storm on the island Flashcards
What is the overall summary in storm on the island
Heaney is concerned with the conflict between man and nature, his poem is about a group of people living on an island preparing for a storm. The community initially thought they were well prepared for the barrage of a storm however this confidence dissipates as the storm escalates and is replaced by fear.
What is the stanza summary of storm on the island
It is comprised of one single stanza. The Islanders have designed their living environment to withstand storms.
The land is barren and there is no hay which could be blown away by the storm. The narrator explains that living by the sea is not as pleasurable as it may seem.
How does storm on the island present the theme of mankind vs. nature
The personifying metaphor ‘leaves and branches can raise a tragic chorus in a gale’ hints at nature consciously tormenting man. Personification is used to imbue nature with enough power to compete with a man. Moreover, in a Greek tradegy, a ‘chorus’ would give commentary on and explain events- the absence of trees in this case depicts the isolation of the islanders who are left alone to fight and interpret the storm
- throughout the poem, the personification shifts to zoomorphism with the image ‘spits like a tamed cat turned savage’
- This could highlight how nature could be deceptive and its apparent beauty and innocence but in fact has the capacity for violence and brutality. The juxtaposition of ‘tame’ and ‘savage’ is used to portray the mercurial nature of the storm
- moreover the alliterative ‘t’ sound mimics the sound of water hitting the islanders homes, the poet plays on the readers senses to immerse them within the storm and convey how overwhelming it can be
- there is a sense that he feels betrayed by nature, there is repetition of the noun ‘company’ to establish the myth that nature is mankind’s bestfriend. Through this description he then confutes this suggestion to show the typically celebrated beauty of nature can be misleading
How is conflict and violence shown in storm on the island
• The title itself is an allusion to “Stormont” the government building of Northern Ireland. This is a suggestion that laced beneath the natural imagery of the poem there are political undertones.
- there is a semantic field of battle created through ‘pummels’, ‘exploded’, ‘salvo’ and ‘bombarded’. A lexis relating to military violence could indicate that it’s more political than we might initially expect. Heaney could be writing about the fear that overwhelms a community when violence on the horizon, like an oncoming storm
How is a metaphor used in storm on the island
The single 19-line stanza of the poem is a metaphor for the way the islanders huddle together in preparation for the storm, similarly, they build their ‘houses squat” to maximise their protection against the elements.
How is a blank verse used in storm on the island
It is written in blank verse to make the poem sound conversational (this is mirrored by the colloquialisms)- this presents the experience of a storm as casual and regular; the people are so accustomed to the feeling of fear it has become an everyday occurrence.
How is lack of stanzas shown in storm on the island
The lack of stanzas denies the reader any respite or pause to uphold the same level of tension throughout the whole poem.
How is no rhyme shown in storm on the island
- The poem generally doesnt rhyme, however, the first and final couplet has a slant rhyme of ‘squat/slate’ and ‘air/fear’ which is unsettling. It denies the reader that the satisfaction of a full rhyme which suspends them within the same aspic of waiting that the islanders operate in whilst expecting a storm. There is an overarching sense of apprehension
How is a cyclical structure shown in storm on the island
Moreover, it gives the poem a cyclical structure to portray the storm as unescapable and repetitive- they are stuck in a perpetual cycle of preparation, waiting and recovery.
There is a volta in line 14 as the tone shifts from optimistic confidence and preparation to a deteat against the aggressive brutality of the storm.
How is Volta and enjabment used in storm on the island
The enjambment allows the lines to physically overflow which portrays the constant barrage of the storm as the poem too bombards the reader with information.
