Storm on the Island

Question 1

Context

Answer 1

Catholic, but lived in Northern Ireland
republican
Mostly wrote about rural life and landscape
from death of a naturalist
aran islands
published 1966
start of the troubles

Question 2

Form

Answer 2

dramatic Monologue (isolation/ unbalanced power)
iambic pentameter ( conversation)
lack of a rhyme scheme but half rhyme at the beginning and end

Question 3

Key Ideas

Answer 3

death of a naturalist
not a romantisiced view of nature but a realistic image of its danger and violence
allegory for a political storm to come
conflict between community and isolation

Question 4

Key Quote 1

Answer 4

We are prepared we build our houses squat. sink wall in rock an droof them with good slate

Question 5

Key Quote 1 Analysis

Answer 5

We - unity
We are prepared - confident and in media res
we build - huge army fighting
squat - avoiding winds
sink walls in rock and roof them with good slate- preparation before an attack
tricolon- how they prepare

Question 6

Key Quote 2

Answer 6

leaves and branches can raise a tragic chorus in a gale

Question 7

Key Quote 2 Analysis

Answer 7

Heaney uses the metaphor… to show how much damage the winds can really cause.
tragic chorus in a gale - aftermath of the bombs
tragic chorus - bombing
Heaney uses a metaphor to show much damage the winds can really cause

Question 8

Key Quote 3

Answer 8

Strange it is a huge nothing that we fear

Question 9

Key Quote 3 Analysis

Answer 9

they are fighting within them
huge nothing - oxymoron to show that the wind is invisible, so it should not be feared due to the raging storm .