Storm on the Island Flashcards
Plot Summary
The poem describes a coastal community bracing for a violent storm. The islanders believe they are prepared with sturdy houses and supplies. As the storm hits, its power overwhelms them—wind screams, waves explode like bombs, and the sea turns savage. The poem shifts from confidence to vulnerability, revealing nature’s uncontrollable force. The ending is ambiguous: the storm’s fury leaves the speakers unsettled, questioning their safety.
Context
Written during The Troubles (1960s–1990s), a period of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland.
The title’s hidden reference to “STORMONT” (the government building in Belfast) suggests the poem is an allegory for political instability.
The storm symbolizes violence (IRA bombings, British military presence) and the helplessness of civilians.
Form and Structure
Free Verse: The poem lacks a strict rhyme scheme, reflecting the chaos and unpredictability of the storm. The poem is one 19-line stanza, creating a sense of relentless, unbroken assault—like the storm itself.
The poem shifts from security to fear from the volta “But no”.
Language
Militaristic Language :
“We are bombarded by the empty air” – The storm is likened to artillery fire, making nature seem like a wartime enemy.
“Wind dives and strafes invisibly” – “Strafes” (a term for machine-gun attacks) suggests the wind is deliberately hostile.
Animalistic Simile:
“Spits like a tame cat / Turned savage” – The storm is unpredictable, shifting from harmless to deadly, just like The Troubles (NI conflict).
Sensory Language
“You can listen to the thing you fear” – The storm is audible but invisible, making it more terrifying.
“Pummels your house” – The verb “pummels” makes the storm feel physically brutal.
Oxymorons & Juxtaposition
“Huge nothing that we fear” – The storm is powerful yet invisible, mocking human efforts to prepare.
Contrast between “rock” (solid, safe) and “air” (empty but destructive) highlights nature’s unpredictable power.
Direct Address
“You can listen…” – By involving the reader, Heaney makes the storm feel personal and inescapable, much like political violence in NI.
“We are prepared: we build our houses squat”
Caesura (colon pause) → Creates a false sense of control.
“Squat” → Short, sturdy houses suggest practicality, but irony follows (they’re still powerless).
Thematic link: Human arrogance vs. nature’s power.
We are bombarded by the empty air”
“Bombarded” → militaristic language compares wind to artillery fire, making nature a soldier.
Oxymoron: “empty air” is harmless yet deadly—mirrors The Troubles (invisible but violent).
“Spits like a tame cat / Turned savage”
Simile → Storm shifts from harmless (“tame”) to lethal (“savage”).
Enjambment → Lines spill over, mirroring the storm’s sudden violence.
Thematic link: Nature’s unpredictability = Northern Ireland’s political unrest.
“Strange, it is a huge nothing that we fear”
Juxtaposition: “huge nothing” → The storm is powerful yet invisible, mocking human efforts.
“Fear” → Ends the poem on psychological terror (not physical damage).
Thematic link: Fear of the unknown (storm vs. political conflict).
“You can listen to the thing you fear”
Second-person “you” → Forces the reader to experience the storm, making it universal.
Auditory imagery → Fear comes from sound, not sight (more unsettling).
“Exploding comfortably”
Oxymoron:
“Exploding” suggests violent destruction, while “comfortably” implies ease and safety.
This contradiction mirrors the islanders’ false sense of security—they believe they’re prepared, but the storm’s power is unpredictable.
Comparisons
The Prelude (Wordsworth) – Power of Nature
Similarity: Both depict nature as awe-inspiring and terrifying. Heaney’s storm “explod[es] comfortably”, while Wordsworth’s mountain “loomed” suddenly, humbling humans.
Difference: Wordsworth reflects on personal growth; Heaney focuses on collective vulnerability (islanders vs. individual poet).
. Exposure (Owen) – Nature as an Enemy
Similarity: Both personify weather as violent (“bombarded by the empty air” / “merciless iced winds”).
Difference: Owen’s cold is literal (WW1 trenches); Heaney’s storm is metaphorical (The Troubles).
