Seamus Heaney has been called the most important poet since Yeats. Much of his work portrays the intensity of the Irish experience. Study the poet's work with this text, including "North," "Singing School," "Glanmore Sonnets," "The Harvest Bow," "Ugolino," "Station Island," and "The Haw Lantern."
Contents
User's Guide 7
About the Editor 8
Editor's Note 9
Introduction 10
Biography of Seamus Heaney 18
Critical Analysis of "North" 21
Critical Views on "North" 25
P.R. King on Nature as Salve 25
Henry Hart on Heaney's Dismantling of Heroic Myths 27
Rand Brandes on Heaney's Connections Between Poet and 29
Ploughman
Charles L. O'Neill on Heaney's Reaction to Ireland's Violence 31
Critical Analysis of "Singing School" 34
Critical Views on "Singing School" 37
Edna Longley on the Lack of Impact in "Singing School" 37
Michael Molino on the Poet's Place 39
Eammon Hughes on Heaney's Struggle for Identity 41
Lucy McDiarmid on the State vs. the Poet 42
Critical Analysis of the "Glanmore Sonnets" 45
Critical Views on the "Glanmore Sonnets" 50
Neil Corcoran on Heaney's Reminder of Suffering 50
Deborah McLoughlin on Heaney's Trauma 52
Sidney Burris on Heaney's Wordsworthian Childhood Vision 54
Arthur E. McGuinness on Heaney's Inability to Find Peace 56
Michael Parker on Merging Traditions in the "Glanmore 58
Sonnets"
Critical Analysis of "The Harvest Bow" 60
Critical Views on "The Harvest Bow" 63
Sidney Burrs on Heaney's Acceptance of Tradition's Symbolism 63
Tony Curtis Sees Ireland's Need for Hope 64
Henry Hart on the Poet's Relationship with His Father 66
Daniel Tobin on the Transcendent Made Knowable 68
Critical Analysis of "Ugolino" 71
Critical Views on "Ugolino" 75
Tony Curtis on "Ugolino" as Mimicking Ireland's History 75
John Hildebidle on Suffering in "Ugolino" 76
Michael Parker on Experiences of Pain 78
Critical Analysis of "Station Island" 80
Critical Views on "Station Island" 83
Barbara Hardy on the Strengths and Weaknesses of Heaney's 83
Characterizations
Darcy O'Brien on the Disturbance at the End of "Station Island" 85
Michael Molino on Facing the "Massacre" 86
Sammye Crawford Greer on the Transcendent Artistic 88
Consciousness
Helen Vendler on "Station Island" as Presenting Varied 90
Vocations
Critical Analysis of "The Haw Lantern" 92
Critical Views on "The Haw Lantern" 94
Helen Vendler on Heaney's Widened Gaze 94
Frances Dixon Explains the Troubles of an Examined Life 96
Daniel Tobin on Man's Growth 97
Works by Seamus Heaney 100
Works about Seamus Heaney 102
Acknowledgments 107
Index of Themes and Ideas 109