Mid-Term Break by Seamus Heaney

Mid-Term Break by Seamus Heaney

Looking first at the poem written by Seamus Heaney it portrays a very

powerful and clear message. I guess that it is set in Ireland, he

gives clues of this throughout the poem and as he is originally from

Ireland I think that it is a safe presumption to make. Mid-Term break

an incredibly sad poem. In Mid term break Seamus Heaney's tells of the

tragic death of his younger brother, who was sadly killed. Seamus

Heaney describes in the poem of what he did that day when he's younger

brother was killed. The stanza begins with the "morning" in line one,

but it is two o'clock in line three, showing that hour have passed in

waiting. The second stanza begins with the image of Heaney's father

"crying". Heaney's father appears to be a strong man of few words, so

having him crying causes a powerful emotion in the reader. The effect

that his father crying has on Heaney is also written, he says how his

father had 'Always taken funerals in his stride' this gives the clear

message that this funeral is different, devastating for even the

seemingly stronger members of Heaney's family. Heaney skilfully takes

the reader with him as he enters the house through the porch as we

meet his father; "Big Jim Evans"; the baby in its pram; the old men

gathered in the room; and finally Heaney's mother coughing out "angry

tearless sighs", which show that she was hiding her true emotions.

When Heaney writes of "Big Jim Evans" it has an almost hidden meaning.

There seems to be and invisible emphasis on the word, 'Big' making it

stick out in your mind. I think that Heaney does this on purpose; the

word 'Big' brings the image of a str...

... middle of paper ...

...and Jonson's usually satirical and biting

comic voice.

All these poems explore the relationships between loved ones. Whether

it be between two brothers, mother and daughter of father and son they

are all powerful in how they write and describe the different bonds

between them. 'Mid-Term Break' and 'On my first Sonne' perhaps have

more in common than they do with Catrin. They talk deeply about the

confusion of mixed emotions of blame, anger, guilt and relief felt

suffered at the death of a loved one. The author of 'Catrin' however

writes about losing a loved one by other means. She writes on how she

feels her daughter slowly drifting away as age 'tightens' the 'red

rope of love' that ties them together.

All of the discussed poems are emotional and touching and in them all

the poets feelings are clear and strong.