Storm on the Island (Seamus Heaney) Flashcards
(6 cards)
What is a key theme in the poem?
Fear- although described as a ‘huge nothing’, links to the tragedy of the chorus as a result of a lack of trees or shelter from the storm.
What influenced the poem?
Heaney grew up in the era of the Irish troubles and lived on farmland, both of which could have influenced the poem’s war imagery and the explorations into the power of nature respectively.
How is the theme of war presented?
War is prevalent throughout the poem through semantic fields created by words such as exploding, strafes and salvo.
How is the sea presented in the poem?
There are juxtaposing presentations of the sea in the poem. For example, the ‘oxymoron exploding comfortably’ conveys the importance of water for the island as a source of comfort and familiarity but also as a powerful, changeable force.
How is the poem structured?
It has no verses and is written in a “solid block” perhaps to reference how the houses are built. The word “blast” is emphasised and stands out with a colon behind it, conveying its importance yet also disruption to the island. At the beginning, we are introduced to the island’s preparation for the storm. This results in a build up of anticipation and tension for the reader for what is to come.
