Death of a Naturalist

IS THIS POEM JUST ABOUT FROGS?

Why is it significant that this poem is written from an adult perspective, looking back on a childhood experience?

It is clearly significant that this poem is written from Seamus' perspective as an adult as he refers many things back to his childhood. This is clear as he keeps entering the fact he was at school due to past teachers names being mentioned once or twice withing the poem. Seamus also explains what one of his teachers in particular used a phrase to explain to the class when younger how a female frog produces such a thing as frogspawn. 'The daddy frog was called a bullfrog and how he croaked and how the mammy frog laid hundreds of little eggs and this was frogspawn'.

What is being said about growing up?

Seamus' view changes dramatically within the duration of the poem. In the first paragraph where he is explaining his childhood, Seamus' view on tadpoles and frogs are rather child like; like there is nothing that could phase a scruffy child. However, towards the end of the poem; Seamus' view changes dramatically to more of a terrified and disgusted teenager perhaps. Due to the fact Heaney has grown up a little, his view on fears and disgust could easily change.

Heaney often represents aspects of nature as basic, ugly and threatening. Does this poem demonstrate this?

This poem demonstrates quite clearly that some particular aspects of nature; in this case frogs, are seen as being vile and a disrespect to nature and the society.

Does this mean that Heaney doesn't like nature?Heaney does portray a hatred towards the frogs he is describing, but this does not mean that he doesn't like nature.

Death of a Naturalist

How do we know that this section of the poem describes an experience later in the summer? Is it a pleasing image of the season?

Only one line shows this; 'rank with cowdung' - we can sense that this was not a pleasant or pleasing image to Seamus.

How are the developed frogs made to sound ugly and threatening?

Several phrases and sentences are used to show the disapproval of the frogs from Heaney's point of view. 'angry frogs invaded', 'the air was thick with brass chorus', 'dam gross-bellied frogs were cocked on sods', 'loose necks pulsed like sails', 'slap and plop were obscene threats', 'mud grenades', 'blunt heads farting', 'great slime kings', 'vengeance', 'that if i dipped my hand the spawn would clutch it'.

Why does this experience cause the 'death' of the naturalist?

'I sickened, turned, and ran!'

Death of a Naturalist

Which phrase sounds like a child describing the scene? - 'But best of all'

Identify the ugly image that would be appealing to a child. - 'The warm thick slobber of frogspawn'

Where has onomatopoeia been used? - 'slobber'

Where has the simile been used to describe the frog spawn? - 'like clotted water'

Why are these techniques effective? - These techniques are highly effective as Seamus is portraying a child like image due to the explanation of his childhood within the poem and thus; this has more of a creative view.

Underline other phrases that have been used to describe the frogspawn. - 'fattening dots' and 'nimble swimming tadpoles'.

 

Seamus Heaney - Death of a Naturalist

Positive words/phrases within the poem;

-'heart'
-'green'
-'sun'
-'bubbles gargled'
-'delicately'
-'spotted-butterflies'

Negative words/phrases within the poem;

-'festered'
-'heavy headed'

-'rotted there'

-'huge sods'
-'punishing'
-'sweltered'
-'strong gauze'

An oxymoron is used within the fifth line; 'bubbles gargled delicately' - this is a contradictory term used in conjunction in the sense that usually when bubbles gargle, they do so fiercely and wildly not in a calm and chilled way. A metaphor is also identified in line 6; Seamus states 'Bluebottles wove a strong gauze of sound around the smell' he is attempting to portray that a bandage like gauze of sound is being wrapped around smell - when theoretically this could not be possible.

Seamus Heaney - Storm On The Island

Key Themes

-Natural Power
-Fear and Isolation

-Mans Relationship with Nature

Key Techniques

-Blank Verse

-Enjambment
-Caesura

-Assonance

-Oxymoron

-Metaphors and Similes

Lines 1-5:
Seamus repeats the word 'we' to show that the people on the island are not alone and is also expressing that although a storm is brewing; he feels safe in himself - a sense of community. To prepare themselves for the storm - they built their houses with very thick walls and exceedingly good slate on the roofs to ensure their safety is ahead. Assonance is used as the repetition of a vowel sound is used; 'roof' and 'good'. The word wizened can have many meanings - such as shrivelled, old and feeble, but also can mean wise and experienced as a strength. No nature in sight, not a thing growing - 'the earth has never troubled us'. In Line 1 there is an example of caesura; this is when there is deliberate pause in the middle of a sentence to create effect. After the word 'prepared' there is a ':' - this represents a caesura.
At the end of lines 1 and 2; there are end breaks and also many comma's and fullstops to emphasize the drama towards how much they are preparing for the storm. In the rest of the poem enjambment is used to make the poem flow continuously. There is only one stanza in the poem; this is used for a dramatic value as Seamus is creating the effect the the storm is on going - never ending.

Lines 6-10:
The effect of enjambment in these few lines begin with '.. full Blast'; this is an unexpected word and most definitely catches the reader out. In line 7, conversational tone is used; this addresses the reader and draws their attention to the poem by ensuring it as being more personal in Seamus' view for reassurance; the leaves and branches show that he is not alone and has always got someone to be reassured by. Heaney uses the word 'chorus' to show how the storm keeps returning and will not go away full time. He also describes the wind as being a human characteristic; 'it pummels your house' - this is personifying the wind, referring to the fact that the wind is annoying and almost like he is in a constant row with the wind itself. He explains how the wind from one moment could be tame and calm, then within an instance it could become wild and violent with no answer as to why. He uses personification by describing a cat being calm then the next moment, due to one particular reason - the animal turns vicious.



Gillian Clarke

http://www.gillianclarke.co.uk/home.htm
Gillian was born in Cardiff, Wales. She was a poet, playwrighter, editor and a translator. She was also a freelance tutor of creative writing, from primary school children to adults. Her poetry is massively studied by GCSE and A Level students throughout Britain. She has travelled in Europe and the United States giving poetry readings and lectures, and her work has been translated into ten languages. She has a daughter and two sons, and now lives with her husband on a smallholding in Ceredigion, where they raise a small flock of sheep, and care for the land according to organic and conservation practice.

Seamus Heaney - Follower

Most of this poem describes the skill and strength of Heaneys' father. How do each of the following lines express his fathers qualities?
a) 'His shoulders globed like a full sail strung'This shows us his father is strong and highly proffessioned at plowing. His father is a very hard worker and puts all strength and effort into his work.

b) 'The horses straining at his clicking tongue'Even though the horses are tired, his father is still going strong and persists on finishing his work each day. His father is a very persistant man and insists on completing each level of work at all times.

c) 'With a single pluck/Of reins, the sweating team turned around'
The shows that Seamus' father is in control. The horses follow his commands instantly; even though they are worn out.

d) 'Dipping and rising to his plod'
This continues on the nautical reference like the use of the snail in the first quote. Maybe comparing the plowing to a wave and his father to a ship as he is strong and over powering towards his work.

What do the following lines tell you about Seamus Heaney?
e) 'I stumble in his hob-nailed wake'
This shows us that the young Heaney followed in his fathers footsteps and stumbled showing his youthful excitement and clumsiness; this may mean that Heaney is impressed at his fathers work.

f) 'I was a nuicance, tripping, falling; yapping always'
This shows that when Seamus was young he was very much interested in his fathers work by asking questions constantly and interupting his fathers work. This shows that Seamus could have been seen as annoying in his fathers point of view; a nuicance.

What kind of animal does the young Heaney remind you of?
Heaney reminds me of a young, mischievous puppy. I think this as they are very loyal to there owners and can be a nuicance at times; just like Heaney as a child. Puppies are very excited animals and always getting in the way at the most complicated times. Heaney resembles this as he was constantly getting under his fathers feet while he was trying to make a living.

How has the relationship changed according to the last two and a half lines?
According to the last few lines his father now follows Heaney instead; he is now the nuicance - the situation has been reversed. Maybe this is because his father has become older by the end of the poem and now relys on his son to take care of him; just like Seamus relied on his father throughout the previous years.