Heaney uses the extended metaphor of the to describe the conflict in Northern Ireland in the second half of the twentieth century. Feelings and attitudes Safety and fear Isolation and helplessness Themes The power of nature Humanity versus nature Fear and isolation Compare with… (power of nature/ weather) ‘Exposure’ of nature) ‘Prelude’ Other war poems. Key quotations (full) blast’, and ‘blows ‘pummels’, ‘exploding’, ‘hits’, ‘spits’, ‘dives’, ‘strafes’ ‘bombarded’. like a tame cat/ Turned savage’ ‘…spits nothing…’ ‘…huge Glossary Squat– crouch Slate bluish-grey rock – Wizened dried up; shrivelled – haystacks Stacks - Stooks a group of grain stalks – Chorus song – Gale a very strong wind – Pummels strike repeatedly – bombards; harasses with artillery shells Strafes – Salvo simultaneous firing of artillery – Bombarded attack continually –
Heaney uses the extended metaphor of the to describe the conflict in Northern Ireland in the second half of the twentieth century. Feelings and attitudes Safety and fear Isolation and helplessness Themes The power of nature Humanity versus nature Fear and isolation Compare with… ‘Exposure’ (power of nature/ weather) ‘Prelude’ of nature) Other war poems. Key quotations ‘blows (full) blast’, ‘pummels’, ‘exploding’, ‘hits’, ‘spits’, ‘dives’, ‘strafes’ and ‘bombarded’. ‘…spits like a tame cat/ Turned savage’ ‘…huge nothing…’ Glossary Squat– crouch Slate – bluish-grey rock Wizened – dried up; shrivelled Stacks - haystacks Stooks – a group of grain stalks Chorus – song Gale – a very strong wind Pummels – strike repeatedly Strafes – bombards; harasses with artillery shells Salvo – simultaneous firing of artillery Bombarded – attack continually
storm-on-the-island.docx