Comparing 'Death of a Naturalist' and 'the Barn' by Seamus Heaney

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Read ‘Death of a Naturalist’ in which the writer remembers a vivid incident from childhood. ‘The Barn’ also explores this theme so now; compare how effectively the writer presents their ideas. Childhood is a time when we experience the world around us in an intense and vivid way. The happiest moments can feel wonderful and the very worst can be terrifying and devastating. Both Seamus Heaney poems recollect memories of childhood and frightening experiences that have obviously made lasting impressions on the poet. In ‘Death of a Naturalist’, the structure of the poem allows the writer space for reflection in two distinct stanzas. The first one is 21 lines long, and there are several moments of caesura throughout this stanza, “In the shade of the banks. Here, every spring.” This is as though the poet is finding it hard to remember the series of events. Also, there are instances of enjambment as the poet relives moments that are nice to remember and indulges himself in the same feelings that he felt as a child. The second stanza is only 12 lines as Heaney considers a memory that terrified him as a child. There is much more enjambment in this stanza, “To a coarse croaking that I had not heard Before.” This is perhaps because the poet remembers the same emotions as he did at that vivid moment and still feels some of the fear as he did as a child. This also reinforces the importance of childhood experiences and how it shapes adulthood. ‘Death of a Naturalist’s first stanza describes a dam in details such as ‘All year the flax-dam festered in the heart.” And, “Flax had rotted there.” There is some sense of pride as though the poet was pleased with himself that he could cope with scenes of things rotting. The stanza carries on to describe the poet collecting ‘jampotfuls of the jellied Specks’ and there is some confidence in the poem here, because as a child, he did this
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