3.1.3

Themes 2

Test yourself

Irony

Heaney uses irony to show how weak man is compared to nature. Heaney uses these devices to emphasise the contrast between man and nature:

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Juxtaposition

  • The juxtaposition (putting ideas or words together for comparison of contrast) of “huge" and "nothing" in "huge nothing that we fear” in the final line highlights how strange the situation is.
  • Despite huge physical preparations, ultimately it is only air (something that cannot even be seen or touched) that is frightening.
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Contrast

  • The contrast between “huge nothing” and “rock” at the start of the poem makes the storm seem even more menacing because human preparation is not sufficient protection.

Irony: Safety

One of the main ironies of the poem is that the Islanders think they are safe at the start. This is ironic because the storm completely overpowers them. The first line of the poem is full of irony:

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Strong statement

  • The poem opens with a strong statement – “We are prepared”. - This emphasises the confidence and sense of security of the Islanders.
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Caesura

  • The use of caesura (break in the line) in the opening line reinforces the idea that the islanders feel safe.
  • It conveys the speaker’s certainty, as well as the sense that they are safely barricaded in their homes.

Jump to other topics

1Ozymandias - Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)

2London - William Blake (1757-1827)

3Storm on the Island - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)

4Exposure - Wilfred Owen (1893-1918)

5War Photographer - Carol Ann Duffy (born 1955)

6My Last Duchess - Robert Browning (1812-1889)

7The Prelude - William Wordsworth (1770-1850)

8Charge of the Light Brigade - Alfred Tennyson

9Bayonet Charge - Ted Hughes (1930-1998)

10Poppies - Jane Weir (Born 1963)

11Tissue - Imtiaz Dharker (Born 1954)

12The Emigree - Carol Rumens (Born 1944)

13Kamikaze - Beatrice Garland (Born 1938)

14Checking Out Me History - John Agard (Born 1949)

15Remains - Simon Armitage (Born 1963)

16Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons

16.1Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons

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