Death of a Naturalist

Lines 1-7
A mix of positive and negative language is used; positive language include green, delicately and wove. The descriptions of the insects and the area are positive. There are also negative words such as festered, rotted, sweltered, punishing. These contrast well. Metaphors are also used, 'wove a strong gauze of sound'. Heaney uses an oxymoron in the form of 'gargled delicately', as gargling is a harsh action, and cannot be done gently.

Lines 8-16
The words 'school' and 'jampotfuls' suggest that a child is describing this scene. 'Warm thick slobber' and 'fattening dots burst' is imagery that would appeal to a child. The word 'slobber' is an example of onomatopoeia. 'Grew like clotted water' is a simile, as the frogspawn looks like jellied-water, but it is not. These techniques make the poet seem very naive and innocent, unaware of what the frogspawn would become. More words and phrases used to describe the frogspawn include 'clotted water', 'warm thick slobber', 'jellied specks', 'the fattening dots burst.

Lines 17-23
The poet then explains how his interest in frogspawn and nature was sparked by a primary school lesson. This is shown by 'Miss Walls told us...' and the way frogs mating us explained in a way children could understand 'The daddy frog was called a bullfrog'. These lines conclude the first stanza. On the whole, the language is very childish, innocent and naive, this shows that Heaney is writing this from a child's perspective, from when he was a child.

Lines 24-39
The second stanza describes a situation later on, in which the tadpoles become adult frogs. Heaney describes walking down to the pond, and he describes how the frogs have developed. The frogs are described as being ugly and threatening. 'Obscene threats'. 'Mud grenades'. Heaney was horrified and sickened, and all of his excitement of the frogspawn and tadpoles vanish. This is why the poem is called 'Death of a Naturalist' The tone of this section is completely different from the first, positive language replaced by negative language.

Storm on the Island - Seamus Heaney

Key Themes
Storm on the Island is a simple poem describing the destructive force of a storm, and how we feel fear towards it even though we cannot see it, or hear it, but yet we still fear it. The themes are natural power, fear and isolation, and man's relationship with nature.

Key Techniques
Heaney uses blank verse, enjambment, caesura (a deliberate pause), assomance (the repition of similar vowels), an oxymoron, similes and metaphors. The whole poem is in one stanza, as the storm is continous and relentless.

Lines 1-5
There is a repition of the word 'we' in the first line. This sets a sense of community, saying that the people on the island and secure, and are in it together. It then states how the community are prepared for the storm, with squat, sturdy houses, with robust rooves and walls. In line 2 there is an assomance of the words 'roof' and 'good'. The use of the word 'wizened' describing the earth is interesting, as it means old, feeble, but also wise and experienced. Nothing grows on the island, so there is nothing on the island that can be destroyed by the oncoming storm. There is a caesura on the first line, a deliberate pause after the word prepared.  At the end of lines one and two, there are breaks, commas or full stops. The rest uses enjambment, to make the poem flow continously. This contrasts because the first lines are preparation, after that it is the effects of the storm.

Lines 6-10
'Full blast' is a strong piece of enjambment, imposing a sense of the unexpected. Caesuras are common in these lines. It uses a coversational tone, 'you know what I mean'. This makes is personal, and reassuring. He talks about how there are no trees or foliage around him, he feels isolated, and seeks reassurance. He refers to 'tragic chorus', suggesting this storm keeps repeating and continuing just the same as before. The wind is personified, 'it pummels your house' described violently.

Line 11-19
The repitition of the word 'no' in 'no trees, no shelter' makes the poet seem even more isolated. An powerful oximoron is used, the waves 'exploding comfortably'. This shows the power of the sea, but also that the situation is not extraordinary. More caesuras are used. The analagy of the sea being a tame cat turned savage is effective, is says that the sea and weather were nice and normal, but suddenly turned vicious and evil. The word 'spit' is onomatopoeia and personification, and gives the readers imagery about the sea's movements. There are numerous references to warfare and conflict, such as 'bombard', 'strafe' and 'dives'. This makes the storm seem very poweful, a force to be reckoned with. The last line is a reflection, stating how we are afraid of something we cannot see, only feel the effects. The oximoron 'huge nothing' makes an effective mockery of this.