Literary Craft Analysis of Poem--Mid Term Break - Essay Example

Literary Craft Analysis of Poem--"Mid Term Break" The poem Mid Term Break by Seamus Heaney portrays the ideas of death, grief, trauma, and finality in life. The poem is quite in itself as haunting as its brilliant execution. The poem tries to depict that the poet arrives hove from school, but just before he arrives home, he is informed of the death of his brother who is later revealed as his younger brother. He says, “11Whispers informed strangers I was the eldest.” The poet recounts a painful experience of losing their loved one and the experience seems to be with everyone including the strangers who heard about the death. From the line above, he says that informed strangers whispered that he, the narrator, is the eldest. This means the death saddened almost everyone who heard of it. Nonetheless, the poet has incorporated a series of elements as well as stylistic features that have been used in a distinct manner. The author has used different elements in his writing to show how death causes grief and trauma. The literary, the poem portrays a boy who arrives home from school where he was “moaning in the college sick bay” after receiving the news of the death of his younger brother who was involved in an accident. Just about to arrive home, “4I met my father crying.” Using these lines or word phrases, the author tries to show the pain and confusion that result of loosing a loved one. The confusion is depicted in the stereotypical roles of his parents, especially the change in these roles where the father crying and the mother “13Coughed out angry, tearless sighs.” Additionally, it is apparent that deaths were common in the life of his father. He says, “5He had always taken funerals in his stride.” However, nobody had expected that death could strike so close to at the heart of their home. In this case, the parent of these kids were no longer suspecting funeral, but one of their own blood and flesh has been robbed from them. The poem expresses its themes subtly, with concentration on childhood innocence. In fact, these have been relayed in a very simple manner but with immense attention to detail. “Finality” constitutes one of the themes; hence, the title “Mid-Term Break” plays a significant role in revealing the theme. For instance, the title “Mid-Term Break” may be taken to depict or suggest finality of someone’s life. The mid term break depicts a break from school for the narrator. If the title is reflected on the situations surrounding his younger brother, this break translates to death. The poem has managed to develop emotions in a poignant manner thereby allowing readers to relate to different world experiences including repression. On the other hand, the mood created by the poem brings a somber touch that is encountered with an eerie of silence. The mood and emotions created by the poem places the reader in a position to have mixed emotions including anger, grief, and confusion all of which are pegged on the effects or aftermath of death of a loved one. Despite the simplicity of the text, the mood and poem leave the audience captivated. The poet has also used images to relay information in the poem. It should be noted that the use of the imagery in the poem has managed to draw the audience ultimately into the gap created by the poem. For instance death has been used a gap which is a life altering factors that is a well an impenetrable. Moreover, the sense of adolescence in the poem brings life to the poem. The narrator says, “8 … I was embarrassed 9by the old men standing to shake my hand.” This is an imagery to distinguish between the youths or the adolescents and older generation. Moreover, the theme of the poem that revolves around the dead boy is also an imagery depicting transition between life and death. It is also worth noting the form the tittle of the poem, the word phrase, mid term break, typically signifies holiday. Alternatively, the word break alone may also be taken to mean the family break that is well explained in the death of the brother or one of the family members. Therefore, it is worth noting the poet has articulated properly and perfectly the use of imagery in his piece. Alliteration has been used in lines of the poem to help signify and emphasize of the unhappiness this family is facing. The poem has been structured in a blank or free verse nature; thus, it tells a story without rhyme. The lack of rhyme in this poem aims at creating a somber mood that touches of silence deliberately. Each stanza uses simple texts to say enough; however, much of the story is revealed especially the reflection of death and life. The author has used simple style and language in developing his poem; however, they are distinct thereby helping in revealing the theme. In should be noted that the author decided to employ these degrees of simplicity to achieve the descriptive nature of the poem. The poem also has the sense of innocence and the sense of childlike death. Additionally, the use of unembellished language as used in phrases such as “16Next morning I went into the room,” aims at placing the poem in real world thereby giving it its absolute meaning. Moreover, the poem has employed the use of visual images such as the one found in the line, Snow-drops and candles soothed the bedside,” intended to contribute to the poem’s mood and towards calling for different perception and views of the audiences regarding the poem. Onomatopoeias including “cooed,” “knocked” “coughed,” and “whispers,” are applied to express the emotion in the poem. Therefore, Heaney is seen to be allowing readers to seem as passive observers as opposed audients participating in his work. Other onomatopoeias are used to distinguish sound. The last verses of the poem express death in its finality that is, “22A four foot box, a foot for every year.” It is worth noting the poem “Mid Term Break” is a well-articulated poem with long years’ history, but it is still applicable in the present world of literature, art, and poetry. Work Cited Heaney, Seamus. Mid-term Break. , 1963. Print. Read More