storm on the island

• How does the poem "Storm on the Island" begin?

  With the line "we are prepared"
• What does the phrase "it's a huge nothing that we fear" imply?

  Fear of the unknown and unpreparedness
• What does the speaker realize by the end of "Storm on the Island"?

  They cannot prepare for all elements of war
• Direct and Blunt Tone

  Heaney uses simple, direct, and conversational language throughout the poem. This straightforward approach mirrors the no-nonsense attitude the speaker adopts when preparing for the storm. It also reflects the harsh realities of life in an isolated, storm-prone environment.
• "We are prepared: we build our houses squat"


  • he use of the first-person plural pronoun ("we") establishes a collective identity and reinforces the idea that the islanders are united in their experience of the storm.
  • The adjective “squat” evokes the physical sturdiness of the houses, emphasizing the practical need for stability and the reality of living in a vulnerable setting. The lack of ornamentation in the language emphasizes the unadorned and harsh environment in which the islanders live.
• Lexical Field of Violence and Aggression

  Throughout the poem, Heaney employs a lexical field of aggression and violence to describe the storm. The diction not only evokes the storm's destructive power but also hints at the relationship between nature’s force and human struggle.
• The wizened earth has never troubled us"

  • "Wizened" conveys a sense of old age, weariness, and erosion, suggesting that the island's land has been weathered and eroded by years of storms and natural forces. The verb “troubled” implies that despite the challenges, the land has remained unmoved by its conditions, suggesting resilience.
  • The contrast between the "wizened earth" and the islanders’ preparedness suggests the islanders’ acceptance of the cyclical nature of hardship, while emphasizing their understanding of the inevitable return of violence and danger.
• "The flung spray hits / The very windows, spits like a tame cat / Turned savage."


  • "Flung spray" suggests chaos and force, reinforcing the violent nature of the storm. "flung" conveys the unpredictability of the storm, which challenges the human sense of control.
  • “spits like a tame cat / Turned savage” creates a visceral image of a normally docile entity suddenly transformed into something unpredictable and dangerous. This image not only describes the nature of the storm but also symbolizes the unpredictable threats that nature presents to human beings, a recurring theme in the poem.
• "It is a huge nothing that we fear."

  oxymoron "huge nothing" is particularly striking, as it contrasts the physical enormity of the storm with its intangible, almost abstract nature. This line reflects the ambivalence of human experience—while the storm is a real physical threat, it is ultimately the psychological effect that weighs most heavily.

  • The idea of fear as a nothingness suggests that the islanders' greatest enemy may be their perception of the storm, rather than the storm itself. This emphasizes the psychological impact of living in a place subject to constant natural threats.
• Use of Enjambment

  Heaney uses enjambment throughout the poem, creating a sense of continuity and reflecting the unpredictable, relentless nature of the storm. The lack of natural pauses mimics the uninterrupted force of the storm as it rages against the island, suggesting that humans are powerless to stop nature's onslaught.
• Effects of Enjambment:

  • Flowing lines allow the poem to mimic the unpredictable and unstoppable force of the storm, reflecting nature’s relentless impact on the islanders' lives.
  • The enjambment also reflects the cycle of struggle and endurance, as the storm comes and goes without any clear resolution or end.
• Regular Stanza Lengths and Rhythm

  The poem’s regular stanza lengths (eight stanzas of five lines each) contribute to its formal structure while maintaining a sense of order amidst chaos. The rhythmic consistency in stanza lengths may be seen as an attempt by the speaker to impose control over the natural chaos, yet the absence of regular meter and rhyme reflects the unstable nature of the island’s environment.
• Effects of Structure:

  • The regular stanza length gives a sense of control or anticipation, as if the islanders have prepared for the storm’s arrival.
  • The lack of rhyme mirrors the lack of certainty or predictability in the natural world. While the islanders may have a certain level of preparation, they cannot control the forces of nature.
• Cyclical Structure and Repetition

  The structure of the poem suggests a cyclical pattern, both in the recurrence of the storm and in the islanders' ongoing existence in relation to nature. The poem begins and ends with the islanders’ preparedness and their relationship to the natural environment, suggesting that the cycle of conflict between human beings and nature is repetitive and ongoing.
• Effects of Cyclical Structure:

  • The return to the same ideas in the opening and closing stanzas reinforces the sense of inevitability that characterizes life on the island.
  • The cyclical structure also reflects the ongoing nature of human struggle, where moments of calm are always followed by violent storms, symbolizing the continual fight for survival in an environment that is equally indifferent to human suffering.
• Dramatic Monologue

  Storm on the Island is written as a dramatic monologue, with the speaker directly addressing the reader or audience. This form allows for an immediate connection between the speaker and the audience, creating a sense of intimacy and personal involvement in the speaker’s experience. The dramatic monologue also allows Heaney to convey the speaker’s thoughts and emotions in relation to the storm, and by extension, to life on the island.
• Effects of Dramatic Monologue:

  • The use of a first-person speaker reinforces the personal experience of the storm, making the threat of nature more visceral and immediate for the reader.
  • The monologue format allows the speaker to reflect on the storm's psychological impact, as the poem is as much about internal conflict as it is about the external storm.
• Free Verse

  The poem is written in free verse, without a regular meter or rhyme scheme. This choice mirrors the unpredictable nature of the storm, as it refuses to be bound by the conventional patterns of poetry. The lack of formal structure also reflects the idea that nature cannot be controlled or predicted, and the speaker must adapt to it without any semblance of order.
• Effects of Free Verse:

  • The freedom from traditional form suggests the chaos of the natural world, as well as the mental disarray that comes with living in a hostile environment.
  • The lack of rhyme adds to the rawness and immediacy of the experience, creating an atmosphere where the storm feels ever-present and unavoidable.
• Political and Social Context:

  • The poem was written during a time of political unrest in Northern Ireland. The 1960s were marked by the beginnings of the Troubles, a violent conflict between nationalist and unionist communities in Northern Ireland. While the poem doesn't directly reference these events, the broader social and political turmoil may inform the sense of vulnerability and resilience that is prevalent in the work.
  • The storm in the poem can be seen as an allegory for the political storms and violence of the era, representing both external chaos and internal conflict.
• Heaney’s Relationship with Nature:

  • Heaney was deeply influenced by his upbringing in County Derry. His poetry often reflects a profound connection with the land and nature, which are central motifs in his work. the storm is a powerful symbol of the raw, uncontrollable forces of nature.
  • The island setting emphasizes the vulnerability of human beings in the face of nature's overwhelming power, a recurring theme in Heaney’s writing. The physical and emotional isolation of the island could also represent the psychological isolation of individuals or communities facing external threats.