ‘bombarded’ implies that the islanders feel there is no escape from the storm; they are being attacked on all sides. The word ‘pummels’ helps the reader to imagine that the wind is like a person beating its fists against the islanders and against the cliffs. It is clear how threatened the speaker feels in both poems.

Both poems explore an emotional journey. In the final lines of ‘Extract from the Prelude’ Wordsworth describes his boat journey as ‘a trouble to my dreams’. In other words, Wordsworth suggests that the speaker of the poem is haunted by the memories of his experience and cannot forget the overwhelming power of nature. It is clear that the speaker of the poem has gone on a journey that has changed his view about nature forever. Wordsworth based this poem on his own experiences as a child. The boat journey in this poem symbolises Wordsworth’s relationship with nature throughout his life; he was always discovering more about nature, and constantly reflecting upon its power and beauty. The journey in ‘Storm on the Island’ is different. In the final line of ‘Storm on the Island’, Heaney makes clear the speaker is no longer afraid by writing ‘Strange. It is a huge nothing that we fear’. Heaney creates contrast with the words ‘huge nothing’ to mirror the contrast between the anticipation of the storm and the feeling after the storm has passed. Heaney’s use of the word ‘huge’ reflects the fear the islanders felt before the storm arrived, while the word ‘nothing’ reflects how the storm didn’t do any damage to the island or islanders. Just like Wordsworth, Heaney’s poem draws upon his own experiences, exploring the changing relationship he had with nature.

Grade 8-9

Both ‘Extract from the Prelude’ by Wordsworth and ‘Storm on the Island’ by Heaney suggest that the power of nature is greater than the power of humanity. In Wordsworth’s poem, the speaker enters into the power of nature, and it changes him dramatically. In Heaney’s poem, nature arrives aggressively at the island. However, the islanders reflect how unchanged they are after this assault. Although there are opposing outcomes for the speakers, both poets are united by the attitude that nature will always remain feral and should be revered rather than repressed, as the latter is not possible.

Both ‘Extract from the Prelude’ and ‘Storm on the Island’ explore nature’s power and suggest that it is more powerful than humanity. In ‘Extract from the Prelude’, Wordsworth uses a collection of words that convey magical qualities, such as ‘glittering’ and ‘sparkling’. These words suggest that nature possesses a power beyond the understanding of the mortal, modest limits of mankind. Although Wordsworth is detailing the moonlight’s reflection on the water, it is as though he is transcended into a mystical realm. The use of these words creates a very magical feel and demonstrates the power and beauty that Wordsworth, a Romantic poet, can see in the natural world. Unlike Wordsworth, Heaney suggests that the natural world has tameable qualities but can remain unpredictable. Heaney presents the sea as very powerful by writing that it ‘spits like a tame cat turned savage’. Heaney’s description creates the idea that the sea is spitting at the islanders like a wild, savage animal. Although the sea was ‘tame’ to some extent, Heaney warns that nature will always be untameable at heart and feral, like a cat that has abandoned human companionship. This could reflect the way Heaney feels about the natural world. As a result of growing up in the countryside, Heaney would have felt comfortable with nature, but knew how unpredictable it could become during a violent storm.

Both poems explore nature’s threat, suggesting that it can easily overpower humanity. Wordsworth conveys how he feels threatened by nature by writing that the mountain ‘upreared its head’ and ‘strode after me’. Wordsworth’s use of personification helps the reader to imagine that the speaker sees the mountain as a terrifying, ominous creature that looms over the narrator and pursues them. Wordsworth details that the mountain ‘strode after me’, which could demonstrate the speaker’s concern that he is being chased by the untameable mountain, and rapidly tries to row his boat away from it. The speaker’s terror at this moment contrasts with how peaceful he felt at the start of his boat journey. This transformation reflects Wordsworth’s belief that nature can be both peaceful and frightening. Perhaps Wordsworth is also warning the reader that nature, no matter how tranquil and placid it may seem, always has the power to conquer humanity. Heaney also conveys the idea that nature is a powerful, ominous presence in ‘Storm on the Island’. Heaney uses battle-like imagery to convey that the islanders feel threatened by the might of the storm. Heaney’s use of the word ‘exploding’ suggests that the sea is beating violently against the cliffs as nature commences its assault on the island. His use of the word ‘bombarded’ implies that the islanders feel there is no escape from the storm; they are being attacked on all sides and a war is upon them. The word ‘pummels’ helps the reader to imagine that the wind is like a person beating its fists against the islanders and against the cliffs. It is clear how threatened both speakers feel. Both poets are intimidated by the powerful threat of nature and suggest that mankind is fragile and vulnerable in comparison.

Wordsworth’s poem explores the lasting changes that occurred due to his encounter with nature, whereas Heaney conveys how much remains unchanged after the storm. In the final lines of ‘Extract from the Prelude’ Wordsworth describes his boat journey as ‘a trouble to my dreams’. In other words, Wordsworth suggests that the speaker of the poem is haunted by the memories of his experience and cannot forget the overwhelming power of nature. Wordsworth is unable to shake the experience, and it encroaches in his waking and sleeping thoughts. Even when Wordsworth leaves the wilds, it stays with him and lingers. It is clear that the speaker of the poem has gone on a journey that has changed his view about nature forever. Wordsworth based this poem on his own experiences as a child. The boat journey in this poem symbolises Wordsworth’s relationship with nature throughout his life; he was always discovering more about nature, and constantly reflecting upon its power and beauty. On the other hand, Heaney has the speaker in ‘Storm on the Island’ reflect how unchanged the island and its population are after nature’s assault. In the final line of ‘Storm on the Island’, Heaney makes clear the speaker is no longer afraid by writing ‘Strange. It is a huge nothing that we fear’. Heaney creates contrast with the words ‘huge nothing’ to mirror the contrast between the anticipation of the storm and the feeling after the storm has passed. Heaney’s use of the word ‘huge’ reflects the fear the islanders felt before the storm arrived, while the word ‘nothing’ reflects how the storm didn’t do any damage to the island or islanders. Just like Wordsworth, Heaney’s poem draws upon his own experiences, exploring the changing relationship he had with nature.

The structure of both poems is employed to convey the wild, untamable qualities of nature. In ‘Extract from the Prelude’, Wordsworth uses a free loose structure. His poem is liberated from the manacles of a tightly-controlled rhyme scheme or form, which mirrors his key message about nature: that you can exist within it, but it can never be yours, and it can never be mastered. Heaney also uses the form and structure of the poem to convey his message about nature. ‘Storm on the Island’ is also free from the convention and burden of fixed, traditional rhyme schemes. The freedom in Heaney’s structure mimics the freedom and wildness of the storm, and the enjambement reflects the constant motion and shifting of the weather. Both poets abandon conventional structure and rhyme schemes to suggest that nature can never be contained.