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Comparing Exposure and Storm on the Island - Coggle Diagram
Comparing Exposure and Storm on the Island
Quotes for Storm on Island
“We are bombarded by the
empty air”
"exploding comfortably"
"The very windows, spit like a tame cat turned savage"
Context for Storm on the Island
In ‘Storm on the Island’, the poet Seamus Heaney was born in Ireland, where her grew in a farming community.
The poem explores the conflict between nature and man and peoples’ fear of weather. There is a hint of conflict in the vocabulary used the writer as he uses words such as ‘bombarded’ and ‘salvo’.
Points and Explanation for Storm on the Island
The poet uses a semantic field of war to portray nature as restless and violent.
Heaney juxtaposes a line to implement the idea that the islanders are used to the constant vicious attacks from the sea.
The use of the simile juxtaposes how the sea can appear disciplined and gentle, but underneath it has the potential to be ferocious and reckless. The simile is used to demonstrate the sea could become violent all of a sudden just like a tame cat. Heaney juxtaposes the words "tame" and "savage" to highlight the tempestuous behaviour of the sea.
We are bombarded by the empty air.’ The verb, ‘bombarded’ is usually associated with military like warfare and machinery. This accentuates the ferocious power of the weather. Also, oxymoron is used when sea is said to be ‘exploding comfortably’. The adverb, ‘exploding’ makes the weather sound dangerous and deadly. The poet contrasts the formidability of the seas with subtle, calm views of the oceans to depict the two sides of weather.
SOCIAL, ECONOMIC + POLITICAL ELEMENTS (MESSAGE/PURPOSE --> LINKS/CONNECTION).
Heaney's poetry is often about the countryside, recalling his childhood in Northern Ireland. This poem describes the experience of being in a cliff top cottage off the coast of Ireland during a storm. However, on another level it could be an extended metaphor for the troubles in Northern Ireland
It was said to be the coldest winter in living memory. The soldiers suffered from hypothermia and frostbite and many developed trench foot, a crippling disease caused by feet being wet and cold and confined in boots for days on end.
Owen attempts to inform to society, that fighting in a war is not an honour, it was more of a torture
Heaney attempts to inform to the readers the severe conflicts the islanders face. These natural issues are metaphors implementing the conflict that is happening between Catholics and Protestants
Points and Explanation for exposure
The phrase, ‘merciless iced east winds’. The adjective, ‘merciless’ highlights the lack of compassion as well as sympathy which the weather has for the men. The personification makes the weather appears to the audience as highly formidable and robust. The hard ‘d’ and ‘t’ sounds creates the effect of sibilant. This helps to establish a dark and bitter tone as the winds inflict an enormous amount of pain upon the soldiers, ‘knife’ showing that it evens penetrates the men.
Personification is used, ‘mad gusts tugging on the wire’. The verb, ‘tugging’ implies that they are never left alone and they are consistently tortured. The adjective, ‘mad’ echoes the uncontrollable nature of weather.
Structure of Storm on the Island
In ‘Storm on the Island’, the poem is written in free verse which shows that weather/nature is unpredictable and difficult to stop. While in ‘Exposure’, the poem is written in half rhyme, which provides a tight and rigorous structure, giving the poem a sombre tone.
Caesura in ‘Storm on the Island’ shows the pause and renewal of nature’s taunting cycle
Structure of Exposure
However, in ‘Exposure’ the poem has regular stanzas as the poem continues the men’s suffering increasingly gets worse and the soldiers are almost in the face of death in the final stanza.
context for Exposure
The poet, Wilfred Owen, was actually a soldier in WW1. His poem, ‘Exposure’ is based on war so it is linked to conflict. The poem could also be said to be about power about the weather to depicted to be dangerous and taunting the men through the course of the poem.
Quotes for Exposure
“merciless iced east winds that knive us” personification of the violence the weather perpetrates
“war lasts, rain soaks and clouds sag stormy” triplets show the experience and how they continue on but are persistently uncomfortable
“Ranks on ranks of shivering grey” imagery dehumanises the men but they are still enduring