Storm On The Island

Question 1

Context

Answer 1

.Seamus Heaney was a poet in Ireland
. He grew up in a farming community
. Uses large number of agricultural and natural images in his works as metaphors for human nature
. Poem is set around a story of a small isolated cottage

Question 2

Themes

Answer 2

Conflict between nature

Question 3

Structure

Answer 3

The verses are unrhymed

Question 4

Higher marks

Answer 4

The cottage represents safety and calm and behind its walls the violence of weather is undermined. It reflects a conflict between nature and man
. The poet is able to communicate a sense of calm friendlissness using asides and very recognisable imagery to describe the attack of the weather
. The poets suggestion of fear challenges the allocation of power that we only give power top what we fear if we let it

Question 5

Tame cat turned savage

Answer 5

Simile emphasises the poet uses a very similar image to describe something that is powerful and majestic which undermines the strength of the weather. This tells us it is only scary if we choose to let it

Question 6

Exploding comfortably

Answer 6

Oxymoron exploding is quite a violent term contrasting with comfortably the poet is suggesting that because the violence is far off you feel more secure