Death Of A Naturalist By Seamus Heaney

Question 1

Death of a naturalist quote 1

Answer 1

‘Festered’, ‘rotted’ - verbs foreshadow the change in perspective

Question 2

Death of a naturalist quote 2

Answer 2

‘Bubbles gargled delicately’ - oxymoron shows childish enjoyment

Question 3

Death of a naturalist quote 3

Answer 3

‘Dragonflies, spotted butterflies, but best of all, the warm thick slobber’ - juxtaposition shows complete fascination

Question 4

Death of a naturalist quote 4

Answer 4

‘One hot day when the fields were rank’ - the setting is constant but the view changes

Question 5

Death of a naturalist quote 5

Answer 5

‘Invaded’, ‘cocked’, ‘poised like mid grenades’ - extensive use of militaristic language shows the threatened view of nature

Question 6

Death of a naturalist quote 6

Answer 6

‘If I dipped my hands in, the spawn would clutch it’ - the poem ends with a complete change of view

Question 7

Death of a naturalist context

Answer 7

• 20th century poem
• Heaney grew up in Northern Ireland
• his brother died when he was young
• grew up in the troubles

Question 8

Death of a naturalist structure

Answer 8

• 2 clear stanzas for different perspectives
• Volta of the poem occurs when Heaney introduces the rain
• repetition shows nature hasn’t changed but his views have

Question 9

Death of a naturalist personal response

Answer 9

• makes me consider how my own views will change
• contemplate the loss of innocence every child goes through