Storm on the Island by Seamus Heaney examines the long term impact of storms and conflict on an island. Through the extended metaphor of storms, we can interpret this poem as an examination into the impact of the Troubles on the island of Ireland.
This study guide is written for students and teachers of English Literature, particularly those studying AQA’s GCSE English Literature Power and Conflict Anthology. For more study guides from this anthology, check out the Power and Conflict page, or the list of poems in the series at the bottom of this guide.
Storm on the Island
We are prepared: we build our houses squat,
Sink walls in rock and roof them with good slate.
This wizened earth has never troubled us
With hay, so, as you see, there are no stacks
Or stooks that can be lost. Nor are there trees
Which might prove company when it blows full
Blast: you know what I mean – leaves and branches
Can raise a tragic chorus in a gale
So that you listen to the thing you fear
Forgetting that it pummels your house too.
But there are no trees, no natural shelter.
You might think that the sea is company,
Exploding comfortably down on the cliffs
But no: when it begins, the flung spray hits
The very windows, spits like a tame cat
Turned savage. We just sit tight while wind dives
And strafes invisibly. Space is a salvo,
We are bombarded with the empty air.
Strange, it is a huge nothing that we fear.
What is 'Storm on the Island' all about?
Summary
‘Storm on the Island’ opens with a declaration that the people are ready for the storms they know are coming.
They know how to build their houses low and firmly embedded into rock in order to withstand the strong winds, tides and damaging storms that plague this island.
The speaker describes the landscape of the island: not only are the houses low and ‘squat’ but, as a result of the damaging weather, the land is unfertile, barren and flat. With irony, the speaker says that they have never been ‘troubled’ by hay i.e. nothing grows here.
The speaker then describes how the sound of the wind through the trees can be comforting, but on this island, there is no comfort to be found as there are no trees.
Nor does the sea provide company; many people enjoy listening to the sound of waves and find it relaxing, but on this island, the sea is so dangerous that it is almost attacking the house.
In the end, the speaker summarises that all the inhabitants of the island can do it shelter from it and watch on, powerless, as it attacks the land, experiencing fear.
Analysis: what is the poem really about?
On closer inspection of the language and context of ‘Storm on the Island’, we can piece together an important second layer of meaning. On the surface, the poem is about the impact of nature on an island and its inhabitants. But scratch the surface to find clues, and there is much more to discover.
The title ‘Storm on the Island’ is interesting. Heaney is from the island of Ireland. Stormont is the seat of power in Northern Ireland, and close inspection of the title reveals this word hidden there: STORM ON The island. This island is not just any island, but Heaney’s home: Ireland. The storm is not just bad weather (although Ireland certainly gets more than its fair share of rain!) but rather a political storm, and a storm of conflict, which will be explained further in the ‘context’ section below.
Does this interpretation bear out in further analysis of the poem?
Yes! In line 3, Heaney uses the word ‘troubled’ which is too closely linked to the term ‘Troubles’ to be a coincidence. In addition, there is militaristic language throughout the poem (‘salvo’, ‘bombarded’, ‘strafes’ etc) indicating that the storm is physical violence, not just bad weather. Check out both the context section and the line-by-line analysis section below for more detail.
Context of 'Storm on the Island'
Seamus Heaney's life, education and career
Seamus Heaney (1939-2013) was a renowned Irish poet born in Mossbawn, County Derry, Northern Ireland. Heaney grew up in a large family in rural County Derry at a time of civil unrest and mounting political and social disruption. Born in 1939, he was both a witness and a participant in the shifting tides of his homeland’s history, and it is no surprise that his poetry often reflects his personal experiences, the landscapes of his homeland and the turbulence of his home. Indeed, the publication of ‘Death of a Naturalist’ in 1966 means it emerged at the very beginnings of the time in recent Northern Irish history known as The Troubles.
Check out other poems by Heaney by clicking the links below:
Context of 'Storm on the Island'
Storm on the Island is part of Heaney’s 1966 poetry collection entitled ‘Death of a Naturalist’, perhaps Heaney’s best-known collection. ‘Death of a Naturalist’ largely dismisses the idealised version of nature which is calming, gentle and at one with mankind. Instead, the reader explores coming of age, the past and conflict through the harsh realities of nature and its impact on mankind.
The Troubles
‘The Troubles’ in Northern Ireland was a complex conflict that lasted for roughly three decades, from the late 1960s to the late 1990s. It primarily revolved around nationalist and religious divisions in the country of Northern Ireland and spilled over into the Irish Republic and parts of Great Britain.
On one side, some predominantly Catholic nationalists sought closer ties with the Republic of Ireland and identified as Irish. Republicans felt that they lived in an occupied country and resented the power exerted over them by the police (the RUC) and the British Army. On the other side, there were mainly Protestant unionists who wanted Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom and considered themselves British. Unionists felt that Unionism was under threat and attack from those who were fighting for a United Ireland.
The conflict was characterised by political, religious, and sectarian violence, with paramilitary groups such as the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) and various loyalist paramilitary organisations playing significant roles. The Troubles resulted in thousands of deaths, injuries, and extensive social and economic disruption, deeply affecting the lives of people in Northern Ireland.
Line-by-line analysis of 'Storm on the Island'
The title: Storm on the Island
- The choice of the definite article ‘the’ rather than an indefinite article such as ‘an’ tells us that the speaker is describing one specific island. Although it remains unnamed throughout the poem, we can deduce that Heaney is writing about his own island home, Ireland.
- The first 8 letters of the title spell out ‘Stormont’, Northern Ireland’s government.
We are prepared: we build our houses squat,
- The opening declarative clause ‘We are prepared’ gives a confident tone.
- ‘We’ is an inclusive pronoun, so the speaker is one of the inhabitants of the island and speaks from personal experience.
- Repetition of ‘we’ further emphasises the direct experiences of the speaker.
- The preparedness of the speaker is shared when they describe their practical response by building sturdy, low houses (‘squat’) to withstand harsh weather conditions.
- The colon creates a caesura (pause) in the middle of the line, creating a continuation of the idea from the opening three words, and linking them together.
Sink walls in rock and roof them with good slate.
- These islanders use durable materials like rock and slate for stability and protection against the weather, knowledge built up over many generations.
- Alliteration of ‘rock and roof’ adds sound effect to the line, emphasising the skill of the people.
- Assonance in the repeated ‘o’ sounds of the line add further sound, engaging the reader with these visual and auditory descriptions.
This wizened earth has never troubled us
- The speaker uses irony to downplay the barrenness of the land: it has never ‘troubled’ them by being fertile.
- ‘Wizened’ is a very negative adjective, indicating that the land is hard, dried up and infertile.
- Again the speaker uses an inclusive person pronoun (‘us’) to show that he is one of them.
With hay, so, as you see, there are no stacks
- This line is very fractured with commas which create a series of caesurae. The effect of all of these pauses is to create Heaney’s signature conversational style and tone.
- The colloquial phrase ‘so, as you see…’ adds to this conversational tone. The speaker addresses the reader specifically here.
- ‘Stacks’ here refers to hay stacks.
Or stooks that can be lost. Nor are there trees
- A stook is a collection of sheaves of hay stacked on their ends to create a teepee sort of shape.
- The negative conjunction ‘Nor’ emphasises all of the comforts missing, highlighting the isolation and vulnerability of the islanders.
Which might prove company when it blows full
- Enjambment from the previous line creates flow and increases the conversational tone.
- ‘Blows full blast’ uses plosive alliteration of the ‘b’ sound, mimicking the sound of the hammering wind, but also the sound of bullets and gunfire.
Blast: you know what I mean - leaves and branches
- The semi-colon after ‘Blast’ creates a caesura and the pause created leaves the previous word ‘blast’ resounding in the readers ear, echoing around the space.
- Again, the speaker uses a casual, conversational tone in ‘you know what I mean’ before another punctuated pause before explaining what he means.
Can raise a tragic chorus in a gale
- There is a double meaning in this line in the phrase ‘tragic chorus’. On one hand, the speaker refers to the potentially haunting sounds of leaves and branches rustling in the wind during a storm, evoking a sense of foreboding and fear. On the other hand, ‘tragic chorus’ refers to the chorus of a Greek tragedy which narrates the catastrophic events of the downfall of its protagonist. In this reference, Heaney establishes a dark and foreboding tone.
So that you listen to the thing you fear
- The speaker suggests that the fear induced by the sounds of the storm distracts from the realisation that one’s own home is also being assaulted by the elements.
- The repeated use of direct address to the reader engages them in the emotion of the line, emphasising the sound of the storm and the relatability of the experience.
Forgetting that it pummels your house too.
- In the metaphor, the storm (The Troubles in Northern Ireland) attacks ‘your house too’ i.e. by wreaking violence and conflict on their enemies, those involved in hurting and harming others also harmed themselves. Communities live in close proximity to each other in Northern Ireland, and the violence which hurts one side often also hurts the other too, either through the proximity or through retaliation.
But there are no trees, no natural shelter.
- Negative vocabulary choices emphasise the harm caused to the island and its people.
You might think that the sea is company,
- The repetition of ‘company’ (also referred to in line 6) draws attention to the theme of company and community versus isolation. The speaker seems to crave company and community, but finds themselves in a bleak and desolate place.
Exploding comfortably down on the cliffs
- Language of conflict begins to intensify from this point on. ‘Exploding comfortably’ is an juxtaposition, and while it is a safe image due to the distance (‘down on the cliffs’), the reference to ‘exploding’ puts the reader on edge.
But no: when it begins, the flung spray hits
- Having set up an image in the previous line, the speaker contradicts it here with yet another negative qualifier, ‘but no’.
- Alliteration and consonance in this line creates the auditory impact, adding to the imagery of violence: ‘But no: when it begins, the flung spray hits‘
The very windows, spits like a tame cat
- Despite its initial appearance of tranquillity, the sea becomes hostile during storms, with the spray hitting the windows of the islanders’ homes.
- The simile ‘spits like a tame cat turned savage’ provides the reader with an accessible image of violence.
Turned savage. We just sit tight while wind dives
- The contrast of sitting tight inside compared to the wild conditions outside emphasises the need for company and comfort.
- The contrast is emphasised by the full stop in the middle of the line. This caesura contrasts the savage on one side with the sitting tight on the other.
- In the metaphor of the Troubles, there is perhaps a suggestion that those who huddle inside do nothing but continue to problem of sectarian conflict in the country. By sitting tight and waiting for the storm to pass their own house, they offer comfort within their own community rather than reaching out to stop the storm from harming others.
And strafes invisibly. Space is a salvo,
- ‘Strafes’ means to fire on someone or something at close range and works along with ‘salvo’ which means the simultaneous discharge of firearms, creating a semantic field of violence and conflict vocabulary.
- The semantic field of violent language is emphasised by the sibilance in ‘strafes‘, ‘space’ and ‘salvo’.
- The reference to ‘invisibly’ reminds us that fear, like the wind, is invisible.
We are bombarded with the empty air.
- ‘bombarded’ continues the semantic field from the previous line.
Strange, it is a huge nothing that we fear.
- This final line is open to interpretation. Perhaps the people have nothing to fear. Or perhaps the thing they fear is huge but intangible and invisible, so difficult to describe or explain. Either way, there is fear, leaving the reader with the haunting impression that nature is to be feared.
Analysis of form and structure
Verse structure
‘Storm on the Island‘ is a dramatic monologue spoken by an unnamed and impartial speaker.
The poem is one extended verse made up of 19 lines. This odd number of lines is disconcerting: it is more common for poems to have an even number of lines, allowing for rhyming patterns which often use pairs. In this poem, the extended verse structure perhaps reflects the sense of the extended and prolonged attacks the island is suffering under.
Rhyme
There is no consistent rhyme pattern in the poem. The 19 lines do not make use of rhyme to create structure or effect. Instead, Heaney uses sounds such as alliteration, onomatopoeia, consonance, sibilance, etc to add auditory interest.
Rhythm
‘Storm on the Island‘ is written in blank verse, which means it is unrhymed iambic pentameter.
Iambic pentameter is a rhythm which is composed of ten syllables per line, organised into five pairs of syllables which are ordered: unstressed followed by stressed. Let’s look at an example from the opening two lines:
We are/ prepared:/ we build/ our hous/es squat,/
Sink walls/ in rock/ and roof/ them with/ good slate./
The overall effect of iambic pentameter is to create a natural rhythm, mimicking the conversational style created throughout.
In places, the iambic rhythm is interrupted, and this occurs when there are high points of violence, for example:
Which might prove company when it blows full
Blast: you know what I mean – leaves and branches
Themes in 'Storm on the Island'
Violence and conflict
While ‘Storm on the Island‘ primarily focuses on the natural elements, it can also be interpreted allegorically to reflect the themes of violence and conflict, particularly in the context of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. The storm depicted in the poem can be seen as a metaphor for the political and social turmoil experienced during this period. See the context section above for more on this.
The power of nature
The poem explores the raw power of nature, particularly in the form of storms, and the potential danger it poses to human settlements. The islanders are depicted as being constantly aware of and prepared for the destructive force of the elements. In this way, it connects well to ‘Ozymandias’ by Percy Bysshe Shelley which also explores the destructive power of nature, and to Wordsworth’s The Prelude.
Company versus isolation
The isolation of the islanders is emphasised through the absence of trees and other natural shelter during storms. This physical isolation mirrors a sense of emotional or existential loneliness, as the islanders confront the elemental forces of nature on their own.
Quiz
Quiz on ‘Storm on the Island’ by Seamus Heaney
Test your knowledge of the poem 'Storm on the Island' by Seamus Heaney.
Comprehension Questions
- What measures have the islanders taken to prepare for storms according to the poem?
- How does the speaker characterise the relationship between the islanders and the natural environment?
- What natural features are notably absent on the island as a result of the storms, and how does this impact the islanders?
- How does Heaney use structural features (verse structure, rhythm and rhyme) to intensify the effect of the poem?
- What imagery does the speaker use to describe the potential sounds of trees during a storm? What is the impact of this imagery on the reader?
- What does the speaker mean when they refer to “the flung spray” hitting the windows like a “tame cat turned savage”?
- How does the poem convey the sense of vulnerability and isolation experienced by the islanders during storms?
- How does Heaney develop a sense of fear throughout the poem?
- Identify the vocabulary of violence in the poem. Why do you think Heaney uses this vocabulary, and how does it help us to interpret the poem more deeply?
- What other poem from your anthology would you pair with ‘Storm on the Island’, and what are the similarities and differences between these two poems?
Both ‘Storm on the Island’ and ‘Ozymandias’ explore the destructive power of nature. In ‘Storm on the Island,’ a violent storm threatens the islanders’ homes, highlighting human vulnerability against the elements. Similarly, in ‘Ozymandias,’ the crumbling ruins of a once-majestic statue in the desert symbolise the impermanence of human achievements in the face of nature’s relentless forces. Both poems underscore the insignificance of human endeavours compared to the enduring force of the natural world. The poems have very different contexts, tones and forms, giving students plenty of points of constrast.
Both ‘Storm on the Island’ and William Wordsworth’s ‘The Prelude’ delve into the power of nature. In ‘Storm on the Island,’ the violent storm threatens the islanders’ safety, emphasising their vulnerability amidst nature’s fury. Similarly, in ‘The Prelude,’ Wordsworth reflects on the awe-inspiring force of nature, particularly through encounters like his experience with the storm on Lake Windermere. Both poems explore the sublime and overwhelming aspects of nature, highlighting its capacity to evoke fear, awe, and a sense of insignificance in humans.
