Nature Poetry

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Nature Poetry

“The Natural World is often a source of joy and wonder for the child; it can also cause fear and guilt”

William Wordsworth was born in Cumberland near the Lake District in 1770. He was educated at Hawkshead and later at St John’s College Cambridge. Wordsworth was one of the first “Romantic” poets in that he portrayed a romantic view of nature. Wordsworth aimed to use “a selection of the language really used by men” in his poems. He became Poet Laureate in 1843 and then died in 1850.

 Seamus Heaney was born in County Derry, Northern Ireland. He studied at Queen’s University and then went on to teach at St Joseph’s College Belfast. He was awarded the Noble prize for literature in 1995.

Both poets write about their childhood experiences. Although Wordsworth wrote in the 18th century and Heaney over two hundred years later both wrote many poems which are based on rural themes. Heaney, like Wordsworth, uses detailed and precise descriptions of his surroundings.

The two poems I have chosen to examine are  “Death of a Naturalist” by Heaney and “Nutting” by Wordsworth. Both show that nature has a dark, frightening side and that it is not always pleasant and cheerful. “Nutting” begins with Wordsworth going to collect nuts on “ one of those heavenly days that cannot die” but the poem ends with images of gloom and despondency. "Death of a Naturalist" begins with Heaney retelling his memories of collecting frogspawn; however, near the end guilt and fear are experienced by the child.

 

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The title  "Death of a Naturalist” shows the poem is about the ugly side of nature and suggests that Heaney was indeed a naturalist and loved nature but the events during the poem is going to alter this. The use of unattractive words such as “rotted” and “sweltered” makes the reader visualise the disgusting flax-dam “festering in the heart of the town land”. The rhythm in the first stanza is very slow and heavy; this is caused by words difficult to pronounce or else images that disgust the reader: “daily it sweltered in the punishing sun”. Heaney was obviously very ...

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