The Prelude, III Book [pg 108]

In the third book of the prelude lines 325-344 illustrate concrete ideas. Throughout the poem there is a wide range of concrete and abstract ideas that are dispersed between one another. In these specific lines, Woodsworth inserts a concrete idea without abstraction. This expert is completely comprehensible and does not use very complex language which makes it concrete. Although these line are comprehensible and concrete they can also be seen as an abstract idea as well.

In line 325 Woodsworth begins to express his feelings of “alienation” from pleasant things.
“The months passed on, remissly, not giving up
To willful alienation from the right,
Or walks of open scandal, but in vague
And loose indifference, easy likings, aims
Of a low pitch - duty zeal dismissed
This section of the poem (325-329) is where alienation is introduced. The abstraction can be seen in the “subject” that Woodsworth is being alienated from. Alienation is a word that is normally used to describe separation of a person from a place or other people; however, Woodsworth uses alienation to describe separation from a feeling. He is willfully isolating himself from all things “right”. He then expounds giving examples of what is conceived to be “right”.

Moreover, Woodsworth continues saying “Yet Nature, or a happy discourse of things not doing in their stead their needful work.” This line is implying that natural feelings that are conjured from “happy things” are no longer existent within him. This is also an example of abstraction through his concrete idea. The idea that certain happiness is assigned to certain “things” is an abstract idea. There is person place or thing that makes everyone happy, however; Woodsworth introduces the idea that this is possible. An example of this is later mentioned in line 344 which states “And pleasant flowers. The thirst of living praise,” This line is making the claim that flowers are pleasant which is not agreed upon by all.

As seen through the examples given, Woodsworth uses concrete language in order to convey his abstract ideas. These are successfully portrayed because the reader is able to understand the abstract idea. In the other previous books from the prelude, abstract ideas are conveyed in an almost incomprehensible manner. This change in tone and language helps the reader to understand his ideas.