Summary of "Follower" by Seamus Heaney

Overview

• Author: Seamus Heaney, an Irish poet.
• Poem Written in: 1966.
• Appeared in: "Death of a Naturalist" - Heaney's first major published collection.
• Themes: Childhood experiences, rural life, hard work, family relationships, and the formation of adult identities.

Poem Analysis

Structure

• Composed of six four-line stanzas (quatrains).
• Line Lengths: Vary between seven and nine syllables.
• Rhythm: Predominantly iambic with variations.
• Rhyme Scheme: Loose AABB with variations like slant rhyme, imperfect rhyme, and consonance.

Themes & Imagery

• Childhood Memories: Describes young Heaney following his father on the farm, filled with admiration and the desire to emulate him.
• Reversal of Roles: As an adult, Heaney reflects on the reversed roles and the haunting memory of his father.
• Nautical Imagery: Symbolizes the father's strength and skill at plowing.
• Father-Son Relationship: Explores the evolution from admiration to the realization of individuality and diverging paths.

Language & Techniques

• Diction: Straightforward, not overly rich in figurative language.
• Metaphors and Similes: Uses simile (e.g., "like a full sail strung") to convey deeper meanings.
• Imagery:
  • Nautical: Demonstrates father's mastery over land and animals.
  • Physical Skills: Details technical farming terms to showcase the father's expertise.
• Poetic Devices:
  • Enjambment and caesurae: Modulate rhythm and enhance meaning.
  • Progression: Nautical imagery and transitions from childhood to adulthood.

Conclusion of the Poem

• Final Stanza:
  • Illustrates role reversal where the father, now clumsy due to age, follows Heaney.
  • Metaphorical Pursuit: Heaney is haunted by the father's memory and unmet expectations.
  • Life Choices: Heaney chose to venture into writing, diverging from his father’s path.

Additional Information

• Contextual Themes: Further exploration in Heaney’s other work, "Digging."
• Final Note: A call to engagement with more content on related English literary topics.