Storm On the island

• Where did Seamus Heaney grow up?

  In northern island
• What type of household was he born in?

  Catholic household and wrote about his personal experience of his youth like picking up blackberries
• What poem collection was storm on the island a part of?

  "Death of a naturalists" looking at the aran island and the power nature had over them.
• In Irish culture what is a symbol?

  Islands. This collection dismantled the thought of romanticising natures beauty but instead it explored the dangers of it
• What is storm of the island an extended metaphor of ?

  the political situation in northern island called"low-level war" division between catholics and protestants.
• "leaves and branches can raise a chorus in gale"
• What does the quote 'trees and branches can raise a chorus in gale" mean?

  Nature is constantly tormenting man. Personification is issued to imbue the nature with enough power to compete with man. Shows that nature is demonic.
• What does the noun "chorus" portray?

  In greek tragedy, a "chorus" would give commentary and explain events.

  The absence of the trees depicts isolation of the islanders who are left alone to fight and interpret the storm.
• "spits like a tame cat turned savage"
• What technique is "spits like a tame cat turned savage"


  zoomorphism through a simile.
• What does the simile "spits like a tamed cat turned savage" mean?

  highlights how nature could be deceptive with its apparent beauty but in fact it has the capacity for violence and brutality.
• What does the juxtaposition of "tame" and "savage" show?

  portrays the mercurial nature of the storm
• "pummels, exploded, slavo and bombarded"
• What technique is "pummels, exploded, slavo and bombarded"

  semantic field of battle.
• What does the semantic field "pummels, exploded, slavo and bombarded" show?

  A lexis relating to military violence could indicate that it is more political than we actually think.

  The political government are affecting the community which creates fear that overwhelms the community when violence is on the horizon.
• What does one stanza indicate?

  The same level of tension throughout the whole poem.
• what is a Volta?

  change in tone.
• What does mercurial mean?

  Unpredictable change in mood