Analysis of 'The Skylight' by Seamus Heaney

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers the literary devices, themes, and specific imagery found in Seamus Heaney's poem 'The Skylight' as outlined in the lecture notes.

The Skylight

A poem by Seamus Heaney that explores the transformative power of relationships and light through the literal installation of a roof window.

Loose Petrarchan sonnet

The irregular structural form used by Heaney for the poem 'The Skylight'.

Extended Metaphor

The physical act of cutting a skylight into a roof represents moving from darkness and depression to light and freedom within a relationship.

Volta

A sharp change in tone that occurs with the word 'But' when the 'slates came off,' shifting the poem from a sense of resistance to one of extravagant surprise.

Biblical Allusion

The reference to the house where the 'man sick of the palsy' was lowered through the roof to be healed by Jesus.

Pitch pine

The specific type of seasoned 'tongue-and-groove' wood that formed the 'interlocked planks' of the original ceiling.

Claustrophobic, nest-up-in-the-roof effect

The 'snuff-dry' feeling the speaker initially preferred, liking the environment 'low and closed' and 'safe'.

Trunk-lid fit

A metaphor used to describe the old ceiling as 'perfect' and 'protected,' suggesting a self-imposed prison or cage.

Hutch and hatch

Phrases used to characterize the roof space as a confined, safe, cage-like area before the skylight was installed.

Midnight thatch

A simile comparing the heat-retention of the blue slates to a traditional thatched roof.

Enjambment

A poetic technique used in the poem to create momentum and flow.

Extravagant

The adjective used to describe the change in sky and tone once the slates were removed, signaling awe and reflection.

Man sick of the palsy

The biblical figure who was 'healed, took up his bed and walked away,' symbolizing the speaker's own unburdening from darkness.

Opposing views (pronouns)

The contrast established between 'You' (the partner who wanted the skylight) and 'I' (the speaker who preferred the darkness).