Death of a Naturalist

Question 1

Retting - flax dam soaked in lint holes

Answer 1

Heaney describes this process but does not explicitly state it
Focuses on child’s fascination

Question 2

Unrhymed blank verse
Mostly iamb. pentameter
No rhyme scheme

Answer 2

Nothing about the structure or form of the poem is predictable
Reflects how he was not expecting to view nature as revolting
Verse and nature full of unexpected variation

Question 3

best of all was the
clotted
festered

Answer 3

warm thicc slobber
Reader views nature as repulsing yet he takes joy “best of all”
Evoke feelings of disgust but to him joy
“bb” echoes “b” in best - fusing elements of disgust and joy

Question 4

heart/ Of the townland

Answer 4

Townland - Irish

heart - indicates he is close to nature and it is a part of him

Question 5

sweltered

punishing sun

Answer 5

Interested in the brutal and usually disgusting side of nature
Alliteration sods/sweltering/sun - “s” is a long sound so is indulging in the fascination of nature; happier times?

Question 6

In rain.

Answer 6

Indicates a change of moon “rain” sadness and negativity

A turning point

Question 7

rank - pun on word (disgust/military)
cocked/On sods
obscene threats
mud grenades

Answer 7

Treating the frogs he was fascinated with as the enemy

A war between them

Question 8

gross-bellied

I sickened

Answer 8

Sense of awareness that the disgusting side is revolting not interesting
Only horror not pleasure