Storm on the island by seamus Heaney

• “We are prepared”

  • False self-assurance
  • humans believe they can battle against humans
  • this facade is later broken by nature
• “Exploding comfortably”

  • Reflects how the speaker has made sense of the conflict and is used to it
  • oxymoronic - confuses the reader as it doesn’t make sense.
  • Nature is meant to be the emblem of ‘beauty’, ‘grace’ and ‘tranquility’m however it can be perilous, malovelent because it has learnt this from humans.
• “We are bombarded by the empty air. Strange it is a huge nothing that we fear”

  • “air” and “fear“ are both half rhymes, suggests that the tumultuous storm refuses to be controlled or organised so only half rhyme is possible
  • half rhyme used in the beginning and end to show a cyclical structure
  • “we”- microcosm of humans and dehumanises humans- he humbles himself and succumbs to the power of nature and accepts he will never beat nature
  • “bombarded”- violent verb- demonstrates the aggressiveness of nature.
• “Space is a salvo”

  • Military language
  • A salvo is an incessant discharge of artillery
  • relentless nature of nature
  • nature is organised like an army- has learnt this from humans
• “Wizened earth”

  • Glorifying nature
  • double meaning-nature has learnt military techniques from humans
  • corruption of nature
• “Tragic chorus”

  • personifies the trees
  • cry for help
  • Battle cry