Storm on the island structure and summary Flashcards
C:
Seamus Heaney was an Irish poet who often wrote about his country and nature. Storm on the Island describes a community’s response to a storm.
The speaker describes a storm attacking the island he lives on.
The community thought they were prepared. But as the poem goes on, it becomes clear that the storm was powerful and frightening.
Their feelings of security turn to fear.
Context:
The first eight letters of the title also spell the word ‘STORMONT’.
Stormont is an estate Belfast. The Northern Ireland Assembly still sits there today.
The poem has also been interpreted as a metaphor for the conflict in Northern Ireland.
The poet explores ideas about the inhospitality and the cruelty of nature.
Man is presented as insignificant compared to the natural world. The poem emphasises these feelings of helplessness.
The poem encourages readers to question the source of human fear: is it the unknown that frightens us the most?
The poem acts as a reminder of human vulnerability
The poem Storm on the Island has been interpreted as a metaphor of:
Conflict in northern island
Form and Structure in Storm on the Island
The structure and rhythm of the Storm on the Island changes throughout to reflect the unpredictable nature of the storm.
Direct address
The poet directly addresses the reader in the poem.
This involves the reader more and makes the storm seem more threatening, as though it is happening to you too.
Rhythm and rhyme
The rhythm and rhyme scheme are unpredictable, reflecting the unpredictable nature of the storm.
STRUCTURAL CHANGE
The poet moves from creating images of safety, to danger and destruction.
Finally, the poet contemplates how strange it is that something that cannot be seen or touched is the source of such great fear.
What are the effects of Heaney using direct address in Storm on the Island?
incolves the reader more
makes the storm seem more threatening
What techniques does Heaney use to mirror the unpredictability of the storm in Storm on the Island?
1 Irregular rhythm 2 Irregular rhyme 3 Changing structure
What are some of the key ideas raised in Storm on the Island?
Man’s insignificance compared to nature
Human vunerability
Human fear
Inhospitality and cruelty of nature
Structural change in storm on the island
IMages of safety
images of destruction
contemplation
