Analysis Of Bog Queen
Analysis Of Bog Queen Seamus Heaney, as part of his 'Bog Poems' collection, wrote the poem, 'Bog Queen'. In this poem, Heaney brings together the main themes of his bog poems, including religion and sacrifice, pain and suffering, conflict within the Irish society and the links between the past the present. Heaney believes that Mother Ireland is Mother Earth, of which it pulls everyone together, showing that Irish land is of great importance. In this particular Bog poem, the Bog person made known here is a female woman. The poem opens with, "I lay waiting", and giving the impression that she knows that she will be revealed once again. Heaney here uses first person, which could signify that Heaney is identifying himself with the Bog Queen, showing that he has a deep connection with the woman and the themes of the poem. He uses first person to identify himself with the Queen, to show his anger towards the thoughts that Ireland is not learning from history, that it is going to lead into destruction. Heaney loves Ireland, but now what it does. The poem then progresses, "Between turf face and demesne wall, between heathery levels and glass toothed stone". The use of, "turf face", shows that she is completely enveloped in the deep earth. Heaney uses the repetition of the word, "between", showing again that she is concentrated deep into the earth. However the word, "demesne",
It Matters to Me
It Matters to Me Fellow classmates it is a pleasure to have all you gathered here in front of me. Today I would like to talk about something, which I feel strongly about. You may be unaware of this but the issue, which I wish to talk about, costs Northern Ireland's workers millions of pounds each year and is an enormous money-spinner for illegal organisations such as the Russian Mafia. The issue which some of you may have figured out is the trafficking of illegal immigrant workers into Northern Ireland's economy. Each year thousands of immigrant workers mainly from Eastern European origin flood the region and work in large farms or factories such as Moy Park chickens in Dungannon. On arrival in Ireland, North or South these people worm their way through airport security using false documentation where they usually meet a representative of the people who are orchestrating the crime. When the immigrant workers arrive at their final location they use the excuse that they are tourists if confronted by the authorities. You may be wondering how this issue affects us. The immigrant workers are giving local employers the opportunity to employ workers for a cheaper wage, which leaves many local employees unwanted, and in the cold, thus saving the company huge costs. In the last year there has been a rise of 6000 people unemployed in Northern Ireland. A Westminster politician has
Digging Analysis
Ravi Aggarwal GCSE English Coursework Digging Analysis I will approach this piece of coursework by first analysing both poems separately and then talking about their similarities and differences at the end. The two poems have similar themes in that they are both about the poet's memories of their ancestors. They are both about how the poets deal with their feelings by writing a poem. The poem is about a man who has grown up on a farm in which his ancestors have always worked digging for potatoes. The man in the poem feels guilty because he feels that he is letting his predecessors down because he has found a talent in writing. He feels that he does not want to dig for a living. The poem starts in the present tense. In the first line you find out that the poem is personal because of the word "my". The unusual simile "The squat pen rests, snug as a gun" is odd because guns are not thought of as snug or cosy so perhaps he is showing that the pen is like his weapon and can be very powerful or effective in some way. In the second stanza the man hears a sound from "under his window." The poet uses onomatopoeia to describe the sound, which gives us a sense of hearing and being able to imagine the "rasping" sound. There is also alliteration with "spade sinks" and "gravely ground." The persona knows what the "rasping" sound is without even looking down, probably because
Write a comparison of ‘The Grauballe Man’, ‘Punishment’ and ‘Field of Vision’ by Seamus Heaney.
Write a comparison of 'The Grauballe Man', 'Punishment' and 'Field of Vision' by Seamus Heaney. The title 'Field of vision' has a triple meaning; the field which is in view, her field of vision, and the narrators field of vision. The title is an apt indication of the poem itself. Heaney presents the reader with images which at face value mean one thing, but when you look closer the meaning changes. For instance the 'sycamore trees un-leafing and leafing at the far end of the lane' not only describes the scene but also gives us an insight into the woman's nature. Not only that but it is creating a very cyclical feel. Much of the poem not only describes the woman's view through her window, but the woman herself. 'Straight out past the TV in the corner' implies the woman is not interested in the mundane, or is perhaps intellectually above television. 'Small calves with their backs to the wind' provides the reader with an image of youth and the vitality of youth, however the next line, 'the same acre of ragwort, the same mountain' gives the impression of age, toughness and strength. Perhaps what Heaney is trying to tell us is that the woman has two aspects to her personality, reinforcing the dual image of 'un-leafing and leafing'. The image of the strength and staying power are reflected in the woman, 'she was steadfast as the big window itself. However this strength is also
Explore the ways Heaney uses nature in the two peoms 'Blackberry Picking'and 'Death Of A Naturalist'.
Explore the ways Heaney uses nature in the the two peoms 'Blackberry Picking' and 'Death Of A Naturalist' Heaney sets the poem 'Blackberry Picking' in the countryside. You can tell this by the title of the peom and he also mentions 'hayfields, cornfields and potao-drills' in the first verse. Heaney uses a lot of alliteration in this poem. For example in the first verse he says 'big dark blobs burned'. There is a repetition of the b'b sound. This also makes the look of the berries more powerful. The reader gets a strong impression of their shape and colour. also he repeats the 'f' sound in the line 'The fruit fermented' which is in the second verse. This may give the effect, to the reader, of something slow. The word fermenting is a slow process. The imagery Heaney uses is concentrated in the first verse. For example, he says 'a glossy purple clot' and 'its flesh was sweet like thickened wine'. all of the metaphor and similie phrases convey stronhgs images of blood. At the beginning of the poem he makes the ripe berries out to be like young children- lots of 'blood' inside and then by the end of the poem he makes rthem out to be like older people. He says 'The fruit fermented' which shows decay and aging. An interesting image he gives the reader is when he mentions Bluebeard. This is another of his many conections to blood but it is, by far, the strangest. Bluebeard was
Explore how Heaney writes about childhood experiences in Death of a Naturalist and in one other poem of your choice. In your Response you should include discussion of the following:
Explore how Heaney writes about childhood experiences in Death of a Naturalist and in one other poem of your choice. In your Response you should include discussion of the following: * Descriptive elements * Use of language and structure Heaney writes about childhood experiences in Death of a Naturalist and Blackberry-Picking. Death of a Naturalist is concerned with growing up and loss of innocence. The poet vividly describes a childhood experience that precipitates a change in the boy from the receptive and protected innocence of childhood to the fear and uncertainty of adolescence. Similarly, Blackberry picking is about hope and disappointment and easily becomes a metaphor for other experiences. Both poems are organised in two sections corresponding to the change. Death of a Naturalist opens with an evocation of summer landscape which has the immediacy of an actual childhood experience. There is also a sense of exploration in which is consistent with the idea of learning inevitable leading to discovery and troubled awareness of experience. In the second section everything changes and the world is now a threatenting place, full of ugliness and meance. There is still a strong emphasis on decay and putrefaction, but now its not balanced by images suggesting profusion of life. Similar to the Death of a Naturalist, Blackberry picking begins with the description of the
Follower is a poem written by the renowned poet Seamus Heaney. The poem relates back to Heaneys past memories which he had experienced when he was at a younger age.
'Follower' is a poem written by the renowned poet Seamus Heaney. The poem relates back to Heaney's past memories which he had experienced when he was at a younger age. The text is spoken through the first person narrative of a child's perspective and the use of diction and metaphors further conveys the poet's relationship with his family. The poem, although sounding very simplistic, manages to convey Heaney's relationship through memories that he had with his father. In the first half of the poem the poet draws a vivid portrait of his father as he ploughs a field. The poet, as a young boy, follows his father as he goes about his work and, like most boys, he idolizes his father and admires his great skill, 'An expert. He would set the wing and fit the bright steel - pointed sock'. For a substantial amount of the poem, Heaney devotes his time to praising his father. Through this entire appraisal, the young Heaney becomes more attached to his father, making their relationship stronger. The father is, more than anything else, a skilled and energetic farmer. He is the source of admiration for Heaney for which he praises him in a physical and metaphorical standpoint. In the physical standpoint, his father's strength and fortitude are described effectively by the use of a simile. Heaney describes his shoulders as "globed like a full sail strung". The image of a full sail strung
Consider Heaney's presentation of relationships in Act of Union and one other poem
Consider Heaney's presentation of relationships in Act of Union and one other poem The poem Act Of Union is an allegory and focuses on the theme of relationships. It has a surface meaning of a relationship between a man and woman and the underlying meaning of Ireland and Britain. Its title is from an act passed in parliament in 1800, England's response the 1789 rebellion. This created from January 1st 1801 onwards, the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland'. The extended metaphor used throughout the poem describes what took place between England and Ireland but also a sexual act taking place between a man and woman. The flow of the poem using enjambment also represents the sexual act taking place. The language used in the 1st stanza points toward this being a case of rape, "To slip and flood; a big burst," "And arms and legs are thrown" The use of alliteration and consonance represent the pain and harshness of the act of rape and the invasion of Ireland by England. Yet Heaney goes on to write, "I caress The heaving province..." this juxtaposition of the sexual act provides a stark contrast and forces us to stop and revaluate exactly why we are reading the poem. Topography is also used in the poem to give a female persona to Ireland, "Your back is a firm line of eastern coast" and also the power England holds over Ireland, "I am the tall kingdom" Towards
Heaney's poems explore by varied poetic means the enduring significance of family and childhood in human life. Discuss.
Heaney's poems explore by varied poetic means the enduring significance of family and childhood in human life. Discuss. Much of Heaney's poetry, particularly from his early selections, explores childhood and family. Heaney perhaps uses these themes as a means of discovering his true self by travelling back to his roots. His childhood experiences have certainly had a deep impact and acted as inspiration for many of the poems from his first book, 'Death of a Naturalist', but there are also poems in later books that explore this theme. Aside from giving us an insight into Heaney's early life, his exploration of childhood and family also reflects the rural Irish culture at the time and the political situation in Ireland. The poet also explores the themes of childhood and family through the use of various poetic devices, including vivid imagery and structure. The first poem that I have decided to examine is 'Digging' from Heaney's first collection, 'Death of a Naturalist'. This poem focuses on the poet's father and grandfather, and his admiration for their digging skills. It also shows the great contrast between father and son, in that Heaney has "no spade to follow men like them"; his talents lie in writing. 'Digging' is the first poem in the selection, and certainly depicts Heaney's insecurities about his writing career and his early struggle to define himself as a
Using two of Heaney's poems, compare them for treatment of theme and style, noting signs of the poet's development.
Rebecca Brackley Using two of Heaney's poems, compare them for treatment of theme and style, noting signs of the poet's development. Seamus Heaney has developed greatly as a writer from his first collection of poetry, Death of a Naturalist, to his collection further on, Wintering out. I am going to examine the poems, Death of a naturalist and The Tollund man, to explore how Heaney's poetry has developed in style and themes. Firstly, from looking at Death of a Naturalist, Heaney clearly establishes the themes that he develops in this collection of poems. He firstly talks about his own personal history, and then uses memories from his own childhood. Heaney paints vivid descriptions of his memories or rural Irish life, and uses language as he describes how the "Bubbles gargled delicately". This onomatopoeia is seen once again, as he recalls the "coarse croaking" of the "gross-bellied frogs". There is also the strong theme of Irish landscapes and traditions, which is an ongoing theme throughout Heaney's first collection of poetry. He describes how "All year the flax-dam festered in the heart/Of the townland", which shows a traditional rural activity that occurred when Heaney was growing up in agricultural Ireland. Heaney also expresses his loss of innocence through this poem, as he develops knowledge and maturity. In the first section of the poem the language used is