The Prelude of 1805- Zoey Russell

In “The Prelude of 1805”, the first book from lines 1 to 25, William Wordsworth starts by stating “Oh there is blessing in this gentle breeze, That blows from the green fields and from the clouds, And from the sky; it beats against my check”. He then moves to welcoming a “messenger” and “friend” who is “coming from a house Of bondage, from yon city’s walls set free,”. Then he talks about the “prisoner” and how he was captive for a long time and is now free. He then goes on to talk about where the “prisoner” will live and he states “underneath what grove”? Wordsworth uses diction and theme to illustrate his message of how one can live as a prisoner and when released, find shelter within nature.

Wordsworth uses many words to depict a prisoner who was recently released from prison. He uses words such as “bondage”, “set free”, “prisoner”, “immured”, and “enfranchised” to show that the prisoner was just released. At the beginning of the book, Wordsworth introduces the prisoner as a messenger and friend and “greets thee, coming from a house”. At the beginning, a reader might seem a little confused because he is introduced as a friend and then turned into a prisoner. He also is coming from a house but a few lines down he is “from yon city’s walls set free”. After being released from “yon city’s walls” and held captive for a period of time one has to find shelter and he does within nature.

The first book then goes into the prisoner talking about his shelter. He states “Shall be my harbor, underneath what grove”? This indicates that the prisoner needs a place to stay and hints a group of trees. Trees are a part of nature and he clearly does not mind to live with the nature. He then goes on to say “Shall with its murmurs lull me to my rest?” This indicates that if he does decide to live within the group of trees, will they lead him to sleep. He then suggest, “The earth is all before me-with a heart” meaning whatever he decides to do, the earth will protect him. Even if he does decide to sleep with the trees, the earth will not only be his shelter but his protection.

From the time of the prisoner being released from “yon city’s walls”, he chose to live within a group of trees. He feels that nature and the earth can and will protect him. Wordsworth uses diction and theme to illustrate his message of how easily a prisoner can find shelter. Nobody ever said shelter had to be within a home, and here the prisoner chose shelter within a group of trees.