Storm on the island

'We are prepared: we build our houses squat,'

- the inclusive pronoun 'we' creates a sense of togetherness and resilience

- the colon acts as a structural wall it shows how well built their houses and community are

- the iambic pentameter of this line gives a regular beat- sense of solidity to match the buildings

- 'squat' shows they are accustomed to war and fierce elements

- By starting with "We are prepared," Heaney may be commenting on how the people of Northern Ireland have become tragically familiar with political conflict and "storms

'This wizened earth has never troubled us'

- "never yet" implies fragile peace, the storm threatens to break their safety

- 'wizened earth' - 'wizened' means shriveled or dried up with age it suggest the land is old and ancient it is weak against the storm

- If the poem is read as an allegory for The Troubles in Northern Ireland, the "wizened earth" represents the ancient, deeply rooted history of the land.

'Nor are there trees/ Which might prove company when it blows full/ Blast:'

- emphasizes the community isolation, heightening their vulnerability

- "prove company" - personification, sense of companionship and solidarity between trees and villagers suggests nature and humans can work together

- the plosive alliteration of 'b' shows nature is violent as it is attacking the island, the sound resembles bullets the weather seems as deadly as a weapon

- "blast" represents gunshots/ explosions, it is a subtle reference to politically influenced terrorism - onomatopoeia shows the sheer power of the storm

- the caesura at the end mimics the eerie silence following a damaging storm

The sea is 'exploding comfortably down the cliffs'

- the oxymoron on 'exploding' and 'comfortably' shows the chaotic violence is a routine to the Islanders

- enjambment creates a fluid tone it mimicks the movement of crashing waves

- Heaney's intent is to show the physical toughness of both the Irish landscape and the people who live there.

'But no: when it begins, the flung spray hits/ The very windows, spits like a tame car/ Turned savage.'

- the adjective 'flung' conveys carelessness, it shows the lack of compassion from the sea towards the Islanders

- the sibilance and dental plosive alliteration shows how ferocious and powerful nature is

- a 'tame cat' is a pet owned by humans shows mankind has tried but failed to tame nature

- the simile shows the sea has turned threatening and dangerous, the contrast between 'tame' and 'savage' reflects how quickly events change, nature can be kind and harsh

'We just sit tight while wind dives and strafes invisibly'

- the assonance here of the long vowel sounds slow showing the lasting impact of the storm

- the personification creates an atmosphere of turbulence and danger

- the juxtaposition of people 'sitting tight' as the storm rages outside shows that humans are powerless compared to nature

- 'strafes' relates to war planes attacking highlighting the semantic field of war and how the poem is an allegory

- the 'invisibility' and unpredictability of attacker makes it more terrifying

'Strange, it is a huge nothing that we fear.'

- Heaney wanting the reader to pause and realize that it is strange and bizarre

- the 'nothing' we fear has a huge hold on them

- 'nothing' could be an illusion to death

- despite physical preparations, only air (which is invisible) is frightening them

who wrote this poem

Seamus Heaney

context

- Irish poet - grew up in countryside

- mostly wrote about landscape and family

- dramatic monologue- people on island facing storm

- allegory to political struggle in Ireland at the time (the troubles)

- poem written in 1966

comparison

exposure- nature is real enemy, danger

• both present nature as more powerful than man - damaging, destructive and everlasting

• conclusion- even though both poets present nature as everlasting, damaging and destructive and more powerful then man, Heaney focuses on its physical power over the island and man’s insignificance while Owen present the physical affects nature has on man