Seamus Heaney-The Grauballe Man

Created by: That50sTeen99
Created on: 24-04-16 00:11

Discuss the context of The Grauballe Man.

Two years after The Tollund Man, local peat cutter vanished but the body showed that this wasn't the man, body well preserved.

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Discuss the first stanza.

Sleeping, nature, 'seems to weep'- fluidity of body, tears, pain. Like a forensic examination, down to the most specific features. Goes in steps from head to toe of the body.

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Discuss the second, third and fourth stanza.

'like a bog oak', 'cold as a swans foot', 'purse of a mussel'- similie comparison to natural creatures from the environment, even though his presence is un-natural and has become part of the environment. 'basalt egg'- hard, black, polished rock.

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Discuss the fifth and sixth stanza.

Was weak but now has armor, contrasts with previous phonology and assonance of 'foot' and 'root', violent pre-modifier 'slash'- makes you imagine death. 'tanned and toughened'- alliteration, like an extra mouth, will never close.

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Discuss the fifth and sixth stanza further.

'cured wound'- Skin looks like cured meat, reference to the effect the bog has on the body, 'a dark elderberry place'- Cave= gorge in French translates to throat, found elderberry in his stomach- could've been the last thing he tasted.

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Discuss the seventh stanza.

Switch from declaritive to interrogative, questioning who will give it humanity or death, our responsibility to give humanity back.

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Discuss the eighth stanza.

Travel away from environmental to generic comparison, opposite end of the spectrum of life and death, adjective- 'unlikely'

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Discuss the ninth stanza.

Imagery developed, pulled out by peat cutters- reference to 'forceps', possibly rebirth of innocence.

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Discuss stanza ten, eleven and twelve.

'Balance'- between life and death, 'Dying Gaul'- showing defeated warrior, contrasts between being a martyr and defeated warrior to signify dignity in death. 'dumped'- negative to show opposition, on martyr side.

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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Discuss the first stanza.

Back

Sleeping, nature, 'seems to weep'- fluidity of body, tears, pain. Like a forensic examination, down to the most specific features. Goes in steps from head to toe of the body.

Card 3

Front

Discuss the second, third and fourth stanza.

Back

Card 4

Front

Discuss the fifth and sixth stanza.

Back

Card 5

Front

Discuss the fifth and sixth stanza further.

Back

View more cards

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Seamus Heaney-The Grauballe Man